Discussion about
Kids and iPads
Do you think the iPad is a good educational tool for kids, or do you feel Ike its something kids should stay away from until they're much older (at least teenagers)? I know many different parents that have many varied opinions on the matter! Would love to hear what the gdgt community does with their kids when it comes to iPads.
My daughter is now 3. She's been using my iPad and now my iPad 2 since I got them. She loves being able to colour using Drawing Pad and enjoys the Dr Seuss books. She is completely comfortable with the touch interface and will happily select pens and change colours, and finds the flicking interface completely natural. The iPad 2 HDMI adapter is great when we visit her Grandad. She can watch her favourite TV shows on his TV.
She never uses it unattended and I control what she does with it. She normally sits on my knee when she's using it even though I put the iPad in an Otterbox Defender and have got a Gumdrop Drop case for the iPad 2 for the same reason. I only use the protective case when she was most likely to be using it, on trips away.
Finally, we went to her nursery a couple of weeks ago for her 3 year report and were told she loved using the touch screen HP computer and is better at it than her contemporaries. That is all down to her use of the iPad.
She never uses it unattended and I control what she does with it. She normally sits on my knee when she's using it even though I put the iPad in an Otterbox Defender and have got a Gumdrop Drop case for the iPad 2 for the same reason. I only use the protective case when she was most likely to be using it, on trips away.
Finally, we went to her nursery a couple of weeks ago for her 3 year report and were told she loved using the touch screen HP computer and is better at it than her contemporaries. That is all down to her use of the iPad.
I actually have an interesting special case. Some of the students who attend PACTT here in Chicago (pactt.org - a school for autism), are experimenting with iPads as substitutes for much more expensive DynaVox devices (which help non-verbal, or low-verbal folks communicate with people around them). This seems to work for a couple of reasons: (1) iPads, while not cheap, are WAY less expensive than a good DynaVox device, and the total cost (even if multiple iPads get their screens busted) wind up costing a lot less in the long run, and (2) for someone with severe Autism, carrying an iPad around is a lot less stigmatizing than a DynaVox device. While the accessibility applications on the iPad aren't as good as what DynaVox does (i.e. it's not the best solution for everyone), it's still a good alternative for a growing number of people.
I don't actually work for the school, but I know plenty of people who do, and I'll ask around. I know some of the parents are experimenting with various things. The thing that's different about these kids is that we're often talking about very strong teenagers, many of which are stronger than their parents. A little case, unless it strong enough to protect against being thrown across the room at 40 mph multiple times in its lifetime, won't help much. It's part of living with severe Autism (this school specializes in the most severe 2% of the Autism population). So, the use case for any protective cover is in the "extreme ruggedization" category.
I'd definitely be happy to drop the iPad 2 in the Gumdrop case. There is also an extra rugged military version: www.gumdropcases.com/military-edition-ipad-2-case....
According to a contact at the school, it sounds like most kids are currently using one of the Otterbox cases.
Allowing a toddler access to an iPad is TONS better than giving them access to the television. I have seen youngsters engaged and interacting with these devices. They may sing and dance to a program on TV, but they are truly interactive when they touch the iPad and it...gasp!...responds! They love it. I wish I had access to this technology for my sons when they were toddlers. So, in short, YES! I believe that the iPad is an AWESOME educational tool for kids...and teens...and adults...and the elderly....and, well, you get my point!
an Ipad is useful only when used usefully. Kids will not use an ipad the way a teenager would or a college student. So if a parent takes the time to make a child ipad literate, it would be a great tool, like having the whole world in your hands. But without that training, it's just a toy. An ipad is no different than a computer, or a television, or pencil and paper. A parent defines what's useful to a kid, not the object the kid uses.
