IT will be child's play for some Fylde students thanks to an idea that's no dummy!

GCSE Child Development students at Lytham St Annes High Technology College are being introduced to virtual babies to get practical experience of what is involved in caring for a newborn infant.

These babies can cry, feed and need their nappies changing regularly -- and even come complete with a digital display which records how well their carers are treating them.

If the baby's head drops back, or the baby is shaken, all this is recorded and the pupil will be given an overall score for their parenting skills.

Anne Read, child development teacher at the Worsley Road college, explained: "We have managed to purchase two of the virtual parenting dolls -- a boy and a girl each costing £300," she said.

"They are amazingly life-like and even smell like newborn babies. They have several different cries, and the student will have to decide whether the cry is for food, or because they need their nappy changing, or merely want attention.

"We are not up and running just yet because we still need to buy some accessories for them, such as prams. The dolls will help us immensely in teaching parenting skills and demonstrating to them the huge responsibilities that come along with a new baby. Although the dolls are essentially a further teaching tool for us, Britain does have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe and they will highlight the total change in lifestyle that occurs when a baby is born."

Students start this new experience in September and will be given the babies to take home for the weekend when they will have to look after them day and night!

No doubt there are going to be some bleary eyed "parents" after getting up to give the 3am feed!