What are your thoughts on young children playing on iPads/other electronic tablets

wyndslash · 08-11-2012, 11:10 AM

I decided not to put a poll since I really just want this to be a free conversation. Well, I think there has been a past thread on this before (I'm not sure), but lots of people get scolded when they bring up really old threads, so I'm just making a new one.

Anyway, I'm sure there are many parents who are simply in the middle; as in, they utilize both electronic and tactile (physical) stimulations for their kiddies, but I was wondering if you had a preference and if letting young kiddies use these would impact them negatively in some way in the future. My personal experience is that many parents would ignore their kids and just let them play on their tablets. I'm wondering if this would somehow affect them in the sense that they might not see the "real thing". Or some such thing, as parents here do tend to be more protective of their kids (for ex not letting them out to play as much due to safety concerns).

fjtorres · 08-11-2012, 11:54 AM

There is nothing wrong with kids exploring computer tech, as long as it is supervised.
Computers make as poor babysitters as TV sets.
There are several kid-friendly and kid-focused tablets out there and odds are the mythical iPad mini would do very well in that arena if it turns out to be real:
http://www.zdnet.com/why-would-apple...ds-7000002460/

With the proper software, computers of all kinds can be (and are) a major part of a modern kid's education.

carld · 08-11-2012, 12:11 PM

Nothing wrong with it, but it's rather an expensive toy. One of those ruggedized/rubberized children's tablet would be a better choice.

Plus, I'm totally jealous that I can't readily afford an shiny new iPad, but someone else can give an $800 iPad to their 3-year-old. But that's a separate issue.

mewmartigan · 08-11-2012, 12:11 PM

Both my small kids (1 and 2) love the ipad....they watch movies and play with the kids games (mickey puzzles and pooh storybooks are the hits).
I think its fine. That being said, I dont let them just sit at it for hours, just one or twice a day for 30 minutes or so.
Plus, "out of sight, out of mind" so they will forget about it for days at a time until it appears again.

There are quite a few educational kids apps out there so I dont' see any issue.

EDIT: oh, it can be especially useful for the 2 year old on car trips....

Freeshadow · 08-11-2012, 12:29 PM

iStuff

great idea to keep them away from serious equipment.

Neil Clarke · 08-11-2012, 12:35 PM

My day job is as a technology director for a private pk-8 school. We believe that technology that actively engages a child in learning or creating is a good thing. Of course, some balance is required, but kids are actually better about that than you'd expect. I've seen a lot of interesting results over the last twenty years, mostly very positive.

With my own kids (now 9 and 12), I attribute their early reading skills (pk-2) to the combination of access to a laptop with appropriate software and my wife and I reading to them. They still read and write (and now record) a lot.

voracious71 · 08-11-2012, 01:17 PM

I let my niece play with my iPad..she's almost 3. She's really into dinosaurs now, so I downloaded a few dinosaur apps and she also likes that kid's show Pocoyo. Most of the time I'm with her while she uses it.

NickyWithNook · 08-11-2012, 04:05 PM

My 3-year-old uses either my or my husband's iPad from time to time. I have a 10-year-old who also does, but she has her own Nook Tablet so not as often. But both have technology easily available. I obviously think it's fine.

teh603 · 08-11-2012, 04:19 PM

Just be careful with user accounts. Anyone else remember the Smurfs iPad game where kids would rack up hundreds of dollars in credit card charges because it didn't require the password for a certain time after completing another paid transaction?

carpetmojo · 08-11-2012, 06:28 PM

Yup - supervision, commonsense, and a healthy balance of activities.

The digital revolution happened, but there's no need for it to take over the lives of the young - or the other end of the spectrum, come to that.

Although the supervision bit might be a trifle trickier ...........

jgaiser · 08-11-2012, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil Clarke

My day job is as a technology director for a private pk-8 school. We believe that technology that actively engages a child in learning or creating is a good thing. Of course, some balance is required, but kids are actually better about that than you'd expect. I've seen a lot of interesting results over the last twenty years, mostly very positive.

