Does your LO use a tablet

Do you let your LO use a tablet? If so, for how long and how old is your child?

My DS is four and once in awhile we will let him use our phones to watch a few videos.

We're thinking about getting him a tablet for Christmas, but I'm not sure if he's still too young.

Does your LO use a tablet

yes my kids are 7, 4 and 1. They all use tablets for my sanity lol. My oldest was a nightmare in the car, so we started with a few shows while we were driving. that eventually turned into her using it more. My 4 yr old we got one for her when she was 3. again started as movies, to more educational games. My 1 yr old doe snot have his own, but I have been using my older one ipad every now and again when I really need it.

I do not think he is to young.

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

DD is 7 and uses a samsung tablet- I refuse to spend a lot of money on a good tablet because she has already broken it twice.

I dont' really limit it... as long as she has her school work done.


I believe she was around 4 when we got it for her

Does your LO use a tablet

My ds has been using my iPad mini for years. He’s just about 6. He goes through phrases where he wants it all the time and then won’t touch it for months. We are in the won’t touch it for months phase.

But then again I don’t keep track of his screen time. He is a well rounded kid as for his play time so I don’t worry.

Does your LO use a tablet

DD will be 6 in April and she uses a Samsung. She started using a tablet when she was about 4. I try to limit it at night but sometimes that always doesn't work

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

DD has an ipad since about 2 - she's 5 now. She loves it, and has learned a lot from it.

Does your LO use a tablet

We got dd an inexpensive one when she was about 4. She uses it for a few reading apps and to control her Sphero and another robot she has. Honestly, she only uses it maybe once a month on average. My 3yo has never used it.

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

We got an iPad when DS was around 18 months and he quickly took it as his own. Now the kids share it. We know we will have to get a second for DD (she's 2.5yo) but we try to have them share or give them one of our phones.

Does your LO use a tablet

Dd has had her own iPad since she was like 1.5 lol

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

Have 3 kids.
They have used tablets since about 2 (travel and restaurants).

Now, at 7 (second grade), the oldest has homework online (on apps). Starting January, he starts typing in school and will have typing homework, so we chose a cheap one with a keyboard.

So at 6&7, the oldest 2 will get their own tablets.
No games will be installed on those. We have some games on our iPads and will limit access to that.

Screen time is very tough to monitor (they have their own tablets at school)... and I want them to do other types of things. They are creative kids, will run around, read books, color and creative play and this goes down drastically when they have screen access.

Does your LO use a tablet

Yes - my kids use tablets.

It's a good idea to get them started on tablets and computers so they know how to use them for school. My friend's daughter did horrible on her first standardized test in K because she couldn't use a mouse.

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

No. My DC are 4 and 6, and I feel like the only parent on the planet who doesn't let their kids use tablets. My DD is on the border of needing glasses, and her eye doctor said to really limit screen time. They've used them, but maybe once every couple of months.

Does your LO use a tablet

My dd got a kids Amazon fire tablet when she was 2 from her grandparents. I kinda thought it was ridiculous at the time since she was so young. But she actually took to it so easily, and has learned a lot from it. She's 5 now, and her grandparents want to upgrade her to an iPad this year. I'm fine with that since they do work a lot better than the Amazon tablet. But it's served it's purpose well and gotten tons of use in the past 3 years. And now it will be passed down to her little brother, who I'm sure will also get lots of use out of it.

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

We are pretty old school in my house, so while my DH and I each have our own iPads, our 4 year old DS uses it very seldom. He’ll occasionally play a game on my husband’s phone if he gets bored while we’re at a store (like when we were negotiating our car lease lol)...but just hanging around the house, no he does not use it and for that reason he rarely asks to while in or out.

ETA: With regards to KNOWING HOW to use it, as I saw someone mention... if my DS wants to play a game on the iPad or phone, as long as it’s unlocked, he can navigate it himself. He can swipe till he sees his icon, get the game started.. etc. He also can use a mouse. He has the skills to navigate technology, even without frequent exposure.

Message edited 12/1/2017 1:21:54 PM.

Does your LO use a tablet

DD is almost 2 and has the kids fire. She only recently got into it (we bought it a while ago). She watches videos and plays games on, usually while I'm cooking and I need her not trying to climb into the oven. I unlock it and hand it to her and she takes it from there.

I hadn't given much thought to it affecting her vision but that makes a lot of sense. DH and I have terrible vision so she really doesn't stand a chance to begin with. I might have to curb it. Thank you for bringing that up!

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

My boys are 6, 4 and 1. None of them have a tablet. We have 2 Kindle fires but the only time we use them is on plane trips or long car trips. So 3-4 times per year.

They occasionally are allowed to play on our phones. And when we go to the library they play on the iPads there. So they know how to use one.

I feel like we are the only family without any iPad at all! I just don't see a need for one. When the kids are like 10 we'll probably think about getting one.

Does your LO use a tablet

My DD is 6 and has had the kids kindle fire tablet for a couple years now. She loves it. We do limit her screen time with it, but there are days she doesn’t even use it at all. We don’t allow her to go on youtube and the only time the kindle leaves the house is when we go on vacation.

Does your LO use a tablet

My daughter is 3.5 and rarely uses a tablet- if we are traveling I will let her watch movies or play a few educational games. I am very antiscreens for my daughter- DH and I observe a clear change in her behavior when she has too much screen time—this includes TV but we do let her watch a little bit of TV nearly every day. She literally cannot focus on anything else if she is using a tablet or watching TV-great for long plane ride but not wonderful on a daily basis.

Does your LO use a tablet

My DS uses my iPad mini when we drive long distances. I very rarely let him use it at home. I feel like he gets way too engrossed with it and won’t do anything else. At least when he watches TV, he will play with toys at the same time.

Message edited 12/2/2017 8:19:13 AM.

Does your LO use a tablet

my boys are 7 and 4 (tomorrow). They each have their own iPad minis--- older ones, though. DH and i got new ones and passed ours down.
the older one has been using it since he was 4. He definitely spends a lot of time on it ( i would say 2 or 3 hours a day) BUT he's good about it- he'll talk to us about things he's watching or doing. He'll play minecraft on his own, which is creative. and he only uses it at the kitchen table so that we can keep track of what he's watching/ doing.
I also feel like he's learned a lot from the youtube videos he watches. He's the kid that watches youtube videos of companies building robots HAHA and he's actually learned a lot of engineering concepts from that. or he'll watch videos of people doing yo-yo tricks and try to copy the tricks. he will also use it to practice his spelling words, with different apps and games on there.
we usually let him use it while he's eating breakfast (similar to us checking in online while we drink our coffee HAHA), and then after school for a little while to wind down a little bit. we also have to travel 2 hours to see my family, and 4.5 hors to see my in laws, so he'll use it on the car rides for our sanity LOL
The younger one just turning 4 isn't as into his--- he mostly will use it to watch a show on netflix in the morning, or a movie in the car...
I don't think screen time is the devil LOL like i said, my son has learned a lot from some of the stuff he watches and does on there. you just have to be aware of what they're doing and how they're using it.

Re: Does your LO use a tablet

My kids are 3 and 6 and one has an ipad mini and the other uses an iphone 6sPlus - both are hand me downs from my dad. They've been using various forms of technology since they were each around2.

We dont really limit it as long as stuff is done and they dont just do it all day.

Does your LO use a tablet

Yes they both know how to use the ipad. I just got Hailey a refurbished ipad because they fight over the mini. THey watch you tube kids.