Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy my 2 1/2 year old twins a tablet for holidays?

116 replies

Thedoctorswife1 · 29/03/2023 10:58

We have resisted tablets until now - no judgement at all to those who use them - they have some but not a huge amount of screen time in the form of TV.
We have two flights coming up in the next few months and I am considering getting them a kindle fire and headphones - they are on sale at the moment on Amazon. AIBU to do so? I’d want to use just on the plane and when out and about in restaurants as they can get very restless when sat down for extended periods of time. Asking them to share is not an option due to the seating on the plane.

OP posts:
LeaveAndNeverLookBack · 29/03/2023 12:13

No.
DS started with screens at nearly 8 and it was a mistake.
Before that we did plenty of journeys with puzzles, books, crayons etc. It was exhausting but there are no benefits for very young children having a screen, only makes it easier for you.

Tohaveandtohold · 29/03/2023 12:17

I’d buy them 2 to use on the flight when they’re bored. My daughter had one around that age when we went abroad. It was a 6 hour flight and we had stickers, colouring pens and papers, etc but after around 3 hrs, she started throwing the pens down, etc and was a bit noisy so I gave her the tablet so as not to disturb the other passengers and she was fine for the rest of the journey. There’s no point having a noisy toddler on a plane.

Lcb123 · 29/03/2023 12:19

If you’re going to get them, get 2 and insist on headphones for anything with sound. I’d really limit use to travelling and as a last resort. Try colouring/reading first especially at restaurants

SparkyBlue · 29/03/2023 12:19

Buy them both a tablet. Honestly it will be fine. I have a medical appointment today in an awkward location but getting drops in my eyes which means I can't drive home so DH will wait for me with out pre schooler. It will be after pre school so she will be cranky and it's lashing rain so the initial plan was for them to go for a walk but the wind is awful along with the rain so DH bringing a book for him and a tablet for DD. Sometimes it's just the handier thing to do to save everyone's sanity.

Caspianberg · 29/03/2023 12:20

@LeaveAndNeverLookBack - surely it’s fine for stuff to make life easier sometimes? Op isn’t talking about screen addiction, but letting toddlers who like to run a tablet on a plane journey a few times a year maximum. If it makes a parents life easier for an hour on a long stressful day, seems like no harm done.

Holidayhelp2022 · 29/03/2023 12:21

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Searchingforsunshine · 29/03/2023 12:22

Get a Yoto mini instead

whatapalavaaa · 29/03/2023 12:26

Get them. We travel a lot and only used them for flights from 2+. It wasn’t a slippery slope at all. They didn’t use them at home or in restaurants or anywhere else until we started introducing a small amount of screen time at home from 6+. They still don’t leave the house apart from holidays.

They knew they were for travel and that was that. They’re priceless on the plane. We once had to give ours to a child behind us who was screaming. It was worth it to distract him. He must have been about three and his dm probably thought it would be a ‘slippery slope’ too.

StopitSarah · 29/03/2023 12:27

At 2 and a half? No. I wouldn’t buy tablets for them. Maybe borrow a tablet with some favourite programmes and CBeebies games downloaded, but I’d keep it as an emergency measure while travelling. My children didn’t have tablets etc at that age but did play some CBeebies games on my phone on long journeys. If there are two adults, that might be an easier solution - a phone each with the same games/programmes downloaded?

Phoebo · 29/03/2023 12:29

Why? You have twins they can entertain each other, far too young!! On the plane they have entertainment anyway, so just use that

StopitSarah · 29/03/2023 12:29

Also, as pp have said, books, colouring, travel games etc go a long way. But I don’t have twins and I imagine that’s a whole other level of hard work at 2.5!

Bintymcbintface · 29/03/2023 12:31

Hmmm I'd consider it but go easy. Just yesterday I was talking about how depressing it is that people can't even take their kids on a shopping trip without them being sat on their arse in the main basket of a trolley with shit blaring out of a huge tablet stuck right in front of their face. What ever happened to making outings a fun adventure, playing games or actually talking to your kid about what's going on around them? Last resort sure but it's a slippery slope

Caspianberg · 29/03/2023 12:32

@Phoebo - very few if any planes have in flight entertainment nowadays unless long haul.

80skid · 29/03/2023 12:32

If you buy them specifically for a holiday, prepared for a) them to weasel their way into daily life anyway and b) to hear the opinions of people who are vehemently against them and think your 2 1/2 year olds should be colouring and read to instead.

You do you. You have 2 toddlers at the same time, which I imagine most people with opinions have never experienced. You're going to be tired and maybe even want an adult conversation occasionally. If it works for you, do it. Probably consider the indestructible and insured package mind!! Have a lovely holiday Halo

Sorryyoufeelthatway · 29/03/2023 12:34

Colouring and snacks galore work just as well but don’t forget to download their fave shows and films etc if you do get one. Some won’t work outside of the UK.

