Ipad for a 3 yr old?

Nataliesgramma · ‎03-28-2015

Had breakfast with a friend yesterday who also has a 3 1/2 yr old grandchild. We were talking about our grandkids like good grandmothers when she told me that she is buying her grandson an Ipad for Christmas. I thought that was a little silly, but didn't say anything.

Now I am thinking that maybe she is right. I was going to get Natalie one of those big kitchens with pots and pans and fake food.....now I think that maybe I am too old fashioned......

Do they need one to learn on at this age?

mpobs · ‎09-16-2014

Get the kitchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a mom with a 10 & 6 year old and a teacher i highly recommend waiting on the electronics!!!!!! my boys are both in school and they are required to have electronics at their school. (it is a paper free school) and they are on them all day long- when they get home they love just playing with regular toys. let your grandchild use her imaginiation and play without all the electronics--

just my personal opinion.

LTT1 · ‎03-09-2010

@Nataliesgramma

Observations with my DGC is that using iPads is innately mesmerizing to small ones, even infants. Our 20 month old has one and finds it fascinating (for a few minutes.)

IMO this type of play is best kept to a minimum and healthiest when adult interaction is right there.

Since school will insist on children being computer-savvy, it is great when used in an educational manner.

1) FaceTime-- our 20 month old was thrilled to be speaking to her parents who were out of town

2) Fingerpainting app great!

3) Reading app would be good and letters too

4) Favorite fun music... Dance with your child

Still, manipulative play (like a fun little kitchen set) should not be left out of the line-up of educational play.

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@Nataliesgramma wrote:
Had breakfast with a friend yesterday who also has a 3 1/2 yr old grandchild. We were talking about our grandkids like good grandmothers when she told me that she is buying her grandson an Ipad for Christmas. I thought that was a little silly, but didn't say anything.

Now I am thinking that maybe she is right. I was going to get Natalie one of those big kitchens with pots and pans and fake food.....now I think that maybe I am too old fashioned......

Do they need one to learn on at this age?

Yes. I think you are too old fashioned. DON'T get Natalie a kitchen! Get her a tablet of some sort (maybe Amazon has one for kids), help her learn math and science, and get her ready for the world of 2050 not 1960. SHE needs to be raised to compete with men and international students for GOOD jobs, maybe in science and management.

Don't put the poor girl in the kitchen as a baby! Get her ready to live well in the future. Who knows? She may need to have skills and work. She may WANT to! And she will thank you a million times over someday I'll bet.

Get her some BOOKS and read to her, get her some puzzles to solve, teach her a big vocabulary and how to speak well and be a happy optimistic person! And just love the little sox off of her! THAT'S the most important!

CouponQueen · ‎10-21-2010

We need to remember the times we are in. Everything is technology related.

My grandsons are 3 years 4 months and 20 months and both are VERY techno friendly. The older one has a Kids Kindle Fire and absolutely adores it. Uses it just as good as I do mine. The 20 month old has a tablet for his age. The kids are expected to know so much by pre K.

LIke all things you need limits, monitoring and rules!

They still go out and play and they still play with old fashion toys including the widely popular Melissa and Doug line of wooden toys/puzzles.

They both know how to use our cell phones to some aspects. Turn on/off, making something larger etc. Of course the older one has a bit more knowledge. He was taking pics of himself yesterday!

I am all for teaching kids these days. They have so many standards that they must know by Pre K level. Things I was taught in First Grade. Schools are doing away with books and issuing ipads too.

I was taught to type in 7th grade - my kids learned in 3rd.

So it shows you that times change and we need to change with them especially the younger generation who has much more expectations and pressure on them education wise.

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

I agree that an iPad is appropriate for a 3 1/2 yo these days, but why can't you have both? Kids still need to play and use their imagination. There's nothing wrong with a kitchen set. What's wrong with cooking? Men cook too.

If money is an issue, I would talk to Mom and see what she thinks. They may be happy for you to get the iPad and have someone else get the kitchen set, or it might be more affordable for them. Otherwise I would give what I wanted to.

Dusty1 · ‎03-10-2010

I have 4 grandsons-6, 3, 3 & 19 months & another grandson due in Jan. If this is something to be used at their home I would ask the parents what they would prefer. At my house I turned my spare room into a grandchild room (at the time I didn't know it would be ALL boys, but it it wouldn't have mattered.). In the room, aside from the beds, is a large doll house-which they never play with the people, but drive cars & dirt bikes into. Up the stairs, into the bathtub, whatever. A wooden workbench, a wooden kitchen with food & utensils. There is a bookshelf with puzzles & books. A cd/radio, which is one of their favorite things. Legos, blocks, Lincoln logs...they play with the kitchen & doll house as much as they play with cars & blocks. They have their own way of playing with these things & probably not how girls might play with the same things, but that's a different discussion. I have an older ipad that my brother gave me when he updated & it is very limited to what it has on it. They would stay on that dang ipad all day long if I didn't put some restraints on it! I don't know if it's that fascinating or if it's because they know it's a limited thing? Chicken or the egg? They are fine with going to do other things, but I don't know if the 6yo & one of the 3yo ever would. I think both are great gifts. I would defer to the parents.

debic · ‎09-02-2010

I think a child could do a lot more learning and fun with an IPad than a video game. There are a lot of stimulating things for little ones to do. There's also something to be said about a healthy dose of physical activity as well, no reason there can't be both IMO.

~~
*Off The Deep End~A very short trip for some!*

LTT1 · ‎03-09-2010

I wanted to add to my earlier comment, that when our first DGD was born, she was upset to the point of screaming anger while lying down to be changed by DH.

I grabbed an iPad and held it up... (it was a video of her) and she immediately stopped crying and was spellbound.

Her parents saw (they are pretty much anti-tech) and I could tell they were concerned. (so I didn't do it again!)

There are times when parents need a little help... (airplane trip with a sick child) so that the child can entertain themselves.

The students I taught had been (obviously) entertained without adult interaction by videos. This concerned me.

They did not have developed manual dexterity for some activities.

Just throwing this info in for FYI

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~

abbeythe 8th · ‎04-17-2010

My grandchildren used their parents iPads before they were 3. At one point I was going to buy a children's version of one and was told I was wasting my money. I bought mini iPads for them.