Wwyd. Would you buy a kindle fire for a 2 year old?

[UmbongoUnchained]

Just out of interest.

I know someone who does. The reasons are:

Mum and Dad have expensive tablets and didn't want to risk them.
They bought the children's kindle which is more robust I think.
They were flying to Australia with a very lively 2 year old and loaded films and games and it made the journey bearable. He is a very lively child and I think other passengers were probably grateful.

He is still allowed to use it occasionally, normally on long journeys. They thought it was worth the money for their sanity.

Perhaps let her see you reading books? No wonder kids are obsessed with tablets when all they see are parents on phones and I pads.

I was thinking of getting myself a kindle, but my GD enjoys Baby TV, so I'm thinking of getting a refurbished IPad mini, from Groupon, instead.

It saves it being put on the Television and my Laptop is bulky.

She is nearly two.

The idea of getting them into books, from babyhood was so they grew up thinking that reading and learning was fun, because we had to get our information from books.

I think that as long as there's a good mix, of 'play' and building, using technology, isn't an issue.

Where in any of my posts have I said that I don't read books and that I'm always on my phone? Also where have I said that she will won't be doing any of the other stuff like drawing colouring and puzzles...

Thanks everyone that had helpful things to say. Going into town today to have a look at some different types.

I've got DD one of these for her second birthday (except I got it on Amazon Prime day so quite a bit cheaper than it is here):

www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Tablet-Display-Wi-Fi-Kid-Proof/dp/B018Y22DT6/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1469001248&sr=1-2&keywords=Kids

I probably wouldn't get a kindle because I think it would get broken too easily. Some people really hate the idea of kids using tablets etc, but I don't think there's anything wrong with young children using technical gadgets as long as it's in moderation (say no more than 30 mins - hour a day). Indeed, I think kids need to learn about using technology now as a vital life skill. There's a lot of parental snobbery about it though. Although in my experience the parents that act horrified about the idea of small children having their own tablet to play with still happily allow their children to play games on their parents' mobile phones.

I don't think that people realise that from High school, essays are submitted electronically and school/college/Uni books are downloadable. Books are being used less and I don't think that it is a bad thing, as long as the technology is ethically made and disposed of.

This will be more so, in the future.

My 2.5 year old was bought a kindle for kids type thing for her Christmas from my brother.

Obviously, I'm a really shit mother, so she gets on it as and when she wants. She likes the toca games on it & really enjoys watching the animated Gruffalo story as she loves the book.

Don't listen to me though I'm a really crap & lazy parent...

No a 2 year old doesn't need a Kindle fire or any tablet.
They should be exploring the world around them not sitting playing on a tablet

I bought a Huawei T10 for my 9mo ds. He can't use it himself yet obviously, but we fly midhaul on a regular basis and I wanted something that I could load lots of kiddy crap onto and not use use my tablet battery and memory... it was fairly cheap so I wouldn't be too sad if it got spilled on/knocked over etc. Horses for course. Books are for eating as far as ds is concerned.

KitKat, that is the one I was talking about. I didn't realise it wasn't a kindle, I just thought it was a kindle in a more robust case.

The adult and kids kindles are exactly the same. The kids one is more expensive because it comes with a bigger sd card, 2 year warranty, a protective case and a free kids app thing. I'd be getting her the adult version as its cheaper and just setting it up as a kids one.

Definitely not at 2. DD got one last year for her 5th birthday and that is only because she has an older brother who has a tablet (he had to wait until he was 7 to get one). She has very limited screen time and it's mainly used on long car journeys.

We have the kindle fire for Kids.

The twins are 3 and they are great for keeping them entertained for half an hour whilst I grab a shower etc.

One twin gravitated to just educational apps like alphablocks and can recognise all the alphabet. Both adore the memory games and any that get them to use shapes and colours are brilliant.

Both can can count up and down to 20.

They apply the knowledge gained in other areas frequently pointing out numbers and letters as we are out and about.

It's really supported their development in DHs language.

It's better than passively watching TV as it encourages interaction and I use it as an alternative to that.

They can't accidently go on the Internet so I can relax and not have to hover.

The kindle fire for Kids comes with a sturdy case and a 2 years no questions asked replacement gurentee with 12 month access to kindle fire for Kids apps and games.

I got mine on for £70 with all of the above.