At age 2, my daughter began using my first iPhone. She took to it like a fish to water. I've never see better proof of its usability. That was my original impression. Then I began to collect some essential child-focused apps. Her skills with basic letters, their sounds, and their appearance went from "basic 2 year old" to over Kindergarten level in a matter of weeks. But more importantly, to me, the device itself and all of the various things it can do encouraged her to explore and discover things for her self in a totally safe, virtual environment.
You and I think of a phone or computer as just some interface that can do some things. To a 2 year old (who is now 3 and has her own iPod Touch 4g and iPad 1) this is an entire universe of new things to discover. I believe fostering a culture of curiosity and discovery, especially with the emphasis on having confidence in the ability to discover things for one's self, is essential for raising a child who can succeed in all facets of life. I can't understate how important I think this skill is.
After that, you have a device that provides infinite possibilities of use. I can see no reason whatsoever that the iPad is worse than paper or books. I can only see hundreds of ways that it is better. Now I'm speaking in terms of health of the child. Obviously, paper materials may be more resilient. And in specific cases of use, paper cutouts or separate toys maybe easier to work with especially for small hands. But in the grand scope of things, I believe devices like iPads give an extremely intuitive window into the vast world of knowledge and mental stimulation that we have been compiling and building as a society for the last several decades.
My daughter asks to see a shark, so I grab her iPad, search for sharks on Flickr and let her flip through the pictures. She wants to know what a dolphin "says" so we pull up youtube and search for dolphins and find out that they make different noises than you might hear in a toy. She mimics them and learns.
My daughter will NEVER know a world where discovery is foreign and difficult. The iPad's role in this is accessibility. It is human. The keyboard and mouse are bizarre abstractions in the face of touching information.
The luddites out there will always fear new things. And don't think the tech world lacks their share. If anything, the tech world seems hopelessly conservative in regards to new interfaces and ideas. The iPad is a computer, it's a humanized computer. Like all computers, it is merely a tool. It offers certain design idioms that benefit children, but past that the benefits or detriments are entirely up to the parent. If all you do is download bird games and videos of cats, then I doubt your children will benefit from it.
You can use this device to show very young children a very big world in a tactile and natural way. If you use it wisely, it will expand their world beyond your expectations.
You and I think of a phone or computer as just some interface that can do some things. To a 2 year old (who is now 3 and has her own iPod Touch 4g and iPad 1) this is an entire universe of new things to discover. I believe fostering a culture of curiosity and discovery, especially with the emphasis on having confidence in the ability to discover things for one's self, is essential for raising a child who can succeed in all facets of life. I can't understate how important I think this skill is.
After that, you have a device that provides infinite possibilities of use. I can see no reason whatsoever that the iPad is worse than paper or books. I can only see hundreds of ways that it is better. Now I'm speaking in terms of health of the child. Obviously, paper materials may be more resilient. And in specific cases of use, paper cutouts or separate toys maybe easier to work with especially for small hands. But in the grand scope of things, I believe devices like iPads give an extremely intuitive window into the vast world of knowledge and mental stimulation that we have been compiling and building as a society for the last several decades.
My daughter asks to see a shark, so I grab her iPad, search for sharks on Flickr and let her flip through the pictures. She wants to know what a dolphin "says" so we pull up youtube and search for dolphins and find out that they make different noises than you might hear in a toy. She mimics them and learns.
My daughter will NEVER know a world where discovery is foreign and difficult. The iPad's role in this is accessibility. It is human. The keyboard and mouse are bizarre abstractions in the face of touching information.
The luddites out there will always fear new things. And don't think the tech world lacks their share. If anything, the tech world seems hopelessly conservative in regards to new interfaces and ideas. The iPad is a computer, it's a humanized computer. Like all computers, it is merely a tool. It offers certain design idioms that benefit children, but past that the benefits or detriments are entirely up to the parent. If all you do is download bird games and videos of cats, then I doubt your children will benefit from it.
You can use this device to show very young children a very big world in a tactile and natural way. If you use it wisely, it will expand their world beyond your expectations.
