iPod touch Is a ipod touch too much for children under 6 years of age??

dmetz283 said:

She wants a device to listen to music. I think she might also like to be able to play games and watch youtube videos.

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Well, what other device can do this? Probably nothing else.

Would a used ipod touch be too much for her?

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It probably is, but I'd still get her one.

Is there any difference between ipod touch 2nd gen, 3rd gen or 4th gen? does it matter?

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Yes! Get the latest version (4th generation). It's much better in terms of technology, has the latest features, has a camera, it's faster, better resolution screen (everything is sharper).


You definitely want to get the latest one. Stay as far away as possible from anything lower than a 3rd gen! Third gen is alright, but you might as well get the latest version. It's got a ton more features over the 3rd gen.

Yes, definitely get a 3rd gen at a minimum. It will support all the latest apps, and have iOS5 support.

Since she's 4, maybe it won't matter if you get a her a 4th gen or not. I don't think she's going to be sending many videos or pictures to her friends

A 3rd gen would be a good starter iPod for her, unless there is value to the cameras for you and her. (Perhaps video chatting with family members?)

Too young.

People at this age can't even project coherent sentences and you plan to get them an electronic device?

One drop is all it takes and you will know why you should not have bought one.

I'm a teacher and I routinely use iPods and iPads with children as young as 5 (Kindergarten) and I think a 4-year old can benefit from using it. The question is really "can the child understand the rules you establish about taking care of the device?" Even toddlers can use iPods and iPads if a caregiver holds the device. I have a special folder for preschool and Kindergarten apps. In my travels I'm sure I've sold parents on iPads when I've let their toddlers play on mine.

For the iPod and a four-year-old you will need a protective case - I use a cheap flip over leatherette case. I also recommend that a rule be established that they only take them out when sitting on the floor or at a desk with the chair pushed in. They should be taught to carry it with both hands hugged close to the body (like they would cradle a doll). Children can and do use educational apps, musical instrument apps and math and language apps. The app store is a gold-mine of wonderful apps. There are also plenty of duds, particularly the ones that feature advertisements (e.g. weight loss) and in-app purchases. So the parent should review apps before letting the child use them and the parental controls must be set to disable purchases and other mischief.

dmetz283 said:

Thanks. We're thinking about getting a used 3rd gen for either amazon or eBay. Also is there any place we can get it engraved?

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If you purchase your Ipod Touch directly from Apple online they will engrave it for free. A 4G 32gig should be plenty you can load it with videos like Timmy Time. Get The Retinal Display it is an important feature. First thing you want to do is put the Touch inside an Otterbox Defender case.
Amazon has the Otterbox Defender case for $19.95 that is half price.

http://www.amazon.com/Otterbox-iPod..._1_4?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1319859542&sr=1-4

I have a 2G, and a 4G both in the Defender case. Both have taken multiple shots that I was sure must have destroyed the Touches with in, both didn't have so much as a scratch on them afterwards. There is nothing your Daughter can do to destroy her Touch short of dropping it into water, sticky hands can't get directly to the buttons on the Touch and it has a seal for both the docking plug and the phone jack. It is also easy to sanitize. The Silicone outer cover makes the Touch much easier for little hands to hang onto.

I got my 4yo an iPod last Christmas, and had the same initial concerns - I needn't have worried...
It is FRIGHTENING just how fast kids that age learn! Using her iPod has helped her development in so many ways...

xpower180 said:

I got my 4yo an iPod last Christmas, and had the same initial concerns - I needn't have worried...
It is FRIGHTENING just how fast kids that age learn! Using her iPod has helped her development in so many ways...

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No, how can a 4 years old play with it? And I think if you don't stay with her, she will break her Toy(iPod Touch) in a few minutes. I think it's too much.

Well to be honest this is more of a "depends on the child" situation, some children have no manners & simply don't take care of their stuff, while others could be responsible enough with it.

In the majority of cases I would say no and I definitely wouldn't allow a <6 yr-old outside of the house with one either because:
a) dropping it
b) theft (though I suppose this is more of a where you live situation)

dmetz283 said:

We are thinking about a Christmas gift for my 4 year old sister. She wants a device to listen to music.

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Music? ... I would be concerned about the volume on her ears at that age.

Apple OC said:

Music? ... I would be concerned about the volume on her ears at that age.

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That's a good point. The iPod Touch has a setting "Music->Volume Limit" where a parent can set a maximum volume and then press "Lock Volume Limit", which brings up a 4-digit code set screen. The parents could also consider using a docking station instead of headphones.

My 3 year old plays games on my iPhone all the time (also great in restaurants since he can watch a movie on it).

Just get a nice protective case for it and let them enjoy it.

