Amazon fire kids tablet or leap pad/innotab for 3 year old?

[yeeyeelovesraaraa]

would you bother with a leap pad or innotab for a 3 year old or just go straight for something like amazon fire kids tablet?

PIL want to get DD some sort of a tablet/handheld games console for Christmas but I don't know much about any of them. I know you get kids content included for the fire & have to buy games for the other 2 but is there much difference in the types of games & what you can do with them?

[KC225]

A tablet at 3. Really?

[yeeyeelovesraaraa]

well thats helpful

[Cakescakescakes]

There are lots of great apps for young kids - check out Sago Mini, Lego Duplo games, CBeebies Playtime Island and CBeebies Storytime.

[HotelEuphoria]

I agree with KC. Pretty shocked actually.

[yeeyeelovesraaraa]

she has an older brother who has a nintendo ds. we never allowed him to have any technology stuff until this year (he is 7) but she is desperate to play on it & PIL thought getting her a leap pad type thing of her own might be an idea. its not that unusual is it?!

[Themummy76]

Oh op - I’m with you - I clicked on this as I was considering a tablet for my ds’s 4th birthday! I think it’s fine as long as used appropriately- important even - it’s how they will learn in school nowadays. If it’s any help I was going to get a kindle fire but I don’t know anything about how the others compare!

[Carrie76]

Shocked here too

[divafever99]

I would go with a kindle fire. Leap pad games are expensive and won't be used for as long. You can download many free games on the fire, like a pp has said cbeebies is very good, it has phonics games on it. There are also lots of other suitable games you can download for a £ or 2. When my dd started school we were encouraged to go online with them and go on some websites they suggested/watch you tube videos which helped with simple numeracy and phonics. All of which she has done on her fire. We have also found it useful now that she is getting older and needs to research certain topics for her homework. Schools have tablets in schools that pupils use, so I don't think it's inappropriate, I think using a mobile device is a good skill to have.

[HeadDreamer]

We got the fire kids tablet for DC2 who is 3. It is really good as you don’t pay for games separately. It includes the amazon kids subscription for a year and there are a lot of apps on it. DC1 had the hudl2 and the fire is much better. We used to pay for games but the variety on the fire is worth the subscription once the first free year is over. Also if you break it the fire is covered with a guarantee. There are lots of tv and movies on it too but I’m not sure if it’s because we got prime?

[divafever99]

Yes HeadDreamer, you only get access to amazon video if you have amazon prime.

[HeadDreamer]

If your child is watching tv at 3 then a tablet is no different.

[welshweasel]

We got the kids fire for my then one year old. It's great. Currently he only uses it to watch peppa/thomas for a few minutes in the morning and was a godsend when we went on holiday to keep him entertained whilst travelling. There is so much stuff to download through. Educational apps, games, books, videos. Deffo worth the money.

[HeadDreamer]

Also when we went on holiday this summer, we managed to find some biff chip and kipper on the fire and DC1 did her reading on it.

[AvoidingDM]

I'd consider the Leapfrog Epic. But I wouldn't think it's that unusual to have a tablet of some description at that age.

[yeeyeelovesraaraa]

thankyou themummy this was PIL's argument - that its how they will learn in school & what they need to learn for the modern world.

And tbh I'd be very surprised if the pp's who are 'shocked' have never let their kids play games or watch vids on their own phones/devices?!

I suppose I just wondered about the longevity of the leap pad or innotab vs the kids fire tablet - i dont necessarily think the fire is appropriate for her yet but will she outgrow the others sooner?

[AtSea1979]

Neither, they are 3. Get them a paw patrol jigsaw and a balance bike.

Though my DS (12) is getting a kindle fire for Xmas this year.

[rachrach2]

Both my children have had a kindle fire for kids since they were almost two and love it. Easy to use, good content, excellent 2 year guarantee and I can trust the content is suitable. They love the apps and programmes. They are allowed it in the morning before I drag myself out of bed and on long journeys - I see no problem in it in moderation and would prefer them watching that than our iPad!

[divafever99]

You can create a separate profile op on the fire so you can control the content. My dd only has access to the games/apps that are age appropriate and it doesn't allow her to go on the net. If she needs to google something for homework I enter the password to allow to exit her profile and I sit with her.

[divafever99]

Oh and if you decide to go with the fire wait til black Friday, they are always on offer.

[MajesticWhine]

DD is 7 - she has had an innotab and a kindle fire. The fire was and still is a big hit. And easy to control screen time, bed time etc.

[OdeToAutumn]

My son got a fire for Christmas as a gift when he was 4 and he loves it. I was a bit worried because I didn't want him (or me!) to rely on it for entertainment. I have set restrictions on it so he can only use it for a certain amount of time.

There are lots of apps, including many educational ones. It stopped charging properly about 6 months after he was bought it, but as promised in the guarantee, they replaced it without any problems.

I have no experience or the other products you have mentioned.

[yeeyeelovesraaraa]

thankyou folks for the more constructive replies. Sounds like the kids fire may be the better option but I will have to give it some more thought. I didnt expect to come on here & end up feeling ashamed for even considering it.

[DaisyRaine90]

My daughters innotab has barely been used

Is get the kindle 😊

[NameChangeFamousFolk]

My 3 year old wouldn't want one, but she's into very different things!

The bits of research I've glimpsed into how new(ish) technology affects/helps/changes development in several areas is too nascent for me to feel comfortable with too much exposure at a very early age, but that's just me, and obviously many parents limit screen time etc.

It's pretty unusual in the group of parents that we're close with to have screens/hand held devices at that age as a 'toy', but one friend has the Leapfrog Epic for her DS and it seems to go down pretty well!