To get 3 year old own tablet?

[Twilightinnovember]

We have a long car journey next week and wondering about whether to take advantage or Black Friday deals? Just don’t want him asking for it all the time. Do your kids have their own tablets?

3 year olds are fascinated by everything! Just chat! Wind turbines, cows, different coloured cars. He will probably nap for some of it right? If you give a tablet on a journey now, you'll always rely on it.

I suppose that’s what I was thinking @InTheRainOnATrain . We don’t have lots of screen time really but it is a long journey and I’m not sure I’d sit and stare out of the window for five hours!

I wouldn’t, screen time is awful for kids’ development, several studies show this.

I don't think mine would have followed e.g. Roald Dahl stories at that age. The troll (and all the Julia donaldsons) have lots of funny voices, repetition and little songs... they might do the trick!

Or. Actually. Just don't. We did 7 hours to Scotland. Didn't need a device. Just chatted, sang songs, played games, listened to the gruffalo (4 times). Was lovely!

@napody but you’re a bit limited in conversations about cows on a motorway 🤣 I’m not necessarily envisioning it all the way but a five hour conversation about the white car, the blue car etc probably won’t happen if we’re going to be realistic here.

If you get one, put an adult cover on it and put it away after travelling. We bought one for an 8 hour journey but it’s always been mummy’s tablet. They have never asked for it on any other occasion.

With audio books, singing and a nap too! Like fantasia99 we did 7 hour trips to Scotland from when my children were 2- it was fine and they've always travelled so well.

Try a yoto player?

Mine had kids kindle fires at that age for long journeys but they didn't have access to it that often. Now they're older (11 and 9) they have iPads that they do love and I don't limit time, but they are both very active doing extra curricular stuff, do their homework and will always say yes if I ask if they want to play a board game so don't think the tablets young have made them addicted!

Ds has in fairness, but he is very young and it is a long drive. It is far from the first car journey he’s had, and of course he’s been fine, but it is a fair trek.

I know the tablet seems like the easy option but actually thinking of ways to entertain your child actually helps you understand them and bond with them. It helps their learning.... its such an amazing thing that will be lost by plumping for the 'easy' option.
I'm sure people are rolling their eyes at how evangelical I sound!

Get one if you want think you / your child would like it.

DS has never looked at devices (apart from TV).

They’ll be a feature when he starts school, though.

I just stick audio books on, give him a stack of books to look at and a couple fidget toys. Build in one decent stop for a run around. Sure he’d enjoy an iPad but I’d rather he didn’t have that much screen times. However it’s ok if you feel differently and decide to do differently.

There's nothing wrong with an easy option. Get the tablet.

Obviously get one if you want to 😂
I'm just saying you might be surprised at how manageable it is... and that the benefits are huge.

napody, I agree with everything you are saying.

Napody - I don’t think it’s that you sound evangelical and even if you did there’s nothing wrong with being passionate about something. But realism is also needed here and it isn’t so much about what the easy option is as what ds will actually like. Much as it pains me to say it I think a downloaded episode of The Highway Rat will be more enjoyable than me burbling on about the service stations!

I really wouldn’t, or just use it for the car journey and put it away again for the future, say it’s broken. Seriously the later they start the better. Glad mine are older as it wasn’t a thing then babies and toddlers having phone and tablets like now.

An AUDIO version of the highway rat is exactly what I've been advocating :)
The joy of Julia D is in the rhyme and the rhythm!
(Also evangelical about her!)

And now I'm on one... the tv versions of Julia's stories, lovely as they are, slow the lines down and space them out so much they lose all the rhythm!

Not evangelical at all, new studies are showing even 2 hours of screen time a day will impact kids’ GCSE results negatively, people shove tablets in front of tiny kids rather than entertain them or teach them how to entertain themselves then wonder why their kids are thick later on. Appreciate it has its uses in moderation and difficult to police given how common it is but parents should be aware of the impact

Do you just have the one child? If you decide to buy a tablet I'd definitely do as PP have done and make it a family tablet, rather than tell DS it's his.

Problem is once they've watched one episode of something they'll just want more and more.

I have to say I think deciding ds is going to get crap GCSEs because I am considering letting him watch a tablet on a one off car journey is a bit crazy

I am not sure he’d follow an audio version tbh but like I say I might be surprised.