We are off on a very long car journey on Friday and they will be a Godsend. We have had ours since Christmas when they were 2.5 and no regrets. In fact DH who was a naysayer has been really impressed at the educational value...plus we may have let them have them at 6.00am on occasion so we can snooze

NO. 2 year olds need to understand how BOOKS work i.e. turning pages, which way up to hold it etc as it helps them when they learn to read. They don't get that from a Kindle.

An iPad doesn't teach a child to count to 20. That's what humans are for

My DD had her own tablet from about 3, she used mine from about 2 but then I got an expensive one I didn't want her breaking.

She's 5 almost 6 now and is a total wiz kid with technology.

Our kids are growing up in a generation where technology is everything, less people are reading paper books/newspapers, it's becoming more and more about e-books now. Like PP said in High school they submit homework on the computer. DD already has quite a few lessons on the computers in school and shes only in P1.

It's just the way the world is and if you're not allowing your kids to explore technology then they are going to be under developed in that sense when they get to school.

I wouldn't buy a two year old a tablet, no. Five, maybe, but definitely not two.

yes definitely.

Ease with technology is I feel really important in this day and age and makes long journeys easy all round

No I wouldn't but that's because my experience with my dcs and electronic stuff is that it's very addictive and very difficult to manage. (Think massive tantrums because she can't play on it).
Plus you have the issue of navigating the internet. Maybe not now but in a couple of years time, this is what you will have to deal with - how can you cntrol what she is watching etc...

I do get what you mean re having a trilingual child and the advantages but does she have to have her own tablet for that?

Re books. I think it's a different issue but I wuld REALLY make a point of reading books with her.
Two reasons
1- is the fact she will have to use books on a regular basis when she is at school. How is she going to cope if she refuses to go furthyer than the first line of a page?
2- she needs to learn an important skill - that things don't come with an automatic and instantaneous answer, feedback and positive rewards (all the thing they get when playing a game. Do well and you know immediately about it, get points etc...). But learning skills such as reading, counting etc.. she will need to learn that not everything is instant reward and even instant feedback. Not everything is always changing and moving. Some things are very slow paced, things such as reading a book, learning a new skill etc .... Talking to Reception and Y1 teschers, this has been their No1 issue in the recent years. The need for children of something fun, entertaining, instand reward/gratitification linked with the increase of using electrinic devices. The problem is this is often incompatible with the learning speed and style of a classroom.

I'd get the child's one with the free year kids set up. It's great for young kids and protective case good too, also the warranty.

Bought one for dd for Christmas although she is 5.

Wouldn't have bought one at 2 personally.

Btw, just to say one word anput people who say 'technology is everywhere sop they need tolearn how to use it' and 'my dc is wizzard with it. She can do so much and will be so much better equipped'.

We are a VERY low tech family. My dcs haven't touched a tablet until they were probabkly in Y4/5 (?) because we just dind't have any at home.
No TV, just a very old computer with very few games on it until they got a DS when they were in Y2/3

The dcs are now in secondary. They both doing VERY well in IT, have no issues using computer/ipdas/whatever other technology to get what they want.
That's because the use of these devices is very intuitive. It's not hard to learn, not hard to find your way around it.

Everything I agree with you. These devices are designed so you could give it to a 90 year old granny who lives in Outer Mongolia and within an hour or two there would be a basic understanding of them. If a two year old of today went without until high school they would pick it up really easily because if it was hard, Apple et al wouldn't have sold as many devices as they have.

A 2 year old using a iPad makes no difference in help at secondary.

Both Dh and I now work in technology and coding. Neither of us used a computer at all until secondary school. At home we have no television and no tablets.

The main help with coding at toddler age is learning how things fit together and patterns. This can be done easily with toys, Puzzles and drawing.

If they can't read fluently and have a strong grasp at maths, a computer is no help at all for future yet. So a 10 year old who knows all his basic maths, how sums work and reading fluently can get a benefit on using technology sometimes. A 2 year old watching iplayer or doing an online puzzle is pointless

^ agree. My grandmother bought an iPad 2 years ago, to do her shopping online. The last time she used 'technology' was typing up on a typewriter after the war. She's fine using it

DD has always played on our phones from age 2ish and has had her own kindle since she was 5(9 now). She has taught herself various phrases in 7 different languages using Duo Lingo and often plays educational games on it. 90% of her time on it has always been spent listening to audio books. She still loves to draw and read, but I'm acutely aware that her IT abilities will far surpass mine and even DS (19) because she is of the generation where it will be used far more in all settings.