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

[UmbongoUnchained]

Just out of interest.

my 3 and 4 year olds have one op and they are great. They go on it for half an hour to an hour around 4 ish while I do the tea and some jobs. I would also pay for the kids one as its not just an app it's a whole App Store already available with hundreds of apps, books and programmes.

The other 11 waking hours they are playing, interacting and reading real books so I don't see the problem! I also agree that they are a god send on long journeys.

No, I buy toddlers proper toys, books and games.

There's just no need at that age. Besides, it can be a nightmare when they're a little older trying to teach keyboard typing and mouse usage when they're so used to swiping.

we won one when my children were 5 and twins that were 2. we use it for hospital appointments and hospital stays as they are quite often confined to bed and even though we do read, colour, draw and play as they sleep only 2 or 3 hours out of 24 it is nice to have something that they can play cbeebies on for half an hour.
I have to say we would never have considered it when my others were two though. what about a leappad type thing?

What's the point in phrases in 7 languages? That's means you can't understand any of them and have a conversation, can just say set phrases?

Mine speak 3 fluent languages. From being spoken to and played with in those languages. A computer just can't compete with that

I'm aiming for double figures before buying mine iPads/tablets. Currently 7 and 5 so we shall see. Might end up buying ereaders before then if our book storage space runs out and we've worked our way through the library.

Mine seem to find playing on iPads etc highly addictive. I just see limiting its use becoming a battleground. In many ways I'd rather they watched a bit of TV.

What's the reason for buying?

I wouldn't buy one for a child of that age and give it to them, as in handing it over and saying this is yours. I would have no problem buying a cheap tablet to let a 2 year old use sometimes. If you're doing a 6 hour car journey they could watch a couple of episodes of their fav programme, play a game to break up the time. There would still be plenty of time for audio books, I Spy and other worthy activities.

I would prefer to spend £100 on a cheapish tablet than give them acess to a top ofmthe range one.

I've already explained the reason for buying.

Thanks all, I've made my decision.

We bought one just before 3, and it's great tbh. We have an iPad too but that's too large and too expensive to take out and about, in the car etc. Guess what? Dd does also have real toys, and enjoys colouring, puzzles, playing outside, playdoh etc

After the initial obsession, I find she self limits to about 15 mins twice a day. She doesn't nap so needs downtime when she's not tearing around. Yes there's tv but it's pretty obvious that interacting with a tablet and learning technology skills is better than staring at the tv anyway. She plays a variety of apps that I do consider very enriching actually as she self teaches them, and also watches cbbc I player and also YouTube on occasion, shock horror. Carry on judging all you like, I consider using technology to be an essential life skill in addition to everything else, so why wouldn't you? It's not a replacement for adult interaction and proper discovery, it's as well as! And who has time to interact 12 hours a day anyway.

Yes. We got one recently as a freebie with insurance. There are not many android kid friendly tablets out there any more. Bought ipad when DS1 was 2 and baby was born. He has learning difficulties, needed help at all times to play and a very visual learner. Also doesn't have good fine motor skills. It was this that taught him letters, numbers and have him motivation to pick up a pen through the tracing letters apps. My NT 3.5 year old uses it and I like the subscription service for the fire. You can get whatever app, book, video rather than download them at cost. Both kids are not on it all the time though. They have set their own limits (although you as a parent can do this for them) and they have plenty of other things to do at their disposal. It is almost vital for very long plane trips and hospital waits.

no way- not at that age. 2 year olds need to have very curtailed screen time- there is an actual scientific basis to this. When they are older it can be increased, but a 2 year old has no need whatsoever for a tablet.

No

But quiet time can be done with a book or pen also. I just don't see that as a valid reason ' need an iPad as they don't nap'. Erm if they are old enough they don't need to nap, they are old enough to quietly occupy themselves an hour outside, with a book, with the toys.

and also the population of children is now incapable of sitting in the car a few hours without ' activities'. It's a car, it's supposed to be slightly boring. Just look out the window, talk or listen to radio. A friend takes frikin watercolour paints in her car!

