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Original poster

Children and iPads

42 replies

LibraryBook · 04/12/2013 16:38

I'm tempted to get my 8 and 6 yr olds iPads for Christmas as they do a lot of stuff on mine (sometimes it's games but also some lovely stuff like painting drawing, film-making, making music etc). They would not be connected to the Internet, except under close supervision.

DD has mentioned a Nintendo 3DS but I've looked at it and it appears much more limited than the iPad, is it? And it'll cost broadly the same as an iPad once we've bought a few games.

Even though they use our iPads often, I'm a little uncomfortable about it for some reason, part of me feels they should be playing with Playmobil, building planes from bits of balsa wood or making dens in the garden while dressed up as Victorian ladies and industrialists.

I'd be grateful for fellow mumsnetters' thoughts.

It would make my Christmas shopping lovely and easy.

OP posts:
Ragwort · 04/12/2013 16:44

Personally the thought of paying £400 each for a child's Christmas present would just not occur to me. Not because I can't afford it (I could if I used savings) but to me an ipad just isn't a 'child's toy' & I wouldn't dream of spending that much. My budget for my 12 year old is around £75. If you buy 8 & 6 year olds that sort of present now, what on earth are you going to get them in the future? Hmm

I wouldn't buy an ipad for myself - I am sure it is a lovely gadget (I sometimes use my mother's - she is 80 & I have no idea why she bought one - she doesn't understand technology at all Grin) but I am still happy with an old fashioned PC.

Anyway, my luddite views on Mumsnet are well known, am sure lots of people will come along and say it's a great idea. Grin.

SoonToBeSix · 04/12/2013 16:46

I would but I would probably go for the mini . Last years model is around £220 on amazon and I think John Lewis.

ELR · 04/12/2013 16:47

It's just moving with the times! For me as long as my kids do a broad range of things I don't mind them having iPads. I have purchased ipad minis for them both this year dd11 and ds8. They are both doing very well at school and behave well. They both do tennis, rugby and football. Dd plays an instrument and both play the drums we have a drum kit at home.
They have had iPod touches for the last few years and use my ipad.
I do think you need to limit time on them though and ensure homework ect is done, also I get them to leave them downstairs at night so no chance of a sneaky go once they are in bed!

SoupDragon · 04/12/2013 16:48

I am a die hard iPad fan but have you thought about an Android tablet instead?

DD (7) might get my old iPad for Christmas (it's an original one) but technically that's free. I'd be uncomfortable about giving her a new one as accidents do happen.

Needingthework · 04/12/2013 16:54

But if your dd has asked for the 3ds, might she be a little sad getting something else? Especially if she already has access to an ipad?

MacaYoniandCheese · 04/12/2013 17:02

We got minis for our three (12, 9 and 7). I'm fed up with them squabbling over mine and they do use them for a wide range of activities (minecraft, drawing, school reading and math programs are online, kobo reader app for books). They are all three VERY active and social, so won't get unlimited opportunity to use them. I've also purchased the most rugged, tough cases I could find because we did have a dropping incident with mine (were able to replace the screen for £50).

Does anyone know anything about how to put filters onto iPads?

SoupDragon · 04/12/2013 17:04

The parental controls are fairly basic - they're under Settings somewhere.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/12/2013 17:10

There are safe Browsers you can install instead of Safari, as well as enabling Google safesearch etc. Or you can switch Wifi off altogether.

I would say in favour of the 3DS they are more portable than a full size Ipad and more rugged than an Ipad mini - we have a full size Ipad, a mini and a 3DS and they get used fairly equally by the DCs. DS only ever uses two games on the 3DS so we haven't ended up spending a fortune on them. DD doesn't use it, but it belongs to DS, he was the one that wanted it, whereas the Ipads are family ones.

LightastheBreeze · 04/12/2013 17:32

I wouldn't buy children that age something as expensive as an iPad especially the 6 year old, when you can get a perfectly good cheaper make of tablet for them. What happens if they break it.

There are some perfectly good tablets for about £100 as it will just be a toy.

MissLurkalot · 04/12/2013 17:37

We went for the 3ds and games for our 9 yr old dd.
My only issue with iPads for that age or younger is
What the hell do you get them in subsequent years!!!
That was the deciding factor for us

MissLurkalot · 04/12/2013 17:41

Also, I disagree about the 3ds and a few games costing as much as an iPad.
My dd already owns an ancient ds with games, and they can be used on the 3ds. We got animal crossing game and free download code for the new Mario 3d game.. From game £139

TeeBee · 04/12/2013 17:44

Net Genie allows you to put filters on ipads, laptops and ipods. Each person has a separate log-in and you set what categories they are allowed to look at, so each person can have an age-appropriate filter.

MacaYoniandCheese · 04/12/2013 17:46

Brilliant! Thanks!

BobCrotchstitch · 04/12/2013 17:51

DS(9) is having one
It's his first really big present for a few years and TBH he is still so unaware of money I am not too concerned about how we will "better" it next year IYSWIM.
He uses ours most days and it is a fantastic carrot to get him to complete all his tasks quickly when he gets in (homework, reading, music practise etc)
We have already agreed on a set of rules eg. not upstairs at night, separate Apple, iTunes and Amazon accounts, top security, time limits and we have complete access to it (for the future, ATM DS is all Minecraft and YouTube poop videos)
We will also buy a Griffin Survivor case in case of droppages as DH has one for work and his iPad is still amazingly intact :)

harrowandcall · 04/12/2013 17:52

Seriously - an ipad EACH for children that age? What will you get them for their 18ths?