I totally agree. I was watching "Nova" about the planet Pluto. She gets on the iPad and does a topic search. Two days later she comes home from the Library will a kid's book she found on about Pluto. She's 7.
People get so hung up on the iPad as an educational devices. As if it has to justify itself. The iPad is recreational...pure and simple. Millions of adults buy iPad with no educational and work related purpose in mind. The iPad is a toy... kids love toys.
People get so hung up on the iPad as an educational devices. As if it has to justify itself. The iPad is recreational...pure and simple. Millions of adults buy iPad with no educational and work related purpose in mind. The iPad is a toy... kids love toys.
Well-said. I think the key is that you're using it as a tool for active parenting - looking up things WITH her rather than saying "Go do it yourself" and letting the iPad be a substitute parent. When that happens often enough, the kid will give up asking mom or dad and just use the iPad instead, which is a shame.
I think, sadly, there are a lot of people who go down that wider and easier road. I know someone whose son is constantly glued to his Nintendo DS and his dad bragged about how great it was that for a few hundred bucks he could make his kid be quiet. To me that's not an achievement, it's something to be ashamed of. Kids should be exploring and learning, not glued to an LCD screen. When they're adults they'll probably be doing that and WISHING they could run and be free like a child. :-)
I think, sadly, there are a lot of people who go down that wider and easier road. I know someone whose son is constantly glued to his Nintendo DS and his dad bragged about how great it was that for a few hundred bucks he could make his kid be quiet. To me that's not an achievement, it's something to be ashamed of. Kids should be exploring and learning, not glued to an LCD screen. When they're adults they'll probably be doing that and WISHING they could run and be free like a child. :-)
I may not have made it clear but I actively encourage independent discovery. I really don't think a parent should be constantly directing a child or they will struggle with independence later in life. However, the attitude we foster with my little girl is that 1) She can discover things on her own but also 2) it's fun to discover things with others and collaborate and discuss. At three, she's already learning this and a lot of it revolves around the iPad. It's not all iPad, of course, but it's a fantastic tool to bridge the independent discovery and the group learning with a single context. She can play math puzzle learning games on her own until something hard or interesting happens and then she brings it over and we work together.
Of course, we spend as much time as is possible exploring the real world, but that's vastly more limited than what we can do at any time of day, with time constraints, between family dinners, etc. with the iPad.
Furthermore, I'm not going to hide this: the iPad is a companion for entertainment as well. We don't watch kid movies on the big screen. She watches them on her iPad, she likes to watch her favorite clips from different movies, sometimes repeatedly. She can do that all she likes without driving the adults insane. There is easily as much independent activity for her with iPad as there is collaborative. Both are essential.
Of course, I agree that the attitude of using something like iPad to stifle a child's interaction or personality is wrong. i just want to be sure that we don't incorrectly conflate the ideas of distraction with independent discovery and activity.
Of course, we spend as much time as is possible exploring the real world, but that's vastly more limited than what we can do at any time of day, with time constraints, between family dinners, etc. with the iPad.
Furthermore, I'm not going to hide this: the iPad is a companion for entertainment as well. We don't watch kid movies on the big screen. She watches them on her iPad, she likes to watch her favorite clips from different movies, sometimes repeatedly. She can do that all she likes without driving the adults insane. There is easily as much independent activity for her with iPad as there is collaborative. Both are essential.
Of course, I agree that the attitude of using something like iPad to stifle a child's interaction or personality is wrong. i just want to be sure that we don't incorrectly conflate the ideas of distraction with independent discovery and activity.
I took a similar approach with my son who is now 14.
I think people focus too much on the technology and not enough on the parents. Technology is not going to rot their kid's brains, the lack of interaction and guidance at home will. My son is an avid gamer, total geek and he has a high GPA, he is inquisitive, emotionally intuitive, loves talking to people, and he is able to adapt to new technologies very quickly.
