Tablets for 5-7 year olds

[Gullys Cats]

A football is the best present a boy can have IMO

 

[Superphil]

If you give it 3 or 4 years the manufacturers will probalby have come up with tablets perfectly suited to 5-7 year olds, then you'll be sorted.

Oh.

 

[wehatepalace]

My 4 year old is a wizard on her iPad mini, but she only has educational apps on it and the odd peppa pig video.
I was worried that she would be glued to it, but in fact the opposite.
She loves going to the stables with my wife to horse ride every day, she swims twice a week and is in the garden riding her bike at any given opportunity.
I would say a tablet is a good idea as long as you manage your child's usage.
As an aside I don't let her have it connected to the Internet and I check any apps that are downloaded, used propery I think they can be a great learning aid.

 

[StonehamPark]

My 4 year old is a wizard on her iPad mini

 

[W.C.]

Amazing some of the comments on this thread.

For what it's worth, the OP sounds like a good parent to me. Others just sound like over opinionated dicks.

 

[wehatepalace]

So tell me, what's the problem with that ?
Or did you just decide not to read the bit about exercise ?

 

[StonehamPark]

So tell me, what's the problem with that ?
Or did you just decide not to read the bit about exercise ?

It's more the fact it's an Apple iPad more than anything else. Top of the range, most extravagant and expensive tablet on the market, for a 4 year old to watch Peppa Pig on.
Lucky kid.

 

[wehatepalace]

Yeah, I guess that's my fault, I'm with Bozza, I'm an apple lover.

 

[bpbill]

Get a Nabi tablet.

Nice 7" tablet which comes with a pass worded parent mode that allows you to decided which apps you want them to have access to. Also comes with a chunky (and optional) rubbery sleeve which means it bounces when they drop it and they will.

My boys 6 and 4 have one and despite my initial concerns, the wife bought it, I am pleased with it.

 

[Seasider78]

Lot of schools are giving tablets and readers to boys as apparently they are likely to read more when interacting with technology or so I understand

Just because a kid has a tablet does not mean they don't ever go outside!!

 

[and smith must score]

The Nabi Tablet looks interesting, many thanks

 

[The Wookiee]

Junior disprin ??

 

[jamesp]

We have a Galaxy Tab 2 7 in, my 4.5 yr son has no problems with it. Great quality all round would recommend!

My kids have Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 which they both use regularly, one is 5 the other 8. If you go for Android you can pretty much set up any of the tablets with things they want like games movies etc.

Oh and they also play football ride bikes etc etc. Its all about balance, the tablets teach them some good stuff like how to use the internet and technology at an early age. My youngest has loads of apps to help with her reading which are games but with learning. Its also handy for long car jounrey and flights as well as they can settle down and watch a movie on them.

 

[Paddy B]

The Nabi Tablet looks interesting, many thanks

Another one for the Nabi 2. My 8 year old has one, and in "Daddy mode" it's the same as other tabs except no Google Play You can install Amazon AppStore though which I would strongly recommend you do.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I know there have been threads in the past but I couldn't find one for young kids aged nearly 5 and nearly 7 (more for the oldest).

I was going to get a Nexus 7 but although that would be better for me, I read a review which said that "it doesn't have any features that are specifically aimed at kids and is a full-featured tablet for adults, but it's getting very good reviews so it's an option for older kids and teens particularly. You can install parental control apps to make the tablet more suitable for use by children." I also wonder whether it would be more likely to get broken than a tablet specifically for kids..

Any comments from parents much appreciated.

Do like we did and teach them multiplication tables and how to spell. Cheaper and more use.

 

[Bruno]

You can't go wrong with Calpol.

 

[1066familyman]

The Nabi Tablet looks interesting, many thanks

Fantastic tablet for kids!

Puts you in full control and comes pre loaded with plenty of fun and educational material. It will grow with them too as it's basically a fully functioning Android tablet (no google play but you can side load it or stick with amazon app store) that lets you control the content they have access to. Make sure you lock off in app purchases and in the 'Nabi mode' you can feel safe leaving them alone with it should you want to. It's tough too as it comes with a bumper guard. I could go on & on but basically I promise you you won't regret getting one.

In terms of young kids with gadgets - better than TV as far as I can see as at least there's interaction and decision making involved, but common sense means you limit their time on it and still have them do all the good outdoors stuff and things we all did as kids before computers came along. Technology is here to stay and they use it at school anyway - no point throwing the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

My son (4) uses my ipad regularly for watching youtube, playing games (mainly FIFA) and always enjoys using the educational apps (I fully recommend ABC Phonics, absolutely brilliant) and can now read pretty darn well. He helps himself to my phone, reads out to me the fixtures and scores, and all of this technology makes him ask more questions.

On the flipside, we also go to the park to play football every single day - whether before playschool or after - which sometimes lasts hours.. Last Friday we made it to 7 bloody hours and as he's always in goal, I do all the running around and now my knees resemble Ledley King's.

So having a tablet is good for those times when you aren't out and about, they aid learning, and are basically a lot more fun than a pen and paper. I'm toying with the idea of getting him his own, my main reason for getting him one is for FaceTime for when I'm not with him. That would be cooooool.