How young is too young?

[thegreati]

iDevices cater to almost every age. You can plop a 2 y/o in front of a iDevice and have them watch stuff on Netflix. It just really depends on what you are comfortable with.

[mobiman]

Originally Posted by Ffosse

Get a good case for it as kids are more liable to be clumsy with things.

Agree, also learn how to replace displays on these. No case will protect it when dropped. My 20 y.o. already broke it three times. You don't want kids to play with broken glass. If you DIY - it is affordable: $20-$40.

[cnev3]

With a 6 year old it's for sure going to get damaged/lost/stolen. But its your money. If you do decide to go for it, get one of those heavy duty cases that are thick rubber.

[Outrun1986]

They have special kid headphones that only go up to a certain Volume. The best thing you can do is get her some portable speakers, she won't go for the headphones if she has those. Also it's not too young, I am sure lots of kids her age have a similar device. It's much better than a Nintendo system because it can't be outgrown like Nintendo, does more stuff and it at least has educational apps and Nintendo doesn't have educational games at all. As you say it can be restricted by parents too, just make sure she doesn't wipe it when connected to a computer since that would erase the restrictions.

[mraviation94]

I am 18 years old, and a Freshman in college. I bought with saved up birthday money, my first iDevice around 8 or 9. it was a silver, 2GB second generation iPod nano. I had that up until about 8th grade, when I bought myself an 8GB first generation iPod touch. I bought all of my following iDevices, again with my own money (2nd gen. iPod touch, 4th gen. iPod touch, iPad 2). In my opinion, it would be best to avoid purchasing the iPod touch FOR them. But rather, have them save up the money themselves and buy one. It will not only begin the learning process of saving money for things they wants, but they will also appreciate it and enjoy it longer, because they had to "work" for it, instead of just having it be handed to them.

I hope this finds you well, and you can take the advice and lessons that I have received from my parents. But none the less, you are the parent, and you have the say in what is best for your daughters.

[Aniseedvan]

Originally Posted by mobiman

Agree, also learn how to replace displays on these. No case will protect it when dropped. My 20 y.o. already broke it three times. You don't want kids to play with broken glass. If you DIY - it is affordable: $20-$40.

My son has my old 4g in my old griffin survivor case, and thats survived a few drops.
To be fair i think he's been less of a klutz with than i was!

If i let him, he'd happily play games on it all day. I keep him to about half an hour at a go (he's 9)..

[Svend]

My youngest daughter has had my old iPad 1 since she was 2, and it's in perfect shape. She's now almost 4 and the iPad is still fine.

[bwhinnen]

There is really no such thing as too young in my opinion. These days technology is used everywhere and for everything so giving your children any advantage is a good thing. Monitoring what they play or use it for is a different story ... but there are many educational applications out there and some of the games help to hone fine motor skills as well as cognitive abilities.

My son has had his own iPad since he was 5 (he is now 7) and it is still going. He has a case and has been taught to always make sure it goes back in the case when he has finished with it or is carrying it anywhere.

Funnily enough one of his favourite apps at the moment is the Minecraft free edition, he uses it to build so many things he has seen in real life and from TV / movies. I've also noticed many other children loving this app as well, it is almost like a modern day LEGO

[Gymgenius]

Thanks guys...some great replies

[otherjobs]

Originally Posted by Gymgenius

How young is too young?

In China, "Too Young" is just a name!

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Gutwrench]

Originally Posted by LostSoul80

Too young for such a device. I'd point to a family iPad, and let her play with it under supervisio.

I think this is a good suggestion.

Originally Posted by LostSoul80

I'd suggest you not to use "GG" often here -- you might get caught by our Master.

With a little imagination I know a semi-humorous Chinese translation but what does this comment really mean?

[wikus]

Originally Posted by Gymgenius

I'm thinking of buying my daughters a 16gig, 4th gen iPod Touch each for Christmas.

Does anyone think the youngest, at 6 is too young to have one?

To be used mainly for games / apps. I won't be encouraging them to listen to music via headphones, and will certainly restrict settings on them (including max volume).

GG

get the 6 year old a toy where it will expand their iq level rather than bring them into the world of consumption.

lego would be my first choice.

[thekev]

Originally Posted by wikus

get the 6 year old a toy where it will expand their iq level rather than bring them into the world of consumption.

lego would be my first choice.

I also liked Capsela as a kid.

[LostSoul80]

Originally Posted by Gutwrench

With a little imagination I know a semi-humorous Chinese translation but what does this comment really mean?

Our Master is everywhere and ready to defeat members who don't know him.

Nevermind. It's a kind of familiar joke

[reckless2k2]

Originally Posted by Gymgenius

I'm thinking of buying my daughters a 16gig, 4th gen iPod Touch each for Christmas.

Does anyone think the youngest, at 6 is too young to have one?

To be used mainly for games / apps. I won't be encouraging them to listen to music via headphones, and will certainly restrict settings on them (including max volume).

GG

I think it's a perfect time to really start learning some responsibility. My daughter really wanted one after playing around with shared devices in the house. She earned it through chores and was given a long talk about the responsibility of having such a device. That has been re-enforced since she has owned one on several occasions.