I prioritized the "need to do" stuff (for both of us) before either of us can use our computers, etc, for play. So homework, chores, etc... and then play. As long as my son's play time does not cause him to lose track of what he needs to be responsible for or cause him to be anti-social, forgetful, etc, I'm not concerned about the amount of time that he spends playing games (90% of which involve interacting with others cooperatively). There is definitely a threshold but what that is for each child varies and it's up to the parents to sort that out on a case by case basis.
I think people focus too much on the technology and not enough on the parents. Technology is not going to rot their kid's brains, the lack of interaction and guidance at home will. My son is an avid gamer, total geek and he has a high GPA, he is inquisitive, emotionally intuitive, loves talking to people, and he is able to adapt to new technologies very quickly.
I prioritized the "need to do" stuff (for both of us) before either of us can use our computers, etc, for play. So homework, chores, etc... and then play. As long as my son's play time does not cause him to lose track of what he needs to be responsible for or cause him to be anti-social, forgetful, etc, I'm not concerned about the amount of time that he spends playing games (90% of which involve interacting with others cooperatively). There is definitely a threshold but what that is for each child varies and it's up to the parents to sort that out on a case by case basis.
It isn't necessary to limit the time. She, being a normal three year old has plenty of interests besides the iPad. She spends maybe 12 hours a week with it max. She may go several days without using it at all. I prefer not to place artificial limits on an endeavor when there is no actual problem.
It is probably worth noting that she does not watch television. Many children watch more TV in a week than her total iPad time despite not being limited.
It is probably worth noting that she does not watch television. Many children watch more TV in a week than her total iPad time despite not being limited.
Parents having a discussion about how to raise children is like juggling hand grenades - it's dangerous and something always blows up. So all I'll say is that I'm not aware of any way to "see" a problem like ADD/ADHD developing until it's already there, and that when it comes to rich sensory input, an iPad or any computer is going to be in the same league as a TV. So treat it all with caution in terms of long-term usage.
There's a lot of value in having kids use technology - but only in measured doses. It's like anything else: if used to an obsessive level, it will be damaging. I'm the parent of a 22 month old toddler, and he started using my old iPod Touch when he was about 12 months old. We let him use it for about 10 minutes at a time, and no more than 1-2 times per day. When I got my iPad a few months ago, he absolutely adored it - at first we had to work hard to not let him use it more than 20-30 minutes per day (broken up into 1-3 sessions) but now he's more casual about it and when we tell him to turn it off, he does without a fuss.
There are some wonderful educational games and tools for kids and I think phones and tablets can be powerful tools for helping your kid learn. The temptation though is for parents to use the technology as a "numbing" tool - getting their kid to zone out, be quiet, and not bother them. If that's the way someone constantly uses the technology, they're shirking their responsibility as a parent.
I'm not talking about the once-in-a-while "Sweetie, play with my phone while I do something". I'm talking about the parents who want their kids to not talk, not run around, not do anything other than sit there like a blob staring at a screen. That's not real parenting, and those kids are probably going to grow up with ADD/ADHD (or so some studies I've heard about are starting to lean toward). There's a surprising lack of hard research in this area, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry.
The same applies for the TV - I didn't let my son watch any TV for the first 18 months of his life, then six months ago we started watching 10 minutes of a show on Netflix together. Yes, only 10 minutes. It's all about the measured doses, not making the TV into a substitute parent.
There are some wonderful educational games and tools for kids and I think phones and tablets can be powerful tools for helping your kid learn. The temptation though is for parents to use the technology as a "numbing" tool - getting their kid to zone out, be quiet, and not bother them. If that's the way someone constantly uses the technology, they're shirking their responsibility as a parent.
I'm not talking about the once-in-a-while "Sweetie, play with my phone while I do something". I'm talking about the parents who want their kids to not talk, not run around, not do anything other than sit there like a blob staring at a screen. That's not real parenting, and those kids are probably going to grow up with ADD/ADHD (or so some studies I've heard about are starting to lean toward). There's a surprising lack of hard research in this area, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry.
