Kindle vs paper. What age?

[ChristmasTidyings]

What age do you think is acceptable for a child to read from a kindle rather than a book? Do you think reading from a screen is detrimental to a child's development and enjoyment of reading? Deliberately not saying how old DC is here, but am considering a Kindle as next birthday present.

I'd say any age is alright really, but I don't count my kindle as a normal screen time object, because it's not a super bright moving colours and photos screen - logically to me this makes sense! I wouldn't think anything of spending 4 hours reading a physical book, so I see a kindle as the same. I don't count it as 4 hours of screen time.

My DS got one age 8. I'd say around early junior school age so they can navigate it without issue, both around the library but also from page to page, change font/brightness etc

Agree with PP it's less about screen time as it's different to other screens - not blue light

Oh, I'd say about 18.

Why would you want to have your child start early with tablet?

Any age really. Balance and moderation. Magazines, actual books, books on a kindle or other device, reading off a computer game. It’s all reading. I don’t get the hate for a kindle. I have both. Love my real books but love the kindle too

So anything before 18 is starting early? Early compared to what?

I don't consider it to be different. But I'm biased because I carry my kindle round more than my phone

Mine got one for his 11th birthday and he adores it. If you have a real bookworm then maybe aged 9 or 10. But mine wasn't a bookworm before then (he is now though - he spent 7hrs reading today...)

Chapter books at least.

Kindles can be more practical in some circumstances.

My ds had his paperwhite aged 7. He reads from either book or kindle. I don't care once he's reading. He's a real active sporty kid and one of the only readers in his group of friends. So anything to encourage that interest is OK with me

Whenever they stop with picture books. I don't see how it can affect a child's development or love of reading? I love my kindle. I can have loads of books on it, I can read in bed without a light, and there's a function to look up words (good for a young reader).

Paperwhite from whenever they can read independently. Dd uses mine - swaps to the kids version. Sometimes reads on her ipad using the app but my sense is that's not as good for her eyes. I don't mind her doing it, but if she's reading for hours, a paper book or paperwhite is better.

Reading isn't screen time imo. Even if it's done using an electronic device.

Ummmm ... early compared to 18?

Children are already introduced to a range of screens from babyhood, and many think this isn't great. Why add to the problem?

Well yes but you could say the same about anything.
Introducing them to sugar or drive a car before they are 18 is early compared to being 18... Doesn't really clarify your statement.

It depends if you’re talking about a kindle e-reader, where pretty much all they can do is read on it, or a kindle fire tablet. I don’t see an issue with a child having an e-reader from a young age, as the technology means it’s no worse than reading from paper and being able to carry round lots of books might encourage them to read more. However I wouldn’t want a young child reading from a tablet as the screen is much harder on the eyes for long periods of reading plus there’s too many other distractions with it.

My DC all had a kindle around 10 or 11, but it was just a kindle for reading not the ones that are also a tablet

She's not asking about a tablet, but a Kindle, they're not the same.

Kindles don't count as screens because they look like a book not a screen and there's no internet/social media to distract the reader.

I’ve seen lots of people on here say Kindle when they mean a Kindle Fire tablet, not the e-reader, so it’s not absolutely clear which type the OP means.

To clarify, I mean just one to read from. She already has a tablet that we have enough arguments over!

We're beginning to run into space issues on the bookcase, but I think it would be a pity not to have any physical books any more. I don't use a kindle, I use the app on my phone and I don't want to encourage this.