No. 2 year olds don't need technology like that. I hate seeing toddlers with their faces buried in iPads, iPhones etc.

Husband and I are very tech-oriented. Macs, iPads, iPhones, Apple TV etc. You name it, we've probably got it. But we've been very conscious lately about not having the TV on for "background noise" and putting music on instead; and not spending too much time on our phones etc. in preparation for our baby. Some technology is fine, but there's no need for little children to be staring at screens for hours every day when they could be learning the same things in a different capacity.

My just about to turn 3 year old has her "own" iPad. It's our old one (DH and I both have newer ones) and she's only allowed it when we say and for short periods.

She also has lots of books, toys, crayons, etc., and was recently praised in her pre-school report for her vocabulary and imagination. Tablets and traditional toddler activities aren't mutually exclusive.

Paints in a car is just stupid.

learn about technology as a vital life skill ? Aged 2?
I've heard it all now, utter tosh.

I thank goodness my children manage to be high achievers without a childhood stuffed with technology and gadgety.

Why does all of this always have to be an either/or situation?

My 3yo has a tablet, kindly donated from my DSis who won a new one in a competition. Mostly she watches YouTube videos of people acting out Frozen stories and opening Shopkins blind bags, but she also likes the CBeebies app and the My Hungry Caterpillar app. She doesn't use it for long, and I actually prefer to have that than the tv on - at least it's interactive, unlike the gogglebox. As a result of her apps and interests we've 'grown' caterpillars to butterflies, baked things that she liked and she's learning to spell. Now, these are things we may have done otherwise but I was able to identify what she was interested in by looking at what she played with and watched.

She also has well over 100 books and a trip to the library is her idea of a great day out. She actually very rarely sees me reading (despite our house being full of books) as I have an expensive kindle habit and download everything onto there. But she certainly hasn't missed out on books/reading/an introduction to literacy because of it! It's not quite as simple as 'no, it rots your brain'. Sometimes I think people resist change for the sake of resistance.

LB maybe there is some kind of law in missing here where if I buy her a tablet I have to throw away all her toys, stop her from going outside, cancel her ballet lessons and chain her up in a dungeon with little match sticks propped open her eyes so she has to stare at the tablet all day?

What I find really odd is that the majority of people on this thread are saying its a ridiculous idea, however when people ask how to manage with a toddler and a newborn (for example) the suggestion is "give the toddler an iPad while you deal with the newborn".

Because a 2 year old isn't awake that long in a day. Most sleep 11-12 hrs at night, and nap still.

Leaving say 10 hrs awake. Out of those 10 hours 4 are spent eating three meals, snacks, baths, getting dressed etc
That's 6 hrs a day tops. A 1-5 year old is supposed to be active outside at least 3 hrs a day. That leaves maximum 3 hrs a day for reading, playing with toys, puzzles, drawing, baking, etc. That's hardly anything.

Especially when a chunk of that time is probably spent by many on school runs for older children, going shopping, visiting friends.

Absolutely not. Ridiculous idea.

I got my smaller child a kindle and it was great on journeys.

I'm a bit perplexed though. You say you work in technology, but are going into town later to look at different types. Since you generally buy kindles on line and you can go onto the site and do a compare and contrast, it's utterly bizarre that someone technologically minded would go into town to look at them.

Is this just a silly wind up or journo thread?

when people ask how to manage with a toddler and a newborn (for example) the suggestion is "give the toddler an iPad while you deal with the newborn".

It's the new version of 'just out the TV on'.

But yes it IS the quick an easy way to keep a 2yo quiet.

And of course, it's also very easy to see how the parent can fall into the trap of using it too much.

keema what? I don't work with tablets. There are other types of technology.

And you can't try them out online, feel how weighty or fragile they are.