The same applies for the TV - I didn't let my son watch any TV for the first 18 months of his life, then six months ago we started watching 10 minutes of a show on Netflix together. Yes, only 10 minutes. It's all about the measured doses, not making the TV into a substitute parent.
Not the greatest platform for typing, but hey, it gets the job done. Perhaps we need an ergonomic iPad?
I actually helped get my young cousin set up on an iPad her grandparents had bought her. It seems to be a wonderful tool to get her to sit down and use some learning applications. But there aren't enough parental controls when it comes to downloading apps - yes, you can lock out apps based on their ratings, but you seemingly cannot block out apps that cost money...I taught her to only stick to applications that say FREE, but it's still a concern.
I see that, and that is in fact where I went to restrict installing applications based on rating. But where is the setting for restricting applications that cost any amount of money?
My thoughts exactly!! Parents need to realize that this stuff is the way of the future.
I think its a great tool for kids. My cousin has a 5 year old boy with Down's syndrome and he has been using the iPad as both for entertainment and an education. The kid has stated to expect everything with a screen to have touch interactivity. It's funny when he tries to swipe his finger on the TV.
We allow our kids (ages 6 through 11) to use our iPad, under supervision. They play simple, pre-approved games, but also read to each other from our iPad. Our six year old has become much more tech-savvy since using our iPad, even more so than using the kids' desktop Dell PC. I think with time limits and under proper supervision, its okay for your kids and tweens to use the iPad as an educational tool.
My kids range in age from 2-12, and touch interfaces are completely intuitive for them. My youngest son loves the "Touchy Books" app, through which you can download interactive books which I can read and in which he can make images move or passages appear. My older kids like having applications like National Geographic's Dinopedia, several games, and use of Gmail to connect with friends. The way I see it they are natives of this new technology, and as long as there is good parental supervision and guidance, they should be able to learn to use these tools.
I have a 14 yr. Old Autistic boy and my answer is yes is a good educational tool. There is several IPad apps that are gear toward Autistic Kids not only Educational but also for Communicating. For example Tap to Talk to name one.
I see absolutely no reason why a parent would want to withhold access to current technologies... after all, it is laying the foundation for that child's future.
I would have loved to give my son access to something like the iPad when he was a toddler. The educational and entertainment possibilities for children with tablets is huge. Just look at how many parents hand their iPhones to their toddlers to keep them entertained in restaurants.
I would have loved to give my son access to something like the iPad when he was a toddler. The educational and entertainment possibilities for children with tablets is huge. Just look at how many parents hand their iPhones to their toddlers to keep them entertained in restaurants.
"Here, play with my phone so I don't have to deal with you bugging me about when our food's showing up. Oh, and I installed TV's in the minivan, so I don't have to listen to you in the car either. We'll put screens in front of your face from birth to pacify you, so that we don't have to raise you. The tech can."
I'm sorry that's the first thing I think when I hear a statement like yours.
I'm sorry that's the first thing I think when I hear a statement like yours.
It makes me sad that is the first thing you think.
Do you think the same thing when parents sit down at a restaurant and hand their kids a book? Or crayons and paper?
Children are not made to sit still for long periods of time. The attitude that a lot of parents have that kids should put up and shut up is, IMO, bad parenting. Picking and choosing your battles and having a variety of ways to help kids let off steam is ideal.
The iPhone/iPad or any other sort of device is simply one of many ways to keep a kid entertained. I have no doubt that there are parents who put movies on and expect that to keep the kids entertained the whole time. I have to be honest, that as a parent, I have done that a few times when I just needed a break of my own. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that as long as the parents remain interactive with the children.
Children are prone to sensory overload (which is often labeled as acting out, when really they just don't know how to say "I feel overwhelmed"). A book, interactive tablet, something to draw with, etc, are all great ways to help them focus and calm down. It's also a great way to slip in some educational materials without it feeling like work for either the kid or parent.
