Age for an iPad?

[Ceejay123]

I was having a discussion with my other half last night.

My sister has had an iPad from 3, but only for films and car journeys. Now she's nearly. 6 she uses it more, but for number games and only for up to an hour.

Oh said he'd be concerned with children breaking them at that age.

What do you think? When's a safe age?

And would you get a child an iPad or an iPad mini? I think iPad , oh thinks mini x

 

[sophxx]

Mini def

My lo was bought a iPad air as a present he's 3 and it's to big for him to hold properly and he hardly uses it apart from to facetime hubby when he's working and educational games. It was a present else we wouldn't have bought him one

 

[AP]

Alex has had access since she turned 1, but we never bought one for the intention for her til 2/3.

Shes broke my large ipad by dropping an empty mug on it. She also dropped the bigger ipad on her toe, skinninng her toe. After that we felt it was a bit big for her so I traded it for a mini. There have been no accidents since.

Alex has since been granted her own with a communication app on it, and it has been a huge advantage to her. Tori uses it too(at 2) and they trace letters, numbers and learn makaton signing. Its rarely used for anything other than educational and things like youtube and purchasing apps are all locked down.

Would I have bought Tori one at 2? No, she didnt need it whereas Alex learnt well from an iPad at a very young age (she has ASD)

As for safety I think it depends on the child. Tori is very careful but she can let it slip from her hands.

 

[Lief]

I have a tablet, my LO (20 months) uses it for educational games and to watch Peppa (it was great on the plane going to South Africa). He also looks through photos I have on there to point out and name the people in them.

I wouldn't buy him his own as I don't think he needs it so young. He can use mine for a short period of time during the day (he doesn't use it everyday) He has dropped it a couple of times though and cracked the screen so if you do decide to get one I'd go with the mini as they're easier to hold.

 

[Ceejay123]

.

 

[dgirllamius]

My lo likes to get hold of my nexus. Thing is she chucks her toys about and I wouldn't dream of giving her my nexus or buying her her own. It would most certainly break.

I do think she is too young anyway, maybe I'll reconsider it when she's older and appreciates things rather than treating things like they're invinsible.

 

[AP]

You could get one with a Griffin Survivor case if you are really worried. x

 

[Natasha2605]

Summer has asked for an iPad for her fourth birthday in May. She must use them in nursery as I was stunned when she asked. Instead, I will buy her an inexpensive (ish) tabet for educational aps and to chill out with. I see no problem as long as it is used in moderation like everything else!

 

[emyandpotato]

Rory plays on OH's iPad Mini, which OH got for his 21st, but I wouldn't let him have one of his own for a long time, purely because it seems a crazy extravagance for such a little person who doesn't care much that he doesn't have one. Plus I can't be setting precedents with him that he gets £500 gifts or I'll be screwed with Christmases and birthdays to come! Maybe if we had more money it wouldn't bother me though.

As for a safe age, I don't know, 2? Rory has always been very careful with the iPad and knows it's precious and fragile.

 

[Pearls18]

DH and I both have ipads and we have apps on them that DS uses, there's just no need for him to have his own, he has a leap pad and a portable DVD player for the car those with the apps on ours it's just an unnecessary expense, plus I would be worried that he would break them. When we upgrade we will probably pass one of our old ones onto him, but I wouldn't purposefully buy him one until he's in school I think.

 

[x__amour]

I would say Mini. We have both a regular iPad and an iPad Mini and I prefer to give LO my Mini as it's more manageable.

 

[Yo_Yo]

18 when she can go earn the money for one herself lol

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

I've got an iPad air and my DD plays on it a fair bit, we have all the educational apps but there are a couple of mindless apps too. I wouldn't buy her her own though I just don't see the need, although I have seen evidence of children with learning difficulties really blossom with the use of the right/appropriate apps.

If I were to buy her own at this age though it would be a mini, she makes me nervous when she has mine

 

[Rhio92]

I have a kindle fire, which Connor occasionally uses for games and watching films when I'm studying or ill.
I'd never get him his own though! If he wants one, he can wait till he's old enough to save up his pocket money... Maybe I'm harsh

 

[lhancock90]

We have an ipad that the four of us use. The kids use it for small amounts of time, using only educational apps really, Evelyn learned to count and all sorts of other things.

 

[Mrs R]

I wouldn't buy a child their own IPad until they were much older. DH got an iPad air for Christmas and my 3 year olds are starting to take an interest in it. They are only allowed to use it when the baby is sleeping so I can supervise them on it (also gives them a time frame for using it) and I think they only have 2 apps so far. If I bought them their own, they would have it wrecked in 2 mins! They have no concept of how delicate it is

 

[FirstBean]

We have an iPad but it wasn't bought specifically for Ollie he is 3. He uses it for games and things and he is really good on it. I ask him to just sit on the sofa with it and not walk about.

 

[Lauraxamy]

I don't have an ipad so my two have never been on one. I wouldn't buy them their own until they are much, much older.

 

[Char&Bump-x]

I wouldn't buy K one until she's much older. Probably in secondary school. She doesn't need one, she has plenty of toys to play with and books to read instead.

 

[Abigailly]

We are anti Apple in our house But we have 5 Android tablets in our 3 person household. It's complete excess but 2 are for work.

Our DD got her first Tablet when she was 18 months. We were traveling and putting a film on was a sure way to get her to sleep.

Now at 4 she has a Nexus 7. It's small enough for her to hold and big enough to watch and play things. It's also about £250 cheaper than the ipad equivalent.

She doesn't even just use it for educational purposes. She has Netflix, is a sure fire at Candy Crush and knows how to Skype her Grandad in China. She can type before she can write and she learnt her colours playing games on it with me.

With my husband and I owning an IT consultation business and him being at IT consultant technology is a huge part of our lives.

It doesn't mean she has free reign on it though. She uses when we're traveling (we take ferry to Ireland about 8 times a year). She has a lock on it so can't play it without asking me to unlock it. I have set up passwords on quite a few apps (like Skype, Gmail, YouTube and Chrome) so she can't get on any of those without asking me to un lock it.

I don't see nything wrong with a child being familiar with technology. It's their future.