Tablet recommendations for nearly 3 year old

[snoringnights]

Looking for recommendations of a tablet/ipad style for my nearly 3 year old? Going on holiday soon, first time on aeroplane and looking for something to help keep him entertained on the plane. ideally something I can download Netflix etc onto for films?

thanks

it’s basic sense to listen to people who’ve been there and done that in any situation. Why wouldn’t you? It’s fairly arrogant to assume because your 8 yr old is fine even though they were given their first screen at 1, that they’ll still be fine as teenagers, given I think every single response on this thread who has seen parenting through to adulthood on this thread has said ‘delay, delay, delay as much as you can.’ It’s foolish to ignore.

lol, cross post with @ToyStory75. Ok, one!

You’ve missed the point I was making though - which is that early use, however limited/restricted, affects the child’s brain while it is developing and makes it more likely that they will want screens later, when it becomes much harder to restrict them. It’s not a lack of critical thinking, it’s an appreciation of how addiction actually works.

And what happens when you get to your destination and he gets hot, overwhelmed, tired etc? Will you whip it out again?
FGS do some parenting OP. No screens. He is way too young.

@ParentsTrapped Your statement sounds very unequivocal but I’m not sure the science is strong on it. For that claim to be valid there would have to be evidence showing that children with very occasional early exposure have worse later outcomes than otherwise similar children with no exposure at all. Can you point to any research that clearly demonstrates that?

@ParentsTrapped Your children are 8 and 5 years old, yet you’re acting as though you have parenting completely figured out and anyone with a different approach is an idiot. I can only imagine the pushback you’ll get when they’re teenagers if you parent based solely on research and studies, as you appear to be doing. As you said yourself, children develop free will…. At some point they may have opinions and preferences that don’t align with whatever the research says is optimal. That tends to happen when human beings become individuals rather than case studies.

I fully understand the risks of excessive screen time. I’ve never advocated excessive screen time. You yourself admitted that watching a film on a plane is no big deal, so your opinion of me seems to be based on your apparent hatred of phonics apps and my plan to use one for 10 minutes a couple of times a week over the summer so that the phonics scheme at his new school isn’t completely unfamiliar to him.

Are you always this judgemental of other parents? I can’t imagine you’ve ever spoken to your nieces’ parents or your children’s friends’ parents this way. I’m surprised you can tolerate associating with all these apparently incompetent people rather than surrounding yourself exclusively with those who meet your standards.

Etch-a-Sketch

None! Too young, colouring books, parental engagement, small toy...anything but staring at a screen.

I have parental responsibility for older kids not mentioned on this thread, and a lot of experience with this age group through a volunteer role. I think you’ll find that you’re the one acting as though you’ve got parenting all figured out - that’s exactly my point and that’s what my opinion of you is based on. I wished you luck before, but tbh I actually don’t care.

@snoringnights Instead of an ipad or phone screen, which are proven to be quite disastrous for such young children how about getting some Touch & Learn tablets from Leapfrog. I had similar to these for my kids when The Early Learning shop existed. They loved them.

Just seen Early Learning Centre still exists online and the ones I bought were the brand VTech.

Sorry I don’t know how to attach links.

This.

And just because a child is using a tablet doesn’t mean they will always use it. I can’t remember the last time my 5 year old used his. I don’t even know where it is.

Just be careful about what you download - we don’t use YouTube at all as it’s awful for small children. And we’re very much in control of when it’s used.

I work in paediatrics and have a masters degree in a field directly related to child development… I see the effects of excessive screen time on development and speech and I see the effects of total restriction. The families I work with aren’t judged by me if they choose to do something I wouldn’t, I’ll offer guidance and I’ll share research. I know what it says. I know my children are getting a rounded childhood. I do judge those who judge others so harshly and act like they have it figured out because of their own personal experience.

My approach to everything is moderation and dealing with the child I have in front of me because I rarely encounter families where this is an issue. My colleagues and the teachers I know take the same approach as a whole. I also see the massive benefits to screens for children who are non verbal for communication and regulation and for their families.

I am not however an expert on phonics so an app sounds great to me as one of many tools. Honestly it’s not a big deal or a slippery slope, sounds like you’re projecting.

I hardly think not wanting a 3 year old using ipads etc makes them an arse.

It’s really simplistic to assume it’s either no screens at all, must make do with colouring and a poppit for a 3.5 hour flight, or the ipad comes out at every little whinge because you can’t parent. There’s a glaring middle ground you’re totally ignoring where you think of the ipad more like a mobile dvd player from yesteryear or a replacement for the seat back entertainment systems you no longer get on short haul flights, you stick a movie on to keep them quiet and still, as is required on plane, and it isn’t used outside of travel. Like all adults do because no one sane rawdogs flights- everyone is usually reading or watching, and a 3YO can’t read a novel. Hot, tired etc. on holiday is easy to deal with in the normal ways because you can all move around, they can be removed if making a lot of noise, you have activities to distract, restaurants if hungry and a quiet room if they need a nap!

Would you give the kid a spoon of sugar just in case they get hungry? No.
So don't give them a tablet just in case they need distraction. Same effect, just as addictive.
Play with a sick bag, get him to look out the window at what's below, colouring books - there's a gazillion things you can do.

I think you know what the right answer is here, OP.

However, if you insist on giving him a tablet, please also spend a tiny bit more more money buying him some decent headphones so others don't have to put up with the sound of the tablet. We all know that parents of toddlers can 'turn off' to noise, but don't forget that other people also want a relaxing flight.