Tablet recommendations for nearly 3 year old

What would he have done on a journey 50 years ago?

It's never a 'small amount' of time though. Just lazy parenting IMO

It's insanely lazy parenting

No 2 or 3 year old should have a tablet

It isn’t about ‘letting your kid watch a few Netflix cartoons’, it’s about introducing a 2 year old to an iPad is an awful idea, incredibly lazy parenting, and you will absolutely regret by the time they’re a teenager. It should be banned, and probably will be soon. As a teacher, I can tell you that ‘something’ that has happened in the last decade has had a devastating affect on children, many of whom are now completely incapable of learning; the introduction of iPads is a good guess, amongst others.

Mine have had ipad minis since that age - they're bullet proof in a case.

plus headphones obviously.

I've never had issues with them putting it away when told, because it was non-negotiable. They all have no trouble with concentration, a wide range of interests, polite, well behaved, doing well at school. One's a reader, one isn't etc.

There's no way I'm letting a kid get toy cars and cards and crayons out on an airplane. I remember eldest had a favourite car once, and he dropped it so often, had to ask people rows up if it had rolled up under their feet etc. Tablet was much better.

A tablet for a small amount of time on a plane isn’t going to fuck up anyone’s brain. Some people on here are so over the top. She asked for recommendations for a tablet for travelling, not hard drugs

Another holier than thou person here... why do you need a tablet? People have managed to entertain children on flights for decades, why do they suddenly need their brain to be fucked up now?

I took my 3 year old on holiday on a plane over 40 years ago. There was more than enough to interest him.
Just make sure your child has something to suck on take off and landing to balance out the ear pressure.
Get him a book on flying.
How long is the flight!

The problem is that those who give tablets to young children see "nothing wrong with some cartoons..."

Don't do it.

kindle fire has worked well for us. My daughter has had one since around that age and is now 7. She’s not addicted and it’s not an issue. She does a LOT of non-screen activities too.

A yoto and headphones

Absolutely this. I always used to
buy my two children new sticker books, colouring books or
comics. A new teddy or little toy sometimes

Oh yeah, I knew there was another big hit (still being used years on) - LCD drawing pads. Would defo recommend one of those.

I empathise. We are taking our nearly 3 year old on his first long haul flight this summer. In business class so we won’t actually be able to see each other during take off and landing. I worry he won’t stay in his seat and have considered a tablet. However, we have decided against one, cost being a factor. Books, LCD drawing pad, colouring, fidgets etc is plenty.

I'm really not trying to be holier than thou but have older kids (8 and 10) and would really recommend never getting into tablets being an expectation. We've never taken one on any journey and they've therefore never grown to expect it on journeys or at any other time.

Colouring books, books, sticker books, magazines, pen and paper, mini magnetic tiles, mini figures etc (plus lots of snacks!) were all great at occupying our two. We bought a yoto for my youngest when she turned 7 and I really wish we'd bought one years ago - they'll both list to audio books and music on that (2 sets of headphones plugged in with a separator cable).

Don’t you just love all these holier than thou arses who could never possibly give a tablet to a 3 year old?!

Ours have all had Amazon fire tablets. And for what it’s worth have all turned into well rounded teenagers with no social, emotional or behavioural issues because we monitor and respect what and how much they watch!

@snoringnights We have had iPads, Samsung tablets, Lenovo and Amazon kindle fire.

And the winner is... Lenovo! They aren't expensive, you can put Netflix on them, Bluetooth headphones, and 5 years later they're still working fine!

My next favourite was the Samsung - I actually prefer this to the Lenovo but it was more expensive. Once you get used to the Lenovo then there is no difference to be honest. The iPad was fine, but ridiculously expensive with no extra advantage for the price, so a complete waste of money. The kindle fire was crap. Really difficult to get playstore installed etc... very difficult to set up parent controls compared to the others!

But other than the flight, I'd make it clear to your 3 year old that it is YOUR tablet, and as a treat for the flight only. I'm not a fan of kids and tablets.

Please don't. The longer you can go without the better. My daughter loved sticker books at that age.

Amazon fire is terrible piece of rubbish. Don't bother. Get a refurbished iPad off Amazon. Worth it in long run

I recommend not getting a tablet. Put it off for as long as possible

Usbourne sticker books are brilliant for plane journeys,and the ispy aeroplane books.

iPad pro, 13 inch M5. Banging tablet. Little fella will love it

Agree with this. We have a 3.5yo and got an Amazon fire tablet. It got brought out for the last hour of a 5hr flight after all toys and snacks had been exhausted. It got used on the flight home too and then was put away, he has never seen or asked for it again. We downloaded episodes of fairly calm things and it had some cbeebies games on. He does not have a tablet or small screen at home. We plan to refer to it as the aeroplane tablet next holiday and be firm with limits.

My 4 year old has an Amazon fire kids for travel (very much a travel tablet but also his school have a phonics app so will be using it for that from September). We also have a yoto player which is great (and a million travel toys). I know people have 3/4 year olds that can travel without screens but my 4 year old won’t sit for 4 hours just with his toys and the yoto player. He gets to watch a movie and everybody gets some peace!