When my husband gave me an iPad unexpectedly as a gift for our third anniversary I was thrilled. I had grand plans of calendar apps, cleaning schedules and blogging on the go. I downloaded a couple of apps that I thought would entertain Brady in the car and at restaurants when he was getting restless, but after that first little taste of technology he quickly commandeered the iPad and it became his. “My iPad” he says.
It may have been a pretty extravagant gift for a two-year old, but really it has got far more use out of it this way. It has become his most favorite toy and has taught him so much. He turns it on, unlocks the screen and navigates through the selection of apps and chooses what he wants. He knows how to turn the volume up and down and how to rearrange apps, although his categorization never makes any sense.
Nine times out of ten he chooses a dinosaur shooting game, one that is not intended for toddlers. He has plenty of Duck Duck Moose games that are all designed for his specific age group but he prefers shooting Dino’s. And he’s good at it.
If he isn’t slaying dinosaurs he is almost always watching his favorite PBS Kids shows like Curious George. It’s a great way for him to watch an episode here or there without having to give him the whole television.
Now that the iPad mini is out I would consider purchasing him his very own iPad but really, keeping ours is just fine. If you have the ability to splurge a little, I would get and iPad long before a LeapPad or any of those other kid tablet toys.
What’s your take on kids with iPads?
Liz is a just a mom trying to keep it real about how little she sleeps, how often she gets puked on and how much she loves them. You can find her here every day writing about real-mom moments.
It’s amazing how toddlers can navigate and utilize technology like this.
I think it’s proof that our world is changing and this is a skill they are going to have moving forward that changes the world even more.
I’d say my only concern is that access to the internet is tightly monitored and very limited. It’s a dangerous place, fraught with things that can harm a mind – especially a child’s mind.
Our 3 year old uses our iPad just as much (more!) than we do, too. (I am pretty sure he thinks it’s his as well.) He is awesome at navigating and choosing his entertainment. With so many Dvds including digital copies, we load em up and he always has a handful to choose from. Seeing as how he can’t read, we don’t worry too much about illicit internet use yet! Love your blog, Liz.