Even if I win the lottery next week, I wouldn't buy my dcs an ipad each.

TheCurseOfFenric · 04/12/2013 17:52

I disagree an ipad will be just a toy. and it is not inevitable that it will be broken.

my now-9 year old has had an ipad for 3 years+ now. it is still fine, and functioning, despite daily trips to and from school, trips and putings and holidays. she has severe ASD, so doesn't exactly treat it gently (through no fault of her own)

a decent protective case is the key.

I owuld say go for it if you think it will be used properly.

we have just upgraded dd1's to a mini, and dd2 (6) has her old original iPad, and will do for a couple of years yet.

TheCurseOfFenric · 04/12/2013 17:55

presents don't have to get more expensive as each year passes, you know.

dd1 has got a (£20) remote control car this year for Christmas. dd2 has got a pair of roller skates.

I really don't understand why people insist presents have to get increasingly more expensive as each year passes.

AnitaManeater · 04/12/2013 17:55

My 4&6 yr olds have their own samsung galaxy tab2's. Bought them as a cheaper option to iPad minis.

Ticktock80 · 04/12/2013 17:59

I don't get their whole "what will you get them when they are 18" thing. Every year something new comes out. My kids are getting an ipad between them this year. It's my money and my choice. They are also getting lots of arts and crafts, toys, books etc. Would they share OP? Otherwise i would go for the mini.

Growing up my cousins all had segas/nintentos etc. I never got one (ironically until I was 18) and I would have loved one. Pound for pound they probably cost the same as a mini would. We never got one because they were so expensive. If finance isn't an issue, do what's best for you.

Original poster
LibraryBook · 04/12/2013 18:07

I'm not uncomfortable about the cost. It's easy to spend quite a load of money on toot without anything to show for it come February. They aren't grabby children and to that extent I'd rather buy them something useful and amazing.

We bought the older two iPads for Christmas 3 years ago when they were 15 and 18. My now 21 year old wants a belt and some socks this year. Grin

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/12/2013 18:18

I don't agree with the what will they ask for next thing either, some years we spend more, some we spend less, some years we say an outright no (did so with the 3DS for a couple of years until we considered DS to be mature enough for it). Last year DD got a recorder costing about a tenner as her main present because that's what she wanted, this year she wants an Ipod touch, I don't think this means that next year she will automatically want something even more expensive.

MacaYoniandCheese · 04/12/2013 19:12

Just to clarify, my children will have their own mini-tablets but that is ALL they are getting. This is the first year that they will only have ONE thing to open from DH and I (well, from Santa for the younger two). I'll get back to you on how that goes Wink. They wanted them last year but we said NO. I hold the view that they are definitely NOT toys and they have to follow the rules and look after them properly etc. We caved in this year because we'll be doing a lot of travel in the next few months and they will come in very handy for that, plus the ability for them to do their reading/math homework on them simultaneously while we are at sibling extracurriculars is very useful AND we've run out of room for books at home so they'll be able to load chapter books onto the reading app and use them like a kindle too.

lade · 04/12/2013 21:37

I have not, and will not be buying my children iPads for Christmas, but I am always shocked at some of the arguments on these threads

Wrt the notion that they'll get broken.... Do people not teach their children to respect their toys? Honestly, that would never happen in my house, because my children are taught to respect their belongings. So, my youngest DD was given a secondhand iPod when she was 4 (to keep her entertained whilst she spent long hours waiting for her older sister to train). I can honestly say, it never got broken, was never left on the floor or dropped or abused. If you teach your children to look after their belongings,

Wrt to the notion that if you buy a big present, then what do you buy in a few years time?.... Er, a smaller one? Honestly, why do you have to get a bigger / better present every year? Since when did Christmas become a competition? We don't need to trump the presents every year. Some years, my children get an expensive gift. Other years, they don't. So one year, my daughter got an expensive dolls house, the following year her big present was a cardboard box. (It was what she asked for). This year my daughters are getting new iPods, last year, my DD had curling tongs, next year it will probably be something small again. And what will I get them in a few years time...? Probably new iPods, because by then, the iOS system won't update any more, so won't load new games (which is why they're getting updates from their first gen ones).

Wrt children should play with proper presents. Isn't that a false dichotomy? Just because children have technology, this will not stop them playing with normal toys. My DDs have lots of gadgets, and their favourite games? Bouncing on the trampoline, playing dressing up and doing crafty stuff. Owning an iPod does not suddenly render a child incapable of playing with traditional toys. My children's preference is for the traditional toys, but iPods and iPads etc are great for waiting rooms, in the car etc...

I understand why some people do and why others don't want iPads for their children, but I don't get bad reasoning.

SoupDragon · 04/12/2013 21:45

Do people not teach their children to respect their toys?

Children are more prone to accidents than adults.

Cherrypie32 · 04/12/2013 21:47

Grandparents have bought DS 6 and DD 4 Nexus 7's for Xmas. We bought them LeapPads last year and whilst they like them, any new games cost a lot. Most of what they play on our iPad are free apps so I will load those. They also enjoy the phonics, literacy, art apps we have so educational too. I think it's lovely that DS could write an email to his grandma (I struggle to get him to write but he likes the keyboard), Skype them etc they will also be great for long car journeys and flights.