I bought an 8GB iPod Touch (current version) for my daughter's 3rd birthday earlier this year. She loves it and has no problem using it for watching videos, BBC iplayer via Safari and playing various apps. She also sometimes listens to music through the speaker (I haven't given her the earphones because I don't want her to damage her hearing). When she is not using the iPod she gives it to me to look after.

I really don't see what the problem is provided the child is old enough to understand how to use the ipod.

Any age because it can be a learning experience. You can download educational apps to help to with skills.

My 7 yr olod son got his first iPod touch when he was 4 yrs old and the only problem i noticed was that a few times he set it down on a counter or shelf when something else grabbed his attention while were out shopping. He doesnt do that any more now that he is older.

Young kids can enjoy these in waiting rooms, road trips, boring mall outings - you name it.

We keep a zagg on his screen and a good case on it at all times so its well protected. There are quite a few young kids in my family and they all have them and love facetiming each other, watching movies and games on them.

But do set the parental controls so that they wont suddenly find them selves watching some of the adult content that can easily be accessed on these devices. My son was having a good laugh one day at some Family Guy clips he came across on Youtube - he thought it was just about the funniest kids show ever.

Do you want children's eyesight to start getting worse at 4? At 6? I'm sorry, but at such ages they;re likely to spend way too much time on the device and it's nt going to have a positive effect on them. Get them to go outside and play football, tag, bulldog or whatever before you start introducing them to electronics.

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Thetonyk123 said:

You can download educational apps to help to with skills.

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Who the **** does that at 4 years of age?

A 4 yr old does not need a Touch.

And Mom and Dad should be the ones to purchase that kind of device.

The problem is kids can spend way too much time on such a device and become addicted to it. So I think it is best that you leave that type of purchase up to the parents. The other problem is that YouTube content is often inappropriate for young kids. And I am not sure there is an easy way to filter it. There are lots of user made spongebob or Lego videos etc that I do not want my 5 yr old to watch. And I do not think I can filter those out.

My son borrows my iPad, but do not think he needs his own device yet.

Too much of any thing can be bad, but a young kid will not spend "way too much time" doing anything if the parents are doing their job.

My son has other things that hold his interest, but he often plays alone because of being a only child, since he has always enjoyed learning things on the computer and with many of his educational toys being electronic it makes since that a iPod touch would be enjoyable to him. But his time with the iPod is limited by us just like his time spent watching TV, playing the Wii or racing his hot wheels.

Timechaser said:

Too much of any thing can be bad, but a young kid will not spend "way too much time" doing anything if the parents are doing their job.

My son has other things that hold his interest, but he often plays alone because of being a only child, since he has always enjoyed learning things on the computer and with many of his educational toys being electronic it makes since that a iPod touch would be enjoyable to him. But his time with the iPod is limited by us just like his time spent watching TV, playing the Wii or racing his hot wheels.

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I don't limit my kid's hot wheels time.

You do that? Hey junior that has been 1 hr on the hot wheels today. That is enough. Go watch tv.

No I don't stop him from playing with his hot wheels or Legos to watch TV, we do stop him sometimes to help me bake cookies or to read aloud to me or to work on a puzzle with his dad, sometimes I have to stop him when it's time to go for his weekly swim lessons or to come help me in our garden - he doesn't always want to stop playing with his toys to do these other things but he is a good boy and is learning to appreciate the benifits of them

And to us that's the whole thing - the iPod touch is just one of his toys that happens to cost more that most of the others. We have (just like many other parents) spent more money on the Wii with its accessories and games than has been spent on the iPod and the much cheaper games he plays on it.

I understand that a lot of folks can't afford to buy iPods for several kids but if you can afford it I don't know what the big problem should be.

szolr said:

Who the **** does that at 4 years of age?

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The parent does it and hands it to there kid maybe?

If you can afford it, I don't see why. I would say make sure they keep it in the house, keep a case on it, and make sure they keep it out of water.

I think everyone has covered it. No child NEEDS one. If you can great. Anything done excessively can be a problem but if the parents keep the child rounded. Definetely protection I use an otter box defender for my sons and he has fed it to the dog..... dropped it in a puddle of water. Thrown across room and so on and the thing keeps on going. That being said I would think a 2nd generation is fine from the perspective that while not the latest and greatest its cost efficient and no disappointment when it gets destroyed. You can not expect a young child to understand what they can and can't do to a electronic device. I enjoy seeing my son move around an operating system as if it is second nature at such a young age. As his dad it makes me proud given that it is my chosen profession I feel he has a leg up on the crowd. The argument is like saying a child should not have a computer. Do they NEED one, no. But if they have one you are doing no dis service to the child for them to begin to understand the workings of something we all work with everyday. I would rather he have the skills and not need than need and not have.