Tablet for child advice

Kernel_Sanders

Frankly, I wonder if giving a 4-y-o a computer is more about demonstrating to her friends' parents how affluent you are.

rmg1

We bought our daughter an Innotab for Xmas last year.
She goes on it for an hour or so, learns without realising it, and then puts it down to get some exercise and "human interaction". She also goes to nursery.

As long as it's not the only toy any child plays with, I don't see the problem.
As LifeForms has already said, technology is a fact of life.

JMurph

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Think the OP was more thinking one of these

Very impressive artwork InsideInsurance!!!

OGR

To be honest I have been thinking about the same thing for a while and my daughter isn't even 4 for another 2 weeks. She knows how to work my wife's iPhone really well and just wanders in, picks it up and finds what she wants.

She does have an InnoTab and I am not sure where I stand on it to be honest. The first thing we found was that it chewed through batteries, in the end we ended up putting it on an AC adapter and she uses it on that. You get 'coins' to download 3 free apps but they are very basic and seem overpriced if you look to actually buy anymore for what they are. The cartridges that go with it are also very expensive, I got her the Disney princess one from Toys r us recently for £20 and I think it only has 5 or 6 very basic activities that she seems to have gotten bored of already. She seems to have gone back to her Peppa Pig games on the DS and the iOS games on my wife's iPhone.

As for cheap tablets, although I use an Android phone myself games is the one area where I would say Android is massively lagging behind iOS so don't expect to find many games for a 4 year old on the Play Store. If you just want it for YouTube that is a lot of money to spend on something to simply watch videos on when I expect you already have a PC/laptop.

einalem

Thanks for some of the replies to my actual question but not some of the judgements

The comment about trying to look affluent made me laugh out loud I do not actually know any of the other mums outside of nursery(hubby takes her and picks up most of the time) and would not actually care anyway!

Not that I should have to justify but:
She had a bike, scooter, trampoline, climbing frame and swing is always out and plays with age appropriate toys(dolls, abacus, collects little figures an cars in her little cases). While the sun was out she was in the paddling pool most of the day!

She sits and colours with her crayons and has possibly more books that any child I know her age(well over 100)

She has not demanded one at all but she likes to play some of the games on my iphone and her cousin has an ipad which she is great using. I asked her what would she like and she told me.

She goes on cbeebies to play games on the laptop and I am glad to say is quite advanced for her age in that respect. I use IT all the time and it will only become a larger part of life and if I want to give her a headstart what is the problem.

einalem

also forgot to add I would love an etch a sketch too!

mikey72

einalem wrote: »

Thanks for some of the replies to my actual question but not some of the judgements

The comment about trying to look affluent made me laugh out loud I do not actually know any of the other mums outside of nursery(hubby takes her and picks up most of the time) and would not actually care anyway!

Not that I should have to justify but:
She had a bike, scooter, trampoline, climbing frame and swing is always out and plays with age appropriate toys(dolls, abacus, collects little figures an cars in her little cases). While the sun was out she was in the paddling pool most of the day!

She sits and colours with her crayons and has possibly more books that any child I know her age(well over 100)

She has not demanded one at all but she likes to play some of the games on my iphone and her cousin has an ipad which she is great using. I asked her what would she like and she told me.

She goes on cbeebies to play games on the laptop and I am glad to say is quite advanced for her age in that respect. I use IT all the time and it will only become a larger part of life and if I want to give her a headstart what is the problem.

I think some people have a problem with a 4 year old being able to master technology they can't. That was about the age my daughter first had a desktop pc, with a dial up modem, about a decade and a half ago. She survived it.

LincolnshireYokel

Seems a good swap to me. Will you get her back at 18 ?

Lifeforms

I think in my case, it's more that I'm worried that a cheap sub 100 tablet (second hand also) would actually not stand up to a 4 year old's use. They really are cheaply made, quite limited, and frankly not good to use. As much as I'd say don't get a 4 yr old a tablet, if she's used one herself (and not supervised persay. ie you don't need to keep telling her to not drop it, don't throw it around etc) then idk why not. I'd be worried about it working, and being able to be used roughly though.

I'm also not going to suggest an ipad either (well kind of not), but you can get pretty good cases for those which do offer some really good protection, they've got good glass on it, and you can basically limit what is installed, would do you tube (but no flash games, possible have replacement apps on it though, like some facebook games are available as apps etc)

Maybe look at a second hand ipad 1? If you can get one really quite cheap, willing to write it off if it gets broken, and feel that your child can cope with one.

That would be something you could use. Perhaps if it's still over the budget, consider it a family buy that everyone can use, with a separate screen, or folder just for her things.
Difficult decision, you could justify a cheap one just in case it does break, but then I'd say cheaper one would be more likely to break, than a better made ipad, with a good throw around case on it.

Also not just trying to "sell" ipads here, but essentially any of the similar costing ones, so older motorola xoom, wifi model, galaxy tabs, etc just something that was built to last, has good build quality, and is also user friendly too.

einalem

thanks I think I would like to get a second hand ipad but they are bout £200 which my budjet does not stretch too

Thanks lifeforms my reply was not aimed at you as you gave sensible advice about her breaking it I was a bit annoyed at the person who said I was trying to show off how affluent I was(if only they knew lol see my other threads about my £700 car breaking!)

Thanks for the replies with those who little ones can use a tablet I think it's great they can do this

As long as the video is ok I don't need it to do much else

I have seen a second hand one for £50 I might buy that and buy a gel case and hope for the best! I think it will teach her about looking after things as I will warn her if she drops it, it will break although she is normally good not breaking things as she uses my laptop nicely for cbeebies