Mini iPad for 6 yrs old?.. Or am I crazy?

[Ilovecrossfit]

Just a thought, was thinking maybe I could get it for his Xmas as hOuse is full of toys lots of Legos books etc. I've got an iPad and he's not too interested well he goes on garage band playing on keyboard or doing bridge construction so by getting him his own would I encourage him spending more time on it?.

He also has spelling games on mine, or Encyclopedia about Egypt, Dinosaurs, Volcanos etc...

Or am I being crazy ( as my hubby thinks ;)

[WateryFowls]

Not at all. If I had the money my nearly 5 year old would be getting one.

[Pannacotta]

I dont like them for children but I am probably old fashioned and in the minority.

[Sirzy]

If he isn't that interested in yours then it seems a waste of money really.

[drowninginlaundry]

(me too! Crossfit I mean. Love it! Where's your box?)

DS2 will be getting one, he's 6. He has an email account and he loves keeping in touch with family that way and anyway he is always stealing mine.

[Ilovecrossfit]

Drawninginlaundry My box is in Essex! Just opened in September so I'm a beginner but loving it...used to do boot camp before...I hope to get rid of mummy tummy..pls tell me It will happen ;)

I was thinking I'd get him some educational games on it, he saw one today and seemed to love it. Id not think it is a waste of money if he went on it once a week I'd be more than happy ;) I'm worried he'd get hooked on it.

Thanks for your opinions x

[drowninginlaundry]

my kids are hooked on the sodding ipad, they fight over it and I sound like my mum used to - 'go and read a book, go play in the garden...' I am of the school of thought that these gadgets are part of our life now, they are not evil so banning them from children is not what I want to focus my energy on.

Crossfit is great. I've been crossfitting since June, our WODs are full of mums all going for it! I'm in Devon, our box is a barn. Literally!

[Ilovecrossfit]

And can you see the results yet?

my son isn't too bothered about iPad he will play with it but still prefers digging in a garden...hes a bit inot bridge constructing etc but as you said we live in the world where they need to know how to use iPads and the rest

I keep thinking I should use my hubby's barn to make a Crossfit box...;)

[dikkertjedap]

I think that at his age playing keyboard or bridge construction is way better and more educative than spending time on an iPad TBH. He will get ICT at school and probably in a few years he will hog your iPad/laptop etc. all the time. No rush I would think.

[QTPie]

DS (2 years 9 months) plays on mine (educational games) - we limit his time and do a lot of active stuff (swimming, baby gym, softplay, loads of park etc). Mine is old (iPad 1).

Personally I would get a new one for you and give him the old one: he won't know the difference and if it gets ignored or broken then it is less painful...

[FlobbadobbaBOO]

Before I got my ipad there was no way I would have even thought about getting one for either of mine, but now we are seriously considering getting them a tablet each (not an ipad, we're not that rich!) for Christmas. They're 12 and 7. Apart from anything else they can work this better than I can and are constantly mithering me for mine!
I would say go for it.

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

If you can afford it, there's nothing wrong with a iPad. But I disagree with iPad teaching you ICT. In fact the current ICT lessons at school are useless, and that's why Gove is trying to change it. Don't worry at all if your son isn't that interested in your, or his new iPad. Real ICT as Gove wants it is more like the maths and numerical sciences. (Though I'd argue Gove has defined it quite narrowly).

[OhWhatNoooow]

I'd love to get my kids an ipad but am, worried about the access to internet. Do your kids have that access?

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

You can turn off the wifi. I doubt a 6yo can work out how to turn it back on. Otherwise setup either a whitelist or blacklist for mac adresses on your router. He will need an admin password to change that. Unless ofc he google and hack the router, which really really no 6yo should be able to do!

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

I mean the wifi on the ipad, not your house wifi ofc.