*The* Neil Clark? Publisher of Clarkesworld? Welcome to MobileRead.

CallOfCth'reader · 08-11-2012, 07:52 PM

Why the separation of tablets from all of the other tech out there (desktop computers, laptops, games consoles, phones, etc)?

I let my niece use my iPad, with my supervision. Why with supervision? Because it cost me £400!!

Tablets have a lot of potential for educational, as well as just for games, so I think they can be a good tool in a child's growth; one of the benefits in this respect, is that they are a lot more portable than normal computers (even laptops), and are convenient to dig out for a few minutes enter/edutainment.

jgaiser · 08-11-2012, 07:54 PM

Heck... People let their dogs and cats play with their iPad. A little bit stingy not to let the kids in on the fun.

Neil Clarke · 08-11-2012, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

*The* Neil Clark? Publisher of Clarkesworld? Welcome to MobileRead.

Thanks!

meeera · 08-11-2012, 09:58 PM

I think it's a good idea to clean their hands first.

Other than that? Sure! You can't leave a young child unsupervised with an iPad anyhow, because it'll be broken or dumped in the toilet or fed to the dog in very short order. Engage, limit, balance, enjoy. My kid's had his own iPod Touch for a good while now, and access to my iPad. Any non-educational iGames are included in his daily 30 minute videogame limit, we've used educational software for vocab, spelling, maths, geography, and other things; he now uses Safari/Wikipanion/National Geographic/Google Maps for homework reference help. Now that he's progressed to YA novels he's about to get his first e-ink reader sometime this year (as soon as a non-Nook frontlit device comes out for me...) and is also looking forward to that. Despite media alarmism about electronics, this doesn't seem to have limited his development in other areas - two sports, two instruments and choir, good academic progress, and a busy social life.

These days I think it's quite important for kids to be exposed to electronics and to become proficient in their use. Things like typing and UI navigation are skills as basic as handwriting, if not more so nowadays, and the earlier you start the easier it is.

08-11-2012, 11:10 AM	#1
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	What are your thoughts on young children playing on iPads/other electronic tablets I decided not to put a poll since I really just want this to be a free conversation. Well, I think there has been a past thread on this before (I'm not sure), but lots of people get scolded when they bring up really old threads, so I'm just making a new one. Anyway, I'm sure there are many parents who are simply in the middle; as in, they utilize both electronic and tactile (physical) stimulations for their kiddies, but I was wondering if you had a preference and if letting young kiddies use these would impact them negatively in some way in the future. My personal experience is that many parents would ignore their kids and just let them play on their tablets. I'm wondering if this would somehow affect them in the sense that they might not see the "real thing". Or some such thing, as parents here do tend to be more protective of their kids (for ex not letting them out to play as much due to safety concerns).

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08-11-2012, 11:54 AM	#2
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	There is nothing wrong with kids exploring computer tech, as long as it is supervised. Computers make as poor babysitters as TV sets. There are several kid-friendly and kid-focused tablets out there and odds are the mythical iPad mini would do very well in that arena if it turns out to be real: http://www.zdnet.com/why-would-apple...ds-7000002460/ With the proper software, computers of all kinds can be (and are) a major part of a modern kid's education.

08-11-2012, 12:11 PM	#3
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Nothing wrong with it, but it's rather an expensive toy. One of those ruggedized/rubberized children's tablet would be a better choice. Plus, I'm totally jealous that I can't readily afford an shiny new iPad, but someone else can give an $800 iPad to their 3-year-old. But that's a separate issue.

08-11-2012, 12:11 PM	#4
mewmartigan Guru Posts: 852 Karma: 8242060 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis (2019)	Both my small kids (1 and 2) love the ipad....they watch movies and play with the kids games (mickey puzzles and pooh storybooks are the hits). I think its fine. That being said, I dont let them just sit at it for hours, just one or twice a day for 30 minutes or so. Plus, "out of sight, out of mind" so they will forget about it for days at a time until it appears again. There are quite a few educational kids apps out there so I dont' see any issue. EDIT: oh, it can be especially useful for the 2 year old on car trips....

