an iPad mini for a 4 year old?

My boy has a tablet and a sg4

He has been using them since he could pick them up.
He is 4 now.

He learned real quick not to throw, drop or bang them around.
He knows he is not allowed to install anything. He has to ask first.

He knows his way around them better then I do.
It teaches eye hand coordination, reading, math ... logical thinking.

and we made sure most games are "learning" games.
He likes watching youtube and we allow him to watch netflix.

He also knows his way around mac notebook and one of our old windows laptops.

So imho. They are great learning tools for young kids.

My son is 3 1/2 and is teaching me how to use different features on my Smart Phone that I didn't even know existed.

If the parents can afford it, the child wants it and the electronic device is not dangerous to the child, then more power to them. If that is all the case, then I have no opinion or feeling on the matter. Good for them.

I wouldn't want my kid exposed to those electromagnetic/radiation waves.

if you give a such addictive things at the age of their development it's pretty sure it will work adversely! I have seen many teen agers wasting their time infront of computers plying games. If you ask them about football skills they will show you every players skill on screen but you give them ball and ask them to come outdoors seriously they won't feel it better!

To be specific we are killing our children's childhood.

For some reason this thread reminds me of Halloween 3.

I think it's just the idea that big corporations controlling parents and ultimately their kids, giving them something that is sold as useful and fun but really it's a sinister plot.

All within moderation!

My son is 9yo and has severe special needs, he is 100% non verbal and non mobile. We have both a touch screen device and an iPad for him which he takes to school. In some instances it's his only way of communication and it's improved his fine motor hand skills tenfold. It also has given access to explore his own interests by opening his world which he was previously unable to explore physically.

If you are worried about a device getting broken then go with an Ottobox (sp) case.

I also have two girls aged 2 and 4, being a tech a guy they have always been around this type of technology but not without supervision. The girls also have their own iPad and both know their way around their iPad without a problem, they also know it needs to be handled appropriately and not thrown around! LOL All their apps are all educational ones and their use is done in moderation. This is just one of many educational resources we have for our kiddos!

My eldest daughter who is 4 also knows how to use a laptop and a computer with mouse - we supervise her at all times when she is on these and give her access to ABCmouse, NickJr and DisneyJr - she enjoys learning through these resources, her hand/eye co-ordination is excellent, for being 4yo shes pretty bright, shes able to count in both english and spanish, shes known her alphabet for ages and all her shapes - she is also talking in terms of semi circles and quarters now! LOL

I believe having these resources has really helped her learning abilities and will continue to do so. We have never forced any of our kids to do this and look at this as just another resource for learning.

My kids are lucky enough that i often work from home and that their mum is a stay at home mum, so we are always around for them.

Other than having access to these type of resources everything else they do is what you would expect of a typical kiddo of their age.

As for their own phones... that's not going to happen till much much later - saying that i did teach my daughter to call her mum on my phone the other day, hopefully in the event of an emergency if she needs to at least she knows how.

I bought a couple of cheap android tablets from china for my kids last Christmas. I installed child protective software and put a rubber case around them - and they cost less than $60 a piece.
They've been playing with them ever since. Seems like they're learning something new on them every day.

And here's something for those of you that think new technology is causing us to become anti-social... ...

I told my son, 3 1/2, about the concerns of how smartphones and such like can interfere with children's education. He replied, "What about your education, daddy? I need to teach you the phone's features."

Buy a disposable $59 tablet at Walmart, no since in blowing $100s on an Apple product for a child that's going to eventually use the tablet for a frisbee.

My brother bought my nieces a cheap tablet, they use it for educational things like flash cards. There's an app for that, lol.

In my own opinion, as long as the kid still gets to enjoy life as it is (if you know what I mean) and not get soaked with his/her digital devices, that is still okay. Make sure the kid still gets to play and in contact with the physical world.

So yeah, everything in moderation.

After all, there are some really good educational apps for kids' learning! That might improve their skills than degrade them.

I absolutely don't think children that young should be using electronics like that solely because they will get glued to them, like many people became addicted to video games. On the other hand, I do think it is important that they understand technology because whether we like it or not, ipads and all of this new technology will be the norm. I have 2 year old twin nieces and they know how to use the iphone better than my 68 year old father. It's the world that we are now living in, and we will only get more and more dependent on technology.

I did see that leapfrog just came out with their own tablet that I think will actually be really great for children. I'm sure it is more durable than a glass ipad, and it focuses first and foremost on education (which is what children should have these devices for anyway).

I wouldn't want my children using smartphones to be honest. A tablet at home, which I monitor and in moderation, is fine. No cellphone though.

You can configure your smart device so your child
can have their version of it. That might be less expensive
and allow for monitoring of their use and time spent.

And, they have to learn to share.

Welcome to the 21st century. Imagine what people will be going through in the 22nd century.. Whoa!

Thanks for all your comments!

It was really great to see both sides of the fence. Both sides have a point.

Educational apps and letting kids have this access to technology is really good for them in the long run.

But technology shouldn't get in the way of kids enjoying life to the fullest. And addiction is a serious concern.

What's really clear to me now is supervision in making sure that they use these devices in moderation.

We really have to supervise our kids. Make the most out of what tablets and phones can offer, but we have to enforce some rules that would encourage them to do other things like play outside or read book.

Great thread guys!