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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if a 5 year old should be allowed her own kindle fire for Kids (with limited and restricted use)

50 replies

Talkwhilstyouwalk · 01/11/2021 22:45

Just that really!

I'm considering buying my daughter one for Christmas. On the one hand I'm pro technology and can see the benefits of educational games like numbots etc. The school even use them! Very handy whilst travelling distances as well....

On the other hand I can see potential for arguments over screen time and the temptation to use it for lazy parenting - mummy wants some peace/a lie in here's your tablet.....

We love books and real life games, but is there also a place for tablets where young children are concerned?

Thanks!

OP posts:

Beamur · 02/11/2021 09:45

DD had one for a few years. It's a good gateway tablet and easy to set age appropriate limits on it.
Just be mindful of time spent on it and don't use near bedtime.

camperjam · 02/11/2021 09:48

I got my 4 and 5 year old a kindle each for Christmas last year, they were half price on black Friday.
They are great, you can set time limits and age restrictions on them.
They haven't been obsessed with them and enjoy playing games and apps on them

randomsabreuse · 02/11/2021 09:50

Definitely. We got one for our then 4 year old and it was a godsend in the homeschooling period as she could to educational apps as well as games - counting, letter and number formation practice, logic/coding etc. It has the ability to set time limits and "earning" play time through educational apps if I remember correctly for when we set it up.

The robust case and insurance also good with kids.

It's also useful to be used to "writing" on a tablet as homework is still "mixed" with online worksheets as well as physical ones - and it can be frustrating writing on the tablet. DD has also mastered group, ungroup, send to back and front as well as text boxes thanks to pandemic home learning stuff!

Motheewef · 02/11/2021 09:55

They already get so much screen time at school. A lot more than we did. I don't think a lot of screen time is good for them, so I really try to limit it at home because they have it in excess at school. It's actually quite sad how much young children rely on it for learning, schools totally overuse it.
So I wouldn't, no.
But for most people it seems to be a standard gift for a 3rd birthday so I'm in the minority.

Maybe a family tablet, used occasionally with direct supervision?

Kaibashira · 02/11/2021 10:11

Both my kids have them (bought by grandparents but that's another story). It's easy to set up parental controls. There are some great games... Teach Your Monster to Read is a really good one (unless, I suppose, you kid can already read).

My main issues with them is that you can't preview games or books before downloading, so sometimes the kids will download absolute dross (to be clear, I don't mind them playing games that aren't educational, in the same way that I sometimes watch TV for pleasure....). So I regularly have to "curate" what's on their tablet after they've gone to bed - although that doesn't stop them from downloading it again.

Cupcakeschocolate · 02/11/2021 10:22

Sometimes screen time is good for kids. My eldest had a speech delay. And we where limiting his TV time and screen time. But actually once we relaxed and let him watch (a he'll of a lot) of cbeebies and the like he came on in leaps and bounds. I think it depends on what they are doing. And you don't sit them there for hours on end, what's the harm? He would watch cbeebies songs over and over on YouTube. We did all the normal things but the music seemed to help him.

I love tech and the way the world is going kids need to be able to use tech. My child in reception just had their review and using the tablet was part of the review. If they could use it and follow instructions...

PumpkinsandTea · 02/11/2021 21:18

Mine had had her own Kindle Fire since she was 3 and her own iPad Pro since she was 5. Her use of them is monitored and limited. That's all that matters. You won't regret the Kindle Fire, it's a fab set up!

adriennewillfly · 02/11/2021 21:33

DH was on computers from the age of 3. He's made a successful career out of it. I had my nose in books from the age of 3, and I made a career out of it. His salary is around 7 times mine.

rrhuth · 02/11/2021 21:36

I wouldn't.

switswoo81 · 02/11/2021 21:41

I wouldn't and have zero issues with TV and general screen time I just hate the solitary nature of a tablet. (6 and 3 yo). Prefer to see what they watching and comment on it with them.

