Recommend a tablet for a 3 year old

[goldenorbspider]

Something basic, just for games.

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MNHQ

Bump anyone

Is a tablet really something a 3 year old needs? How about other, physical activities that also help develop motoric skills?

Fgs @ M4rv1n congrats on being a moron.

OP the kids amazon tablets are great, very robust and parent control are great.

Not sure what is moronic about disagreeing with someone. I just don't think tablets are the most appropriate toy for a 3 year old. There is so much a child at that age can do that also helps with their development than just being good at touching a screen.

That's not what I asked Marvin ....

A kindle fire kids edition, loads of pre loaded games and great parental controls.

@M4rv1n the op asked for advise on which tablet to buy her child, not whether she should buy a tablet or not.

*advice

Definitely the amazon fire tablet. You can add parental controls and there's lots of free learning apps for them too.

Sorry but as a teacher I would strongly advise against getting a tablet for a 3 year old. They most definitely have an adverse effect on child development. Feel free to call me a moron too, by the way.

Amazon one is great: I was trying not to get my 3 year old one but this lockdown along with a newborn baby has made me change my mind. It also has lots of books on it so we’re reading more than ever as DD had got bored of a lot of her books and we can’t go to the library now obviously

Also it’s all about how long they spend on it; of course it has an adverse effect if they spend all day on it but for a small part of the day I don’t see how it does. It keeps my DD occupied while I shower and get dressed each day which is certainly better than her playing unsupervised during that time.

Yep the amazon fire for kids,got it for my 7 year old for Christmas, it's great,especially the 2 year no quibble gaurantee and one year subscription to their kids apps.

We got amazon fire for kids for DC1 when she was 3. She’s now 5 and it’s still working. We also pay for the fire unlimited and turn off YouTube. I much prefer her watching the curated content then unboxing. And she loves the games included too.

Tablets can be really useful for children. A chance to watch a favourite movie on a long trip, fine tune motor skills with appropriate games, video chat with family.

@M4rv1n - don’t think your attempt at a moral high ground will go down well here.

Kindle Fires are good.

And just because a child has a tablet doesn't mean they only have a tablet display with.

to play

She also does numbots and mathletics from school on her own tablet. She’s in reception and the school has a subscription and they get a login. You can add the apps from a browser to their tablet as a parent. They will be expected to use a tablet soon so I don’t see why 3 is too young. (Reception starts at 4 so it’s just a year before they will use in school).

I don’t know how @M4rv1n thinks kids who have tablets only stick to screens. As a parent you make sure they don’t spend too much time on screen, just like everything else. DC1 has her own tablet but she doesn’t play fortnite, for example.

In year 4, she’s already expected to do her homework in Word and PowerPoint. We realised we were not quite up to it when in autumn term she told me the other kids in school can type and handing English homework in all done on computers! It’s really the norm now.

@ DrinkSangriaInThePark don't know what age group you teach but they are using technology from nursery in most schools.

I can’t actually believe that in this current situation where people are basically stuck inside 24 hours a day people are still quibbling over whether or not 3 year olds should have tablets!

Thank you for all the helpful replies seems a clear winner

Melissa not in Ireland, where I'm from. The latest European PISA report showed that we have one of the lowest rates of technology usage in classrooms in Europe, and, not coincidentally, one of the top levels in Europe of reading ability.

I'm an English teacher so I have witnessed first hand the drop in reading and comprehension ability with the rise of tablet and phone use by children. Sorry, I know that's not what the OP asked but I can't help but point out the harm, which I see every day in my job

I just got kindle fires for my 3yos. You can set it so that after their allotted time, it stops working and then you don't have to be the bad guy because you haven't told them to stop playing it. Saves a lot of tantrums! I've downloaded educational apps and blocked web browsing and YouTube that kind of stuff. It's really good how much control the parent can have over it and my dc have surprised me how quickly they've picked it up and how capable at colours/shapes they are. I'm also keen for them to be able to solve problems and work stuff out and the Kindle will help to supplement all the other things we are doing already.