To get a tablet for 2 year old?

[Scotlandma]

I feel like I often see very young children with tablets and I’ve heard they can also be very educational but I’m not sure if it’s recommended for 2 year olds?

(my child is not yet 2 I’m thinking for their birthday)

for background my child is in full time nursery so doesn’t get very much screen time in the week and on the weekend I tend to be out running errands but TV does help whilst I’m trying to cook dinner or occasional send a quick email in the evening.

I’m not thinking of the kind of situation where we have to bring an iPad to a restaurant (I’m not judging that situation but DS behaves quite well out) more so for car rides or almost as a toy that DS can choose to play with.

Would you give your kid a cigarette? Ipads/electronics etc are addictive. Nothing will live up to them either. So even if you put a limit on screen time, how will a book seem as exciting as an iPad? I would seek professional advice on this through podcasts etc. see what professionals are saying!

I'd hold off as long as possible but in any case think about whether they could navigate it successfully on their own or even hold on to it without it dropping onto the floor of the car - someone mentioned the safety aspect, I'm thinking about meltdowns when they drop it, can't reach it and you are driving!

On holiday recently the family sitting on the next table to us with two children of about 3 and 5 years of age. Both children on iPads and father on his phone throughout breakfast. Is this really the example we want to show to our children?

You can kiss goodbye to your child behaving well when you are out if you buy a tablet. They are a bit like dummies, they little one will crave it and cry until he gets it.

It's a no from me.

I was against tablet for children until I watched a TV documentary a few years ago, it tested children who used tablets and children that didn’t, toddlers that used tablets scored higher in almost everything. The tasks were drawing lines and reactions, amongst other things. The scientists concluded that there’s no benefit of children being kept away from tablets but there maybe a benefit of children using tablets.

My 6 and 3 year olds have them. We probably wouldn't have gotten one for the 3 year old yet but it was easier for him to have his own than keep trying to pinch his sisters. They have really limited access to them and can go a whole week or longer without using them. We keep them and they only have them when allowed. They are incredibly useful for long car journeys. It keeps them quiet so their baby brother can sleep and they don't distract my driving. I can't cope with a lot of noise in tglhe car. Posters saying children can look out the window are living in some kind of unrealistic fantasy world. The doesn't keep them entertained at all.
Anyway I think they can be useful but 2 is a bit too young in my opinion.

😂

This "research" was presumably done by people who thought it was a good idea to give their small children tablets, and set about "proving" why they were right.

It is utter bollocks. Small children need time, attention, talking, singing and reading.

We used to do very, very long car journeys with our DC when they were very small (and one of mine was horrendously difficult).

I-spy ('something blue', 'something round' etc for very small children), audio books, child-friendly CDs (we had cassettes when my DC were small, but presumably people would have phones or whatever now). I used to give them a little something to open at certain points of the journey, so long as they hadn't picked fights with one another. They were just silly little post-office type toys but they were enough of an incentive for low-tech children. They could have a boiled sweet when we saw the first sign to Glasgow. That kind of thing.

Apart from the fact that they're developmentally useless (IMO), I think it's a bit sad if technology replaces parents engaging with their children.

Sorry if this has already been suggested, perhaps get a Yoto player instead. My 2yo daughter and her 6 and 10 yo sisters all love theirs and use them daily. 2yo loves Peppa Pig, Caspar Babypants songs, Funnybones and loads that I've recorded for her myself. She reads the books at the same time. Preferable to screens, for me.

Our 5yr old and 2yr old both have one.
They rarely use them but they're great for overnight trips away which we do most months. We also drive to France (9.5hrs).

Some of the posts on here are almost hysterical about them....we still read (haven't gone a day in their entire lives without being read to), use stickers, play doh, colouring books, Lego, park, walks, crafts, we go away at least once a month, take them on trips, theatre, swimming, hobbies etc. Just because children own a tablet doesn't mean they're doing nothing else. It's just a very good addition to the already very full lives they have. The educational apps really are excellent. Our 5yr old goes in the year above for English and Maths, he's very bright. No behaviour problems. The tablet has not hindered him in the slightest but he has learnt lots using it. 2yr old uses hers probably a couple of times a month. We'd never take them to a restaurant but they do have their uses.

I don't see no harm in one, my son has had once since he was about 2.5. He is 4 now and goes on it atleast once a day but we monitor his time on it and what he can watch on it. He is at nursery 5 days a week 8am till 5pm with no screen time, playing outside for the majority of the day .We let him go on the tablet at home after nursery . He isn't on it constantly at weekends either ,he plays with his toys , we go on days out, we take him football so he isn't stuck on a tablet all day. He has a very good mix of indoor and outdoor activities. It's all about balance

Agreed that this sounds like a load of rubbish. My DC1 is on the top table in his class and all the other children on that table are from families who either have no or very restricted tablet use, at least according to their parents (and I can believe it as the parents are all well educated themselves and very engaged in their children’s education).

I remember that show and I think it was a little more nuanced but essentially showed that children who use tablets were ahead in some areas and children who didn't were ahead in others, suggesting that balance is probably key (as in everything!).

I'd hold off as long as possible - way longer than 3. These things are hugely addictive and detrimental to young children. They provide no benefit whatsoever for the child. If you need a bit of a break from your child use the TV instead.

Using them to keep children quiet sounds like a terrible reason tbh. I mean occasionally for several hour car journeys fair enough but if you're only using it twice a year does it even count? How often do.you drive to the south of France?

As to whether looking out of the window keeps them entertained, I think it's a kind of boredom that becomes beneficial once you're used to it and your mind wanders. If there's always a screen they never develop that skill.

I haven't read all the replies so not sure if this has been mentioned already. We got a tablet just after my LG turned 2 as we had a 4 hour car journey to do. We labelled it a "family tablet" (although it is a kids fire one) and she only used it very rarely to start with. Now she is 4 and calls it her tablet but she still doesn't go on it that much (maybe once a week if we need to leave her with someone who is wfh for example) so for us it's worked fine. I saw someone else mention a yoto, this is what she got as her present for her 2nd birthday and its still going strong.

@MammaEvz3 I don't really understand why a 6 year old can't read a book during a long journey.

Absolutely not. My DD is almost 4 and not allowed to use our ipad. We just don’t allow screens yet, apart from some managed TV time.

I have a family member who lets her very young children have tablets. Their behaviour is absolutely atrocious.

No way! I think my daughter was nearly 5 or 5 . Even then I wish they they didn’t exist!
yes educational but also I think most people are guilty of allowing them more than would be ideal.
Also I think children should be just that for as long as possible .

I don't think it's necessary. They will end up addicted and always wanting it. My child had an hour a week on the family laptop from age 7 and an hour or tv before bed and sometimes a few shows at lunch time.

Congratulations. You must be using a computer then, right, to spread your knowledge on the internet which is “oh
boy”! technology.
Please…

Ignore the negative comments. My three year old has an Amazon fire tablet, she doesn’t go on it often, but in my eyes it’s better than tv. She is pretty advanced for her age and she learns a lot on it. The world has changed so much in regards to technology now, children need to learn how to use it for pretty much everything, can’t start too early in my eye. As long as it’s not used as a babysitter, so what you feel is best

*eyes
*do

Its a bit of a stretch to think a child’s intelligence is based on if they have a tablet or not lol. All three of mine used technology from a young age and they are all very bright. 16 years old, 12 years old and 3 years old

You want one to make your life easier. It won't, you might keep him entertained but this will be counterbalanced by endless whining to go on it all the time.

At one my kids used to sit in a high chair and watch me cook, play with utensils etc