Tablet recommendations for nearly 3 year old

Amazon fire tablets are shit. We had nothing but problems with the one we had. Total nightmare to navigate??! And yes, make sure you have good headphones if you want to get one.

Do you not have a tablet of your own you can just use? I'm not against screens at all but I don't think a 3 yo needs their own. We're flying this weekend with 2 year old and I have downloaded a few things on iplayer to my ipad but only as a last resort. Have sticker books, water pen coloring, magnetic tiles and books, plus hoping she'll nap.

@ParentsTrapped I find your comments condescending. You seem to be assuming that because I allow a small amount of screen use, I know nothing about child development or haven’t spoken to other parents about their experiences. Neither is true.

As you say, screens are inevitably part of modern life. The question isn’t whether children will encounter them, but how they’re used and what boundaries are in place around them. I’m perfectly capable of teaching my children those boundaries and allowing a small amount of screen time without it becoming a problem.

Ten minutes on an app a couple of times a week during the summer holidays, half an hour of TV at the weekend before we head out for the day, or a film on a flight really isn’t some slippery slope towards unlimited screen use. The fact that some families struggle with screen boundaries doesn’t mean introducing screens at all leads to that outcome.

In reality, all of my friends and family use screens in some form, and the teenagers I know are either heavily involved in sports or they’re neurodiverse and get a lot of value from screens. It’s simply not as black and white as you’re making it sound.

My four-year-old climbs, hikes, rides his bike, goes to forest school, loves camping and being active. We aren’t a family that sits at home all day and I’m not about to change that so he can sit on a screen. We usually take a book to a cafe - but an 4 - 8 hour flight isn’t the same as a hour in a cafe! Allowing him occasional TV or a film on a plane isn’t going to undo that.

My 1.5 year old doesn’t watch TV at the moment, but if I need to deploy a screen with some nursery rhymes on a long flight when everything else has been exhausted then yes, I absolutely will. That doesn’t mean he’ll then get it daily for the rest of his life.

@Dazedanddiscombobulated that article is a couple of academics from not very well-respected universities pointing out that we don’t have much evidence yet. That’s very much not the same thing as saying it’s all fine. There are tonnes of articles about the huge deterioration in the abilities and behaviour of kids coming in to schools and screen use is one of the main suspected contributing factors to this - more research will come.

Saying that I fully agree that limited use is ok for older kids. However to take your ice cream example I personally didn’t give ice cream to my babies and toddlers at all because it’s not good for them, there was no need to, and I wanted their palates to form without excessive exposure to sugar because that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. They didn’t know what they were missing and so were happy with their strawberries and cream or whatever. I do let them have it now. The position with screens is analogous - there is no need for a 2 year old to have or use a tablet - which is what is being suggested here. Fine for them to use one later when their brains are more fully developed and they have learned to enjoy forms of entertainment that don’t just provide immediate gratification.

Loosen up a little people! One of the first articles that comes up on tablet use says it’s a little more nuanced than all that https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9d0l40v551o

As for the slippery slope argument, just because I let my child have ice cream on a hot day doesn’t mean I’m going to start feeding it to him for breakfast, lunch and dinner to the exclusion of all other food groups. Ditto tablet use. It IS possible to have clear consistent boundaries and limits 😄

It's occurred to me that the one other thing we let him use it for outside of long travel is for the Lego building app, because it’s brilliant, sorry not sorry.

Someone mentioned smartphone free childhood upthread I think - we’re fully signed up for this and I don’t think very occasional supervised use of our iPad negates it.

Excessive tablet use = 👎🏻👎🏻
Limited to no tablet use = 👍🏻

It’s not all or nothing but even if it were, there is no basis at all to suggest that “nothing” would be “more damaging” - why would it be, especially for a 4 year old?

The reality is, as you’ve already seen, screens become part of their lives through school and other things outside your control. A child growing up today will never ever have no screen time. The challenge is to minimise it where possible when their brains are undergoing the most development (under age 5).

I completely agree that watching a film while travelling is no big deal, but you don’t intend to limit it to that? The problem is that they’re introduced it’s harder to go back - most people start with good intentions. Perhaps speak to people with older kids about their relationship with screens and see whether they have any advice for you.

I bought a tablet because I allow him to watch a film when we travel… the apps just something else it can be used for if I decide to.

Honestly, I think the all or nothing approach is more damaging. At 4 my child can watch a film when we travel without it being a big deal or detrimental to his future.

Toni box and yoto are great - I really wouldn’t suggest a tablet for your 2 year old , screen time isn’t really recommended at all for that age group.

@Morecustardcreams honestlt doesn’t have to be a downward spiral. You’re the parent, you’re in charge of it. My daughter has it for the plane journey and that’s it. She is almost six and doesn’t pester for more. When we are on holiday she’s not allowed it at the table for meals etc. it’s just for the long boring plane journeys

None needed as that's how the downward spiral starts. Books, puzzles, drawing, colouring, those water magic pads or Crayola no mess colouring books are great.

However if you must then Amazon one is affordable. Just steer clear of YouTube🙏

Sticker books ,colouring books,,snacks etc . How long is the flight for? My children were fine 2-4 hour flights 20 years ago.