I spent a lot of time with my face in a book or glued to my phone. I think the latter is true of a lot of people and will continue to become true for more and more people. I think that people should adapt to what is available to them as individuals and parents. That has absolutely nothing to do with neglectful parents. Those existed before there were TVs.
Do you think the same thing when parents sit down at a restaurant and hand their kids a book? Or crayons and paper?
Children are not made to sit still for long periods of time. The attitude that a lot of parents have that kids should put up and shut up is, IMO, bad parenting. Picking and choosing your battles and having a variety of ways to help kids let off steam is ideal.
The iPhone/iPad or any other sort of device is simply one of many ways to keep a kid entertained. I have no doubt that there are parents who put movies on and expect that to keep the kids entertained the whole time. I have to be honest, that as a parent, I have done that a few times when I just needed a break of my own. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that as long as the parents remain interactive with the children.
Children are prone to sensory overload (which is often labeled as acting out, when really they just don't know how to say "I feel overwhelmed"). A book, interactive tablet, something to draw with, etc, are all great ways to help them focus and calm down. It's also a great way to slip in some educational materials without it feeling like work for either the kid or parent.
I spent a lot of time with my face in a book or glued to my phone. I think the latter is true of a lot of people and will continue to become true for more and more people. I think that people should adapt to what is available to them as individuals and parents. That has absolutely nothing to do with neglectful parents. Those existed before there were TVs.
I wouldn't say for all kids, but for kids with autism like my brother, it is an awesome tool that I wish was more affordable so everyone could have one.
If Wargames taught us anything it's that kids and cutting edge tech should be kept apart.
That's a true story right?
That's a true story right?
I see nothing wrong with it but they have to learn how to do things on their own before we give them something to help them out. For example I had to learn basic math before my parents let me use a calculator. I would want my child to have the basic learning skills at least before I give them something like an iPad.
I have a 3yo and a 5yo. They love the iPad and we let them play with it. I enabled restrictions so in-app purchases and email (to avoid "invite your friends to download this game") are off.
The kind of games they play are jigsaw puzzles, Dora's game with many mini-games inside, physics games like Angry Birds, interactive books like Toy Story, coloring apps, etc.
We do ration their time on the iPad so it does not become a must-have. Having said that, it is amazing how easily the kids knew how to operate the thing (they started using our iPad 1 from the time it was launched, which is when I got it).
The kind of games they play are jigsaw puzzles, Dora's game with many mini-games inside, physics games like Angry Birds, interactive books like Toy Story, coloring apps, etc.
We do ration their time on the iPad so it does not become a must-have. Having said that, it is amazing how easily the kids knew how to operate the thing (they started using our iPad 1 from the time it was launched, which is when I got it).
As a teacher of 3rd to 5th graders, I think iPads have a lot of educational benefits. My staff and I have downloaded educational apps for iPod Touch and iPhones to our own personal ones and the students are very engaged and use them as a reward for hard work. While I don't have an iPad in my classroom due to lack of funding and no personal need for one, I plan on applying for grants to get an iPad for next year. The amount of educational apps they have are amazing. They can aid in communication (particularly for children with speech and language impairments), children can work on hand-eye coordination, can learn how letters and numbers look while tracing them with their fingers, practice math skills, etc.
Also, technology is here to stay, so it is important that students have access to it so they don't get left behind. Chances are, they won't be using iPads when they are older, but iPads are the stepping stones to what they will be using as adults in the work force, so why would you hold them back?
If you are worried about what your children are looking at, then monitor and supervise the use of any technologies. I'm not sure whether iPads have parental controls, but I'm sure they have passwords and locks that would work the same way to block access to whatever you don't want your kids doing with them.
Also, technology is here to stay, so it is important that students have access to it so they don't get left behind. Chances are, they won't be using iPads when they are older, but iPads are the stepping stones to what they will be using as adults in the work force, so why would you hold them back?