08-11-2012, 12:29 PM	#5
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,793 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	iStuff great idea to keep them away from serious equipment.

08-11-2012, 12:35 PM	#6
Neil Clarke Member Posts: 12 Karma: 496546 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: NJ Device: Kindle	My day job is as a technology director for a private pk-8 school. We believe that technology that actively engages a child in learning or creating is a good thing. Of course, some balance is required, but kids are actually better about that than you'd expect. I've seen a lot of interesting results over the last twenty years, mostly very positive. With my own kids (now 9 and 12), I attribute their early reading skills (pk-2) to the combination of access to a laptop with appropriate software and my wife and I reading to them. They still read and write (and now record) a lot.

08-11-2012, 01:17 PM	#7
voracious71 Addict Posts: 384 Karma: 1360936 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Quahog, RI Device: Nook, Kindle PW4, Kobo Clara	I let my niece play with my iPad..she's almost 3. She's really into dinosaurs now, so I downloaded a few dinosaur apps and she also likes that kid's show Pocoyo. Most of the time I'm with her while she uses it.

08-11-2012, 04:05 PM	#8
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 749 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: American living in Australia Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	My 3-year-old uses either my or my husband's iPad from time to time. I have a 10-year-old who also does, but she has her own Nook Tablet so not as often. But both have technology easily available. I obviously think it's fine.

08-11-2012, 04:19 PM	#9
teh603 Autism Spectrum Disorder Posts: 1,212 Karma: 6244877 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Coastal Texas Device: Android Phone	Just be careful with user accounts. Anyone else remember the Smurfs iPad game where kids would rack up hundreds of dollars in credit card charges because it didn't require the password for a certain time after completing another paid transaction?

08-11-2012, 06:28 PM	#10
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	Yup - supervision, commonsense, and a healthy balance of activities. The digital revolution happened, but there's no need for it to take over the lives of the young - or the other end of the spectrum, come to that. Although the supervision bit might be a trifle trickier ...........

08-11-2012, 07:52 PM	#12
CallOfCth'reader Cultist Posts: 195 Karma: 8624438 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS 505, Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo, Kobo Forma, Kindle DX	Why the separation of tablets from all of the other tech out there (desktop computers, laptops, games consoles, phones, etc)? I let my niece use my iPad, with my supervision. Why with supervision? Because it cost me £400!! Tablets have a lot of potential for educational, as well as just for games, so I think they can be a good tool in a child's growth; one of the benefits in this respect, is that they are a lot more portable than normal computers (even laptops), and are convenient to dig out for a few minutes enter/edutainment.

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08-11-2012, 07:54 PM	#13
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Heck... People let their dogs and cats play with their iPad. A little bit stingy not to let the kids in on the fun.

08-11-2012, 09:58 PM	#15
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,659 Karma: 66420972 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	I think it's a good idea to clean their hands first. Other than that? Sure! You can't leave a young child unsupervised with an iPad anyhow, because it'll be broken or dumped in the toilet or fed to the dog in very short order. Engage, limit, balance, enjoy. My kid's had his own iPod Touch for a good while now, and access to my iPad. Any non-educational iGames are included in his daily 30 minute videogame limit, we've used educational software for vocab, spelling, maths, geography, and other things; he now uses Safari/Wikipanion/National Geographic/Google Maps for homework reference help. Now that he's progressed to YA novels he's about to get his first e-ink reader sometime this year (as soon as a non-Nook frontlit device comes out for me...) and is also looking forward to that. Despite media alarmism about electronics, this doesn't seem to have limited his development in other areas - two sports, two instruments and choir, good academic progress, and a busy social life. These days I think it's quite important for kids to be exposed to electronics and to become proficient in their use. Things like typing and UI navigation are skills as basic as handwriting, if not more so nowadays, and the earlier you start the easier it is.