Amazon fire. We only allow it for holidays, she isn’t allowed it at home.

Ignore all these people. Mumsnet love to do this (I lost three stone this year and asked for skin firming recommendations on another thread and got heaps of people lecturing me about protein, very few people read the questions here)

We don’t have an iPad kid he’s nearly 4. He is great at restaurants, draws, colours games, books etc. but we travel a lot as I am not from the UK and for planes he gets my husband’s iPad as a special ‘only for travel’ perk. Once we are home it gets locked away and doesn’t come out until the next plane journey we’ve had zero issues. It’s just regular iPad and download bbc player or some episodes of whatever we know he likes. No YouTube, he doesn’t get free rein or choice. He currently loves Peppa and Paddington so that’s what we’ve downloaded.

and yes get some headphone. Amazon have some reasonably priced ones.

You could have just downloaded the app on your phone to “explore” it (and would soon see it’s a waste of time) but instead have bought a tablet to accommodate it, seemingly uncritically because the school says so.

If your child already loves reading and is doing well he has no need of a reward-based app to support it. Phonics is one of many tools to support reading - not an end in itself. All he needs to learn to read is to practice reading actual books.

Schools have mostly bought into screens without question and without the research on the damage they do having had time to filter through. Im sure kids love this particular app - the reason why apps are fun and engaging for kids is the same reason that screens generally are addictive and damaging - but doesn’t mean there are any educational benefits. All of the actual evidence shows that screen based learning is less effective than any other method.

I understand the evidence around reading, and it’s something we already do every day with plenty of actual books. He loves stories and has a great attention span.

For me, the app isn’t there instead of reading, it’s just one of a number of things i’ll use to help me understand his phonics scheme. We’ve also been going to fun little phonics classes and a pre-school book club and the library.

I think sometimes these discussions about using technology can become a bit all-or-nothing, when in reality different tools including apps work well for different children and families. Reading together is invaluable, but that doesn’t automatically mean an educational app has no place alongside it. I’m happy to explore an app and see whether it’s useful! His school is amazing and uses continuous play based provision through KS1 with amazing outcomes so they don’t have children on screens or at desks all day so if they recommend an app that they’ve seen make a positive difference I’m all for trying it.

I don’t know about 50 years ago but 30 years ago short haul planes tended to have drop down screens every few rows that showed something vaguely family friendly you could plug into. Before that I don’t think it was particularly common for families to fly a lot?

Mine have an ipad with headphones and I download some films plus they have a crayola colouring app. I’m allll for ease when travelling because it’s a pretty unique situation where they must stay still and quiet for hours, and seriously honestly fuck carrying a luggage of wrapped up presents and picking crayons up off the floor every 30 seconds. It really isn’t a gateway drug to screen addiction. My 5YO never gets it outside of travel and wouldn’t think to ask, because he thinks it’s a travel thing. My 9YO gets more time on it for stuff like TT Rockstars but doesn’t not and will not get you tube kids, roblox or anything else brain rotting.

I agree
too young for all this screen time!

We have very low screen use for our toddler, but I have no scruples at all about him using our tablet during a 4h flight or train journey.

He hasn't ever asked for it outside of the 5-6 times he's used it over the past year, and most days he has zero screens.

It's not a disaster to use one when you're trapped in a metal tube for hours.

I’ve taken my kids (8 and 5 now) on lots of flights and very long car journeys and never needed a tablet. They love their yoto players and otherwise we read them stories or entertained them. Harder work for us for sure but I’m pleased because they don’t default to screens, have a good attention span, and my 8yo will now read to entertain himself whereas his friends are just glued to their screens.

I totally get and agree that there’s nothing wrong with occasional use but unfortunately the reality is that for most families it very quickly stops being occasional use because it’s so effective at keeping kids quiet and happy. Just on flights becomes just on flight and car journeys. And meals out. And when parents are a bit tired or need to get jobs done. And on special occasions. And when kids are tired. And when kids have whined for it incessantly. I’ve seen it happen with almost every child I know. And the younger siblings don’t stand a chance because they have access essentially from birth. My 2yo niece rejects picture books in favour of swiping at her mum’s phone.

I would think seriously about introducing it for such a young child and if you do go ahead then decide on the boundaries up front.

As for the phonics app @Millie2790 - all the evidence shows that these are terrible for learning. The best way of teaching a child to read is with actual books. Not your fault obviously but the school can’t make you use screens (and shouldn’t try imo) - your child won’t fall behind if you don’t use it.

None

Nooo! Don't do it! They are so addictive. Lots of other good suggestions here. There'll be a kids channel on the aeroplane screens you can use.

Far too young for screens

Another one who just wouldn't introduce a tablet at that age. Short flights are perfectly manageable with colouring, books, chatting etc. Long haul they'll have a seat back TV. My kids are almost 8 and 3 and we travel and lot, they are fine without a tablet.

None of your 6 flights were with the budget airlines, then! 😄

Oh and DD1 can bring her Switch now which is good, many impressive Minecraft creations have been made on a 6-hour car journey!