If you are worried about what your children are looking at, then monitor and supervise the use of any technologies. I'm not sure whether iPads have parental controls, but I'm sure they have passwords and locks that would work the same way to block access to whatever you don't want your kids doing with them.
My wife and I have found to be an excellent educational device. Sure they love the games, but they're not allowed to play them until they've done a certain amount of problems or have spent a certain amount of time in a particular educational app (mathboard is great BTW)
It's not about the device or technology. It's how teachers and parents use any technology or medium for the benefit of their children. Be it iPads, video games or books. You can be super excited your kid loves to read, but they're not getting much in the way of education from Danielle Steele. Well, not the education you want ;)
It's not about the device or technology. It's how teachers and parents use any technology or medium for the benefit of their children. Be it iPads, video games or books. You can be super excited your kid loves to read, but they're not getting much in the way of education from Danielle Steele. Well, not the education you want ;)
Like anything really, that can be a great tool when used correctly. My Son (6) uses it to read books and use his schools maths tutoring website, and it works great. Of course, he's always supervised, however I can see households that aren't very tech savvy being possibly scared by this, or worse, simply handing the device over the the kid with no thought as to what they would use it for.
My 2 bites!
I think it's a great tool for teaching as well as for honing hand eye coordination skills. There is something intrinsically educational when the thing you touch activates and has some function. It's an instant right or wrong and I think they actually learn faster and enjoy the learning process. Of course this can become addiction; you don't want your kids on it all the time. Use your parenting skills and have your child earn time on the ipad in a controlled environment in front of you. Make sure to balance time on gadgets with time doing non-gadget and social activities to balance out your child. The same goes for yourself, haha! actually you might be getting more done on a real computer so choose your device wisely and spend more time with your kids ;)
I think it's a great tool for teaching as well as for honing hand eye coordination skills. There is something intrinsically educational when the thing you touch activates and has some function. It's an instant right or wrong and I think they actually learn faster and enjoy the learning process. Of course this can become addiction; you don't want your kids on it all the time. Use your parenting skills and have your child earn time on the ipad in a controlled environment in front of you. Make sure to balance time on gadgets with time doing non-gadget and social activities to balance out your child. The same goes for yourself, haha! actually you might be getting more done on a real computer so choose your device wisely and spend more time with your kids ;)
I agree with the tactile learning points. I actually find myself using RDP where I move a remote mouse with my finger and then I switch to Safari on the iPad and expect to move the screen in the same way. I actually have to adjust.
I have observed and had friends with young children who have been exposed to touch screen devices that these children now push on a computer screen expecting it to react. The mouse becomes somewhat hard to use.
This is not a positive, but not a big negative. The children have an easy to use UI that they can become accustomed to. They will need to learn to use a mouse at some point. I am not suggesting that the iPad is stunting their learning potential on a PC at all.
I have observed and had friends with young children who have been exposed to touch screen devices that these children now push on a computer screen expecting it to react. The mouse becomes somewhat hard to use.
This is not a positive, but not a big negative. The children have an easy to use UI that they can become accustomed to. They will need to learn to use a mouse at some point. I am not suggesting that the iPad is stunting their learning potential on a PC at all.
As a preschool owner I would say tablets are an excellent tool if used with supervision and time limits as there is so much more to life. We have used pc's for years and kids love it. We are considering some type of tablets for use in our center after taking our personal iPad to the school and observing the children's reactions. Touch is a natural for children in their preschool years because so much of what they learn is through touch. It is good to learn of the gumdrop case as it looks durable. Another we have considered we saw demonstrated on TWiT at Mac World was the Ektopad Kids iPad case. These guys actually told Sara Lane to throw the iPad onto the floor and she gingerly tossed it.........no no throw it they said and Sara tossed that thing and no breakage. So yes tablets are excellent as and educational tool for kids, but should be restricted and highly protected!