However, i beg you don’t bring them to meals on holiday, just keep for flights or when getting ready. Nothing worse than a family with their kids plugged in a dinner at a restaurant. Sad in every way and lazy. Why bother taking them away or having them in the first place?!

Londongal123 · 29/03/2023 12:39

If I could go back in time I would have waited to introduce tablets. Once it starts, there's no going back.

Squamata · 29/03/2023 12:41

I wouldn't, two is tiny, the aeroplane is exciting enough for a while, a couple of sticker books/water painting books/stories/a new toy or two will do it. I used to get a bag of cheap bits from the charity shop 10p box to keep mine quiet on long journeys.

The problem is, once you use them on a flight or a long car journey or to keep them quiet in a restaurant or to stay quiet at the doctor's - you open the door and your kids end up on them all the time, which is bad for their brains. It's good for them to be bored sometimes.

Plus, the peace they buy you is often counterbalanced by the massive strop when it's time to put it away/they start whacking each other about whose turn it is.

You could take the middle path and bring a tablet but keep it as an emergency reserve. I also have audio stories on my phone for this.

Cosyblankets · 29/03/2023 12:41

WhatInFreshHell · 29/03/2023 11:44

Nobody said anything about using them at mealtimes?!

Show quote history

It's right there in the OP

Parker231 · 29/03/2023 12:42

ThePurpleOctopus · 29/03/2023 11:05

Cross post! Totally agree

Show quote history

Definitely - indispensable on long flights

Username1234321 · 29/03/2023 12:44

I recently bought my children tablets ages 2 and 3. They have them for about half an hour a day and that's not everyday. They've both been really good at stopping when I say it's time to finish. We have also download specific apps and then put it on airplane mode so they can't access everything as there is loads on there. We will use them during our flights later in the year. You can monitor what they go on so can be educational.

TheBirdintheCave · 29/03/2023 12:58

whatapalavaaa · 29/03/2023 12:26

Get them. We travel a lot and only used them for flights from 2+. It wasn’t a slippery slope at all. They didn’t use them at home or in restaurants or anywhere else until we started introducing a small amount of screen time at home from 6+. They still don’t leave the house apart from holidays.

They knew they were for travel and that was that. They’re priceless on the plane. We once had to give ours to a child behind us who was screaming. It was worth it to distract him. He must have been about three and his dm probably thought it would be a ‘slippery slope’ too.

Agreed. It hasn't been a slippery slope for us either.

I find it quite odd that some people act like if you have an iPad it will be on all the time or that toddlers will ask for it all the time 🤔 It doesn't have to be all or nothing. We are very strict about our son's usage of our iPad and he accepts that as we enforce those rules. The iPad sits openly on the stand in the kitchen. He knows where it is, it's in full view but when he comes home the first thing he goes for is the train set or the Play Doh. It's a rare occasion that he actually asks to play on the tablet and, if it's not Friday afternoon, I just tell him no and suggest other things he can play with.

He's only had one full blown tantrum in his life so far and that was because I told him he wasn't allowed to dump water from the sink onto the floor 😂

NameChange30 · 29/03/2023 13:15

Another vote for a Yoto mini. My 2.5yo loves ours. You could get one mini and linked headphones (so they can both listen to the same thing) or just get them one each.

We do have a Kindle Fire Kids, which my 6yo will nag us to use, and objects when it's time to stop, so I am very reluctant to let my youngest use it. Of course, on a long flight or other journey, you do what you have to do to get through it, so it's good to have a tablet as an option. Not sure I'd recommend the Fire though, it's slow and not user friendly. Before we got it, we would occasionally let DC watch things on our iPad when travelling. Could you do that? Make sure they both have headphones (that can be linked together) and let them use a tablet you already own?

Mwnci123 · 29/03/2023 13:23

I don't think it's necessarily a slippery slope. We use iPad type things for journeys but never at home- have done for some years without an expectation from the children that they can have them other times. If I were you I would. Long journeys with kids that age are tedious for everyone.

pear6782 · 29/03/2023 13:24

I'm quite relaxed about these things, but you have to do what you feel is right. We had amazon fire tablet things but the kids didn't really get on with them. Oldest child now prefers the iPad and the little ones just watch YouTube kids on my phone for long journeys. I don't know how people manage colouring in the car - mine drop everything every 5 seconds. I know mine aren't on screens all day and they get plenty of stimulation from nursery so I really don't mind if it keeps them quiet on a long journey. My oldest probably watched screens a bit more around that age but now has diverted his interest to music and plays lots of instruments. Basically, just because they watch some screens when they are little, it doesn't mean that's all they are going to do in life....anyway, its a technology world now and they need to learn how to use these devices. Wait till you see the school homework coming through on an app. Makes me want to scream.

Frabbits · 29/03/2023 13:34

If it makes life more bearable and you moderate their use, then absolutely go for it.

Don't let the judgy mcjudgy pants put you off something for no good reason.