EcoCustard · 02/11/2021 21:47

Dd5 has a kindle and has strict limited time each week. However some weeks it doesn’t get used. She has a few educational apps and one or two drawing and games. I got rid of the unlimited and just downloaded about 5 apps in total. Not a fan of them personally and think there is plenty of time in life for devices as they get older but not a big tech user myself. It definitely affects her behaviour too. I sometimes feel like she is missing out as some of her yr1 class are playing Minecraft and they play each other? Some play Mario on Switch, she had a play date a few weeks ago and was upset as everyone knew how to use the controller and she didn’t. She’s 5 if you can hold out, I would.

womaninatightspot · 02/11/2021 21:56

We have tablets in our house. Anyone notice how in lockdown screen time was fine but now we should have next to none? I make my children do educational stuff first to earn game time. So half an hour reading eggs/ teach your monster to read/ sumdog. Then half an hour free time. Obviously limit pad time and make sure your day is well balanced. When off school my general rule is exercise/ freshair/ something creative (art/ baking/fingerknitting/ whatever) and screens. Thgey'd happily get up and do screens from breakfast to bedtime so it does need managed.

User00000000 · 03/11/2021 08:02

I definitely think it depends on your child, but my 5 year old has one and it's great. Initially she was reluctant to come off it, but once she realised that having a tantrum about it resulted in less screen time rather than more it was fine. She can regulate use herself now and will go on it for a bit to relax, then put it down to go and play with something else.

I'll probably end up getting one a bit younger for my second, but I'm holding off for now.

Definitely kids kindle though, it's a great starter tablet. When they are older we will move on to iPads though I suppose.

Arabelladrinkstea · 03/11/2021 08:03

wertheppl · 03/11/2021 08:05

Absolutely my little girl has had one since she was really little. They can be very educational and help with numbers, colours and writing. She has some games that u can trace letters etc and it makes it fun. You can obviously limit the time on it.

RobinPenguins · 03/11/2021 08:09

My 3 year old is playing on the numberblocks app right now while I have a cup of tea. Lazy parenting? Hell yeah. She’ll be bored with it in 15 more minutes and we’ll do something else.

I agree with another poster who says it depends on your child though. Mine has never shown any tendency to be obsessed with it and I haven’t had any problem controlling the amount of time she uses it for or getting her to put it away. She tends to naturally do half an hour here and there rather than wanting to play on it for hours and hours. If this wasn’t the case I’d get rid of it.

Hankunamatata · 03/11/2021 08:09

Mine had ipad from 4. Parental choice

londonrach · 03/11/2021 08:18

I choose to give access to mine to DD from age 3 whilst I had a shower in the morning. As she has access (it's put on cbbeebies so she no idea it does anything else) she never makes a fuss about it as access is allowed. She's five now. Not sure she have her own at this age. However you the parent and most children seem to have access or one by five. On the fence here but probably thinking yes but you control access.

MajorCarolDanvers · 03/11/2021 08:36

Mine had kindle fire for kids at that age. It really helped with reading. Especially for my dyslexic child.

The age and time restrictions are really good.

VestaTilley · 03/11/2021 09:29

No. YABU.

Buy her some actual books.

biglittleliar · 03/11/2021 09:39

We bought one for our 3.5 yr old in lockdown so he could listen to Audible books and learn phonics/numbers(How to teach your Monster/Numberbots) while we worked. It was fantastic.

We got the Kids subscription this summer and it has been very useful for audible stories and books. We occasionally will change the settings to allow the games, but it's still mostly used for Audible.

BiBabbles · 03/11/2021 10:07

I wouldn't say it's unreasonable, but at that age, I only bought family devices that they then could use sometims rather than buying them their own device.

I'd focus their own gifts on things I was happy for them to have more freedom and control over (and wouldn't be too much of an issue if they broke) and for their fun, rather than their education. Like, I bought learning books and games separate from gift giving occasions, same with anything electronic.

Original poster

Talkwhilstyouwalk · 03/11/2021 15:35

Thank you everyone for your input, really helpful.

Dd is very sociable and busy with a nice mix of extracurriculars that she enjoys. We also do a lot play dates and things outdoors as well. She's never been one to want to watch that much TV so my hope is that she will be the same with the tablet On balance, I think we'll probably go for it and monitor use!

Thanks again!

OP posts:

rrhuth · 03/11/2021 15:57

@BiBabbles

I wouldn't say it's unreasonable, but at that age, I only bought family devices that they then could use sometims rather than buying them their own device.

Basically same here

IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 03/11/2021 16:06

It's fine imo. People need to accept the world is moving on and there's no moral superiority in oils and pigments stamped onto processed trees. Reading is reading.

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