I don't know about generally, but a couple of different therapists have recommended one for my autistic son. It seems that autistic kids connect and engage well with a device like that. His occupational therapist has a few apps on his iPhone that Adam likes to use during OT.
My little cousin spends hours playing on his fathers iPad. While he has learnt a lot, his creativity is nil. I, at his age, spent my time drawing cars and planes and rocket ships, then trying to build them using LEGO blocks. That's something many kids are missing in my opinion, when education becomes baby sitting.
Then again, in my view, some people can be naturally creative while others lack creativity in all forms. It's not an easy thing to learn.
you won't believe this, my twin brother has a 4 year old girl and she has been on the iPad for about 6 months now. She knows what "buffering" means, she knows how to go on youtube and see how to beat a level of Angry Birds she is stuck on...etc...stuff my MOM and DAD would never figure out! We are all blown away and he is happy he introduced her to the iPad. Not only did she pick up on it VERY FAST, but it is exciting to know that she will be technologically advanced compared to some other kids. I'd say go for it, just get a good case and re-iterate that it is delicate and to treat it very carefully.
As most people have stated here the iPad is good for all ages. Since Veronica asked about kids I'll share.
When I got my first iPad my youngest daughter was 18 mo. and I was amazed at how fast she understood the device. In a short time She got her own screen of applications that she found by scrolling all the way to the right. She knew those were hers and she could go in and out as she pleased. She was even mobile with it within the house. My wife never understood why I would let the baby walk around with it but since it had moving parts and she was under 2' tall (so it didn't have far to fall if she dropped it) I didn't worry too much. It was really cute when after dinner she would walk over to me and say, 'me padad?' Asking so nicely she would get a little time to play. We also had to modify settings and features for her use. For a trip we had videos on there. Once she wandered off her apps and found those all she wanted was 'shows'. Since that made it the same as the boob-tube those came off. When one of the other children watched some Phineas and Ferb video's on YouTube she found that she could watch shows that way. Out came the parental controls. The only negative side of things is that she thinks all computers are touch screens.
When the iPad2 came out the first generation became the family device. We all know that it's the little one and she just lets the rest of the family use it.
The iPad is so intuitive it's just amazing. Last Thanksgiving I took the iPad over to our relatives house. I showed my niece age 4 how to use an application. In no time most of the heard was crowded around her watching and learning. They all took turns and passed it around with every kid just learning from the others and they used it way quicker than a 'regular computer'. Something like this is a long way from Jump Start Baby that we had way back as the only introduction to computers for kids.
When I got my first iPad my youngest daughter was 18 mo. and I was amazed at how fast she understood the device. In a short time She got her own screen of applications that she found by scrolling all the way to the right. She knew those were hers and she could go in and out as she pleased. She was even mobile with it within the house. My wife never understood why I would let the baby walk around with it but since it had moving parts and she was under 2' tall (so it didn't have far to fall if she dropped it) I didn't worry too much. It was really cute when after dinner she would walk over to me and say, 'me padad?' Asking so nicely she would get a little time to play. We also had to modify settings and features for her use. For a trip we had videos on there. Once she wandered off her apps and found those all she wanted was 'shows'. Since that made it the same as the boob-tube those came off. When one of the other children watched some Phineas and Ferb video's on YouTube she found that she could watch shows that way. Out came the parental controls. The only negative side of things is that she thinks all computers are touch screens.
When the iPad2 came out the first generation became the family device. We all know that it's the little one and she just lets the rest of the family use it.
The iPad is so intuitive it's just amazing. Last Thanksgiving I took the iPad over to our relatives house. I showed my niece age 4 how to use an application. In no time most of the heard was crowded around her watching and learning. They all took turns and passed it around with every kid just learning from the others and they used it way quicker than a 'regular computer'. Something like this is a long way from Jump Start Baby that we had way back as the only introduction to computers for kids.