As parent, it has forced both my wife and I to be even more active with her as well. We are constantly monitoring her usage and have to keep up-to-date on the latest restrictions and such. We interact with her through the device and use it as an overall learning tool in many areas of our lives. My middle son has followed this lead as well.

We do not allow it to leave the home as one other parent suggested. We have restrictions on the device. They are only allowed to use it with permission. My wife and I interact with them through and related to the device. We take away privileges when they misbehave or misuse the device.

I think it's a perfect time to start them learning responsibility and follow through with restrictions as a parent when necessary.

[andothfc]

I just bought my 21 month old an iPod touch. Would have preferred to get him an iPad mini but couldn't quite justify the cost.

There's a boatload of games (a mix of educational and fun) that he likes to play on my iPhone so getting him his own touch means my phone can stay in my pocket, out of harm's way.

[Gutwrench]

Originally Posted by LostSoul80

Our Master is everywhere and ready to defeat members who don't know him.

Nevermind. It's a kind of familiar joke

Okay. So it has nothing to do with the Chinese translation of GG? (I won't include the actual pinyan. I don't want censured.)

[StephenCampbell]

My kids won't have any electronic devices of their own until they're 14 or 15.

[compwiz1202]

Are there ways to cause the iPod Touch to make noises remotely in case it is lost in the house, since you can't call it like an iPhone?

[Zmanbaseball2]

Originally Posted by compwiz1202

Are there ways to cause the iPod Touch to make noises remotely in case it is lost in the house, since you can't call it like an iPhone?

Send a message to the iPod via find my iPhone. It will always play at full volume .

[7enderbender]

Originally Posted by Gymgenius

I'm thinking of buying my daughters a 16gig, 4th gen iPod Touch each for Christmas.

Does anyone think the youngest, at 6 is too young to have one?

To be used mainly for games / apps. I won't be encouraging them to listen to music via headphones, and will certainly restrict settings on them (including max volume).

GG

Every family has their own rules around this. My 6 and 9 year-olds don't have iPods or phones and I don't see the need for it. They have free access to all sorts of music in the house and in the car. They have a boom box and we have thousands of CDs in the house. And access to our iTunes collections. So why would they or should they sit there and listen with lousy headphones? Which by the way is something to be factored in. The headphones that come with Apple devices can go straight into the trash bin and for any halfway decent listening experience at moderate/non-damaging level you'll have to spend another hundred bucks at least.

Games? Apps? Not happening in our house. Go get a book. This may sound weird these days but our kids don't even complain about our policies around that and seem to rather enjoy what they can do instead.

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Originally Posted by andothfc

I just bought my 21 month old an iPod touch. Would have preferred to get him an iPad mini but couldn't quite justify the cost.

There's a boatload of games (a mix of educational and fun) that he likes to play on my iPhone so getting him his own touch means my phone can stay in my pocket, out of harm's way.

For a second I thought you were being sarcastic. Gee, I still hope you are. You're not serious, are you?

[DFGR]

For me, I think everyone should get a cell phone / iPod in 11 or 12 years old.

[Vetvito]

My 7 year old daughter asked me for a iPhone. I'm like WTF!!(in my head, I didn't say it out loud) Kids these days are moving fast, especially with technology.

She says a tablet would be great too. I'm lost.

My 5 and 6 year old nephews received email addresses on their first day of school.

[ChrisMan287]

I don't think there's a such thing as "too young" for an iPod touch. I let my son play with my older 2nd gen and he loves it. I'm thinking about buying him a Innotab though.

[LizKat]

Originally Posted by wikus

get the 6 year old a toy where it will expand their iq level rather than bring them into the world of consumption.

lego would be my first choice.

Yes or just a wooden box full of different sizes of wooden blocks, sanded but otherwise unfinished hardwood. They become all sorts of things as a kid plays with them: houses, skyscrapers, trucks, livestock, fences...

The nice thing about a box of blocks is that the child must imagine what to do with them. And, he or she will, assuming the imagination has not already been stifled by complex entertainment options created by adults whose own entertainment, as children, was simpler and required more imagination.

If a kid can produce drama from his iPod touch on demand, why would his three-year old brain settle for anything more explorative than pushing the real and virtual buttons on his toy? He trains his brain that when he pushes buttons, he makes exciting things happen on a screen. He may also have trained his brain to expect absolutely nothing to happen unless he commands it. Recipe for disappointment right there. Good luck with the household chores and homework gigs.

We have not yet fully discovered what we may reap from immersing children in gadgetry too soon. Are there upsides? Yes, clearly, but I'd say the minimum age for using something like an iPod touch is way past five years old. More like 8. Plenthy of time to develop motor skills, play a real piano or clarinet, find out that hitting someone with a pot lid hurts and invites retaliation that also hurts... all that stuff that is so not a video game.

The people who invented computers and built them in their garages and all that, they were not sitting in front of GUI / touchscreen devices they invented while they were two years old. No sir. They were banging old pots on the kitchen floor, wondering why this one didn't hold as many blocks as that one, and seeing how many blocks they could stack up before they all fell in a heap on the floor. And what shape was the heap? And why circular this time and splayed out like chicken feet yesterday? More experiments clearly needed!

We forget the advantages of our youth. Some of them we may wrongly classify in retrospect today as states of deprivation.