iPad for baby

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Razamataz

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#76017 27-Jan-2011 13:27

My 3 month old daughter's grandma is keen to buy her a learn-to-read system from TV which costs $400 for some DVDs and flashcards. I'd like to suggest that the money might be better spent towards an iPad which is more portable and interactive than DVDs and has apps that teach reading and much much more. Do you think the iPad is a good learning tool for young children and can you share any info / examples of it being used this way?
Thanks!!

freitasm

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#431810 27-Jan-2011 13:34

Sorry but I think three months is too young to get some DVD thing and plant the girl in front of an electronic babysitter. The same with an iPad - the baby doesn't even have the motor coordination to actually use the tool, let alone understand what's happening and give it the attention needed.

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robjg63

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#431818 27-Jan-2011 13:57

Just buy her a rusk!
No - scrub that - she shouldn't be on solids yet.

Actually - cant you just let her drink milk and fill her nappy a bit longer? She only has one chance at being a baby and I think they actually are in heavy duty learning mode on how to be a little person - never mind reading and writing at this point.

...on the other hand if you think that you can get Grandma to stump up for a shiny ipad for you to play with - then give it a try.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

freitasm

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#431820 27-Jan-2011 14:00

My four years old daughter has just started reading and writing. She learned that with her mum. She watches little TV (if about a couple of hours be week), loves books (even if it's just to browse through them, and do it every morning before getting up at 7am).

She's very creative, love colours and painting.

We have five PCs at home, a range of smartphones, and I have no plan to force this upon her until later on.

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tonyhughes

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#431822 27-Jan-2011 14:04

My 3 year old comfortably uses iPad and Galaxy S to play games. At home I limit him to around ten minutes a day of using the device.

18 month old is also learning how the iPad works. Again, very limited time.

Books, games, outdoors, family time... these are some things to focus on.

Three months old - still developing, worry not re: the devices, focus on nutrition, sleep, care, comfort, love.

hellonearthisman

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#431825 27-Jan-2011 14:11

I would say get the iPad, it may take another 6-9months before the baby can start to get the skills to control the hands, but for you it will be great and will give you enough time to find the tools that could help the child learn. If a cat can use an iPad then a baby should be able to as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V-neDwkFhc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iiDqP3HMHI

and http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgdkmv_tony-with-ipad-app_animals

tardtasticx

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#431826 27-Jan-2011 14:12

Ask her to spend that money on gift cards for borders or something and buy books for the baby as you need them.

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freitasm

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#431827 27-Jan-2011 14:16

Books are important. Every night we read for Bella, and we have a bookshelf with a few books - about a hundred now. In the mornings she wakes up, turn on the light and "read" (some are easy for here to read, some she just browse the pictures really) the books herself.

She knows not to come to our bedroom before 7am and she's got a clock in her bedroom.

Once she finishes reading she dresses herself and then come to call us for breakfast. I am not sure an iPad will help with all those interactions needed to give a child the directions. At some point it will be good, but not before three or four I'd say.

Actually she's just found my smartphone and now and then asks to play with it. She likes the clock in it.

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#431830 27-Jan-2011 14:24

My 20 mo only knows what my iPhone is as it's pointed at him all the time for photos, so he wants to see all the babies on it (photos of him). I'd much rather tell him to go read his book though that give him an electronic device at his age.

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reven

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#431836 27-Jan-2011 14:27

freitasm: We have five PCs at home, a range of smartphones, and I have no plan to force this upon her until later on.

i love the fact at some stage you will force these upon her :)

on topic, my son is nearly 2 and i saw the "my baby can read" infomercial as well (i assume it was that one), im considering buying it for my son.

its not something i will use as a babysitter, i only really turn tv on for him at night if he doesnt want to go to sleep, and its getting late, it usually keeps him in his bed (tv in his bedroom) and he falls asleep pretty quickly. but most of the time he's running around playing with cats, driving in cars, just being a typical boy.
but the infomercial looked very good, i may spend an hour or so with him a night trying it out (its only about $100 off trademe i think).

i wouldnt dream of giving him my ipad, he would break it, or eat it...

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#431840 27-Jan-2011 14:32

Bella goes to bed every day at the same time. There's a ritual for that, including bath, toilet, brushing teeth, reading a book for her, and lights out at 7:30pm, regardless. It used to be 7pm.

She usually is sleeping in five to ten minutes. Sometimes she talks to herself, or to Dora (short for Theodora, her teddy bear).

Also we try to do as much as possible during the day, so she's tired at night - but careful to not be overtired because at that point things get noisy and grumpiness settles in.

The key is to be consistent and the little one will learn how it works.

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freitasm

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#431842 27-Jan-2011 14:34

By the way, here is Bella playing with an iPad when she was exactly three years old, so you don't think she never ever saw one ;)

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#431864 27-Jan-2011 15:01

+1 on the Baby is still a baby,

At 3 months she has not even learnt to feed herself or control a whole pile of other bodily functions, buying learn to read flashcards or an ipad as an educational toy is simply a waste of time at that point,

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#431884 27-Jan-2011 16:15

I'll just throw my 2 cents in here. I say let the baby be just that, a baby and let it do its learning from watching and listening to things around it. Don't let the grandma waste $400 on some product from TV that she may think is going to turn the baby into some intelligent being. Instead read to the baby every day and interact with it in that way. I think if you introduce technology to kids too early, you ruin them for the rest of their lives and they don't know how to play/learn like kids should.

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#432105 28-Jan-2011 10:27

semigeek: Don't let the grandma waste $400 on some product from TV that she may think is going to turn the baby into some intelligent being. Instead read to the baby every day and interact with it in that way.

This has turned into a bit of a 'conscience vote' thread but I couldn't agree more. Best method for teaching reading is parent time with child, period. That in itself is a dying art these days, and it's not all about developing the reading skills either.

Reading applications can be an excellent and fun addition, and can be doubly beneficial where problems or learning difficulties may have been discovered, but I can't imagine telling my kid it's time to sit infront of the TV and learn to read... Those ads actually make me cringe severely.

So yeah, OP, iPad becomes slightly more useful for your intended purpose in 2-3 years time imo. Invest that $400 in nappies, much more practical ;-)