Text: Kate Sidley. Photographs: Gallo Images/Getty Images; Elite Photo Agency/Shutterstock. Article from the February 2013 issue of Living and Loving Magazine.
Two-year-olds now have access to iPads – and they love them! But what are the pros and cons?
When the iPad first came out, the idea of handing it to a sticky-fingered toddler was absurd. Now, along with its little cousin the iPhone and other smartphones/tablets, it’s fast becoming a popular babysitter in modern families.
“It’s great for entertaining kids in a restaurant,” says Gina, mom to three-year-old Hannah. “It’s the difference between chasing toddlers around and having happy, quiet kids while you eat your meal. We put Hannah’s favourite TV shows on the iPad when we went on holiday and, on those rainy days when we would ordinarily be tearing our hair out, she was happy and entertained. And it’s fantastic for car trips.”
Hannah and her little contemporaries – some as young as one year – are learning to manipulate the touch screen, deftly swiping and tapping away.
“It’s incredible how intuitive it is,” says Gina. “I got my iPad when Hannah was only two and she knew almost instinctively how to find and use the apps.”
More toddlers and preschoolers are being given access to mom’s, or dad’s, iPad or smartphone.
Children as young as two are getting to grips with using iPads and computers
Knowing that technology is going to be a driving force in our children’s lives, we want them to be comfortable with it. But when you see a toddler staring intently and swiping a tablet, there’s a strong urge to yell: “Go play outside!”
So what does the research show about the pros and cons? Unfortunately small children using iPads is such a recent development that few studies have been carried out. But the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages screen time in toddlers under two and recommends between one and two hours’ quality programmes daily for older children. The problems with screens rest on two issues:
- Studies link many negatives, including obesity and attention disorders, to the length of time spent on the device or in front of the screen.
- Inappropriate content is linked to aggressive behaviour, poor body image and sexual activity and more.
Studies do show that quality TV programmes may contribute to higher language and maths scores. There is also a growing pool of educational or creative content designed for children in apps.
The studies into other screen media are useful, but the iPad is different from other electronic devices.
- It’s more interactive than television
- It’s easier to use than a computer.
Suprising stats.
Recently, a Nielsen survey of adults with children under 12 in tablet-owing households has revealed that seven out of 10 children use a tablet.
That’s a 9% increase in tablet usage in children over the third quarter of 2011. As more adults adopt iPads, that number will continue to grow.
Playing and learning
Apple promotes the iPad as an educational tool that encourages creative, hands-on learning. But is it really?
“Sure, I’d rather she was building with Lego or in the sandpit, but we’ve got some good educational apps that teach skills, such as learning colours or pattern recognition, or basic counting games. It’s definitely not all bad,” says Gina.
Occupational therapist from ADDnova OT centre in Johannesburg, Lucinda Home, sees frequent use of the iPad among very young children in her practice. She acknowledges educational apps may have a role in teaching specific skills, but she is sceptical about the value of learning through a screen. Nothing can replace traditional play with the real world and other human beings, she says.
“Children learn and develop by integrating a variety of sensory inputs (touch, sight, hearing, movement and so on) to form an accurate picture of their environment and the elements of their current tasks. Integration and true learning of skills is dependent on feedback from the environment, specifically proprioceptive (muscle and joint feedback) and vestibular (movement) feedback.”
She explains that tablets strengthen the child’s ability to adjust to visual cues, without recourse to the other senses. She cautions that too much ‘app time’ may result in the child learning ‘splinter skills’ without truly understanding the concepts involved in the skill he appears to have developed.
“He has just learned through visual cues what the iPad ‘expects’ of him in the game.”
Tips from moms for managing technology
“If grown men can get addicted to Angry Birds, what can you expect from a child?” Gina laughs. “As a parent, you really have to manage it – 20 minutes is our maximum.”
Gina advises not leaving the iPad in plain sight. “Hannah will want to play with it if she sees it. We’ve also become much more aware of our own screen usage and have made more of an effort to keep cell phones, tablets and laptops out of family time.”
Ann, mom to Laila (6) and Millie (11), bans all screens from bedrooms. “I’d find them under the covers with my iPad!” she says.
Some moms find that an evening-only policy works best, while others allow access only on weekends. But definitely not at dinner.
Tablets such as iPads strengthen a child’s ability to adjust to visual cues with each game they play
Choose app games which are child-friendly and offer imaginative, open-ended play. “I spend time researching and trying the apps before we download. I used to let the kids download anything that was free, but the iPad just got clogged up with junk. I’ve decided I’d rather pay more for a game that engages the child and teaches something worthwhile,” says Ann.
Keep an eye out for enriching books, which include a story and game elements.
Always keep in mind that screen play is no substitute for active, social, and physical play.
What’s next …?
The iPad is just the start. Toy manufacturers, such as Disney and Mattel, are developing versions of traditional toys that work with the tablet. ‘Apptivity’ toys include remote control helicopters, cars that race on the iPad screen, and the new look Furby, with an accompanying app.
Always keep in mind that screen play on the iPad is no substitute for active, social and physical play.
How many kids have iPads?
Kids Industries, a specialist research and marketing company, found that 53% of children between three and eight years use their parents’ iPhone and 15% use their parents’ iPad. Around 52% of children have their own app-capable device (iPhone, iPod touch or iPad) and 6% of children between three and five years have their own iPad.
South African figures are likely to be much lower than those from the US and UK, but as these studies are over a year old, SA usage will have increased significantly in the past year.
Good apps for children
Although there are thousands of options, to aid your selection, check out www. commonsensemedia.org, an independent non-profit organisation that provides education and information on children and media. Their app reviews and top picks are categorised by age and type.
Children’s Technology Review – childrenstech.com – is another excellent source of interactive media products’ reviews for children. Toca Boca makes apps that stimulate the imagination and which kids seem to love. A variety of apps lets them keep shop, build robots, make food, and more. In Toca Hair Salon, they can cut and style hair on cute characters and take a snapshot. Toca Band allows kids to explore music. Sesame Street has some good ones. The Monster at the End of this Book’ is very cute and ‘Potty Time with Elmo’ features a story and potty chart.
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