What devices do your children use? We are barely literate!

[sparklins]

Apologies for posting in AIBU just hoping for lots of traffic!

DC1 is 7 and will be starting Yr3 in September and DC2 will be starting Reception.

They currently use an ancient amazon tablet, it does not allow for much and to be honest I have noticed there's no memory on it, battery is awful, it does not always work and they are stuck with 2 very basic games they have played a million times each.
For a while now me and DP have been talking about DC1 asking about xbox/playstation and generally games and things that his friends play (minecraft?) and we are considering buying some type of console or maybe a new, better tablet, a nintendo switch was also mentioned but we feel a little out of the loop!
Let me preface this by saying I am not asking about screen time/rules as we will definitely be setting our own!

What do your DC have? Anything age appropriate or any tips on keeping it so?
What would you recommend as a good console/tab for those ages?

We have

iPad
Dell Laptop
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo DS

Sorry posted too soon!

We set up the Microsoft parental controls on the laptop and apps are only allowed in the iPad if age appropriate.

I think the Switch is a good console for younger kids and DH and I play on it too.

Following, mine are the same age and have an Amazon tablet each. The older one has three games on it and the younger one I haven’t put any games yet, they mainly use it to watch cartoons on Netflix or Disney etc. Funnily enough I don’t get the impression my elder’s friends have switches etc either, and I had thought it was v common at this age.

IPhone, ipads and gaming pcs. Also surface pros for school.

2 eldest DC each have their own Gaming PC and Phone
Youngest DC (severe SEN)has a kindle fire and an old phone with no sim card for taking photos/videos of her tablet 😂

Nintendo Switch is my 5yo's device of choice during screen time.

Mine are 9 & 11. They have a phone each (connected to mine via family link), share a Switch, and have an account on their dad's PlayStation. They have access to the chromebook but it's crap so they rarely bother.

Ipad mainly. Good enough for all her "gaming" and socialising needs and supports all her homework needs as well plus hobbies like drawing, making little animation films. She's 10.

iPad mini but a bit old
Amazon tablet

My daughter is 2 years old and she has none. If she watches a video or something its on our phones and it is very short. She doesn't have access to a tablet/phone/device. I don't know at what age kids get introduced to these things though my cousin's daughter is 2 and she has a tablet etc. Never sure what its the right time (if thats such a thing).

My niece has a kindle for leisure use. A laptop for school use (mandated by the secondary school) and a basic mobile phone as she walk to school and back alone. She neither missed nor wants anything else. Apparently non techy stuff has been in the rise in recent years amongst this generation due to having so much techy stuff at school - it’s associated with work and not leisure/personal time. 🤷‍♀️

We have an old iPad mini and kindle fire that my toddlers use. One has SEN

older DS(10) has iPad (he save up for over 2 years), my old phone (walks to and from school), Nintendo switch and uses my DH (his stepdads) Xbox when he wants to.

Personally I think the less screens the better but that’s just because my children seem to have highly addictive personalities and it’s impacting them just playing! (Ages 7 to 14 and we have an x box, 14 yo has tablet and phone, and we have a tablet and pc)

DS(7) has a Nintendo switch that he got this Christmas, and a cheap Fusion 5 android tablet which he got the previous Christmas. He gets more use from the tablet and he would be fine with just that tbh.

We found it was when our boys reached the age when they felt left out about video game chat, then allowed limited game play (Minecraft) when that happened.

We are a screen-free house. No tablets or phones for leisure use. Kids play with actual toys and if we are traveling with them by train/plane etc, they take a sticker book or card game. Adults have computer and phone for work, but children are not allowed to touch them.

9 year old has an xbox and ipad.

5 year old just has an ipad that she hardly uses.

DH has a playstation which they both occassionally use and we have a family Nintendo Switch which DD occassionally uses for Minecraft and they both like to do Just Dance on.

My 5 year old son was getting worryingly very attached to his amazon tablet, so I got him a Yoto mini and it has definitely weaned him off. It's an audiobook player (and you can set it up to play podcasts and it has its own kid friendly radio), but no screen of any substance (it just displays an image per book chapter).

I'd really recommend it as it gives him something techy to play with but because there's no screen to be glued to, he can play with toys/colours in etc while he's listening

This is like coming on a thread asking for advice on how to make a Victoria sponge and saying you can't cook.

for work??

...you're posting on MN for work??

Always had a family pc/laptop, exh had a PlayStation they could use, bought a wii (mine are older!) and Nintendo ds's, phones were basic then so got payg phone for secondary and smartphones at 14 for upper school. Got own laptop for university

Ugh. shudder

Google and get in the centre of the loop - as your kids grow you need to be on top

At that age ds had an old laptop for any online homework and a tablet for basic Minecraft.
Now at 14 he has a gaming pc, a Nintendo switch at his df's, still has the old tablet and now has a vr headset with incredibly clever software for GCSEs that does things like explore the human body from the inside.

Oddly, he didn't want a phone for his birthday, says people just use them for bullying and 'nasty pictures'. He's having a new bike instead, so totally non-tech.

I get the traditional approach. I am super conscious of screens. But the 21st century is digital. It’s going to be a large part of the next generations future and ability to access the jobs market. They are going to need to be digitally literate even if I or others don’t like it.