Some serious responses here. My initial post was more in jest. I'm not going to buy him one unless I need a 3G for some reason. Then, I will be passing this revolutionary educational device to my son (hopefully the wife will buy this). As far as my son carrying it around, I generally keep it out of his reach and put it on the coffee table if he wants to play with it. I've already warned him that I'll bust his ass if he scratches the screen or drops it.
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"Papa, I want your iPad"
- Thread starter funkeruski
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Hahaha. I can so imagine that.
On a serious note: At first this seemed like a silly idea to me to buy a 5 year old an iPad, but then I remembered that is around the age I got my first computer (Amiga 500). I think it's hugely beneficial to their development that every child is given their own computer at a point early on in their life. And then I realized, what better computer to give than an iPad? It does everything you'd want your kid to be able to do with a computer, it has a ton of educational and reading potential, it has excellent parental controls, and at $499 it's cheaper and less complicated than a full laptop or PC. So really, why not?
OK, good but if you do decide to give him the wifi make sure he does something to earn it, like mopping the floor
I'm 15 now, but when I was five I never got anything that expensive, and if I wanted anything worth more than 10 dollars I had to earn it somehow, except for hot-wheels I got to choose one every-time we went to the store. I got my first macbook when I was 11, and I had to save up the money, it took me almost a year. Then when I was twelve I bought my first iPod touch, already had money saved up because I had learned that it was better that way. My second iPod touch I got for free because it came with the family iMac, but I had to give my old one to my sister. And now I'm planning on buying a 3g iPad 32g. I already saved the money because I new I would want one whenever it came out since last year.
I handed down my black unibody Macbook to my then six year old when I got my MacBood Pro. She has also had her own 8GB iPod Touch for since they first came out. I don't think of them as expensive toys. They are very educational tools. My daughter, now age 7 - first grade, is an avid reader (on book 7 right now of the Harry Potter series, and easily does multi number multiplication and division and even some basic algebra. (We also have her in a very good school.)
We just supervise the content and limit the time on these devices. Used the right way, a computer is as much a tool for a young child as it is for us.
We just supervise the content and limit the time on these devices. Used the right way, a computer is as much a tool for a young child as it is for us.
At the risk of getting tons of stick
this ipad I am buying ( when Steve let's me) is for my 6 year old son.
Yes I would love love one. But. I will wait.
So he gets a 3g 32g. And I wait and save my pennies for another one.
My 14 year old gas had an iPhone since it's release and a MacBook
my 4 year old has an iPod touch
and the 6 year old in question has also an iPod touch.
The little ones use my iMac very comptently and my 6 year old was offered a MacBook or a ipad. But chose the ipad.
He also chose to wait for a 3g version instead of wifi only. ( I would have ordered via bundlebox for a wifi model)
and yes he absolutely understands what wifi and 3g are.
I let my children use these things because it teaches them so much but they ate not allowed on them all the time.
The iPod touch software taught my then 3 year old daughter to read.
Great stuff expected for the ipad.
All about parental supervision. Bu I must admit I'm kind if peeved sons birthday coincided with the ipad release date ( the FIRST one)
this ipad I am buying ( when Steve let's me) is for my 6 year old son.
Yes I would love love one. But. I will wait.
So he gets a 3g 32g. And I wait and save my pennies for another one.
My 14 year old gas had an iPhone since it's release and a MacBook
my 4 year old has an iPod touch
and the 6 year old in question has also an iPod touch.
The little ones use my iMac very comptently and my 6 year old was offered a MacBook or a ipad. But chose the ipad.
He also chose to wait for a 3g version instead of wifi only. ( I would have ordered via bundlebox for a wifi model)
and yes he absolutely understands what wifi and 3g are.
I let my children use these things because it teaches them so much but they ate not allowed on them all the time.
The iPod touch software taught my then 3 year old daughter to read.
Great stuff expected for the ipad.
All about parental supervision. Bu I must admit I'm kind if peeved sons birthday coincided with the ipad release date ( the FIRST one)
If you give him the iPad now, there's no end in sight. He'll be sponging off you till he's 30 and won't move out until he's 40.
Kids nowadays... they had everything handed to them on a silver platter. Now with the recession over our heads, you have to work twice as hard for half as much. And be grateful you have a job.
If you get this for your son, you must instill in his mind that it's a tablet for learning, and that learning is the most important thing he can do. Sew this idea into his mind.
when teach a child to love to learn, and make them feel like the luckiest person in the world for getting to go to school, you are setting them up greatness. The iPad can be a device for the lazy or just the opposite.
Your son will go one direction or the other... Lead him
when teach a child to love to learn, and make them feel like the luckiest person in the world for getting to go to school, you are setting them up greatness. The iPad can be a device for the lazy or just the opposite.
Your son will go one direction or the other... Lead him
I'm all for letting a 5 year old use an adult's iPhone/iPad, supervised. But the concept of purchasing a $500 object for a 5 year old, for their sole posession outright, is a bit ludicrous in my book.
An expensive item purchased for a young child sets them up for a basic lack of appreciation for the value of a dollar. A 5 year old is just starting to grasp the concept of money. Giving them adult toys breeds conspicous consumption habits at an early age. This might be ok for some multi-millionaire family's trust fund kid who will never have to interact with anyone with less, or never be forced to live with less themelves, but for 99.9% of the population, it will just lead to problems. Same goes for the iPhone.
Never mind that a 5 year old can't even appreciate what $500 is worth, they simply don't have the mental or physical skill set to treat something like it's worth that much. It will be either lost, stolen, broken, or traded for a couple of Twinkies in short order by the vast majority of 5 year olds, regardless of how sophisticated their parents think they are.
To be sure though, more and more parents are giving their children these type of extravagant gifts, and those kids are growing up with an ever increasing flagrant sense of entitlement.
An expensive item purchased for a young child sets them up for a basic lack of appreciation for the value of a dollar. A 5 year old is just starting to grasp the concept of money. Giving them adult toys breeds conspicous consumption habits at an early age. This might be ok for some multi-millionaire family's trust fund kid who will never have to interact with anyone with less, or never be forced to live with less themelves, but for 99.9% of the population, it will just lead to problems. Same goes for the iPhone.
Never mind that a 5 year old can't even appreciate what $500 is worth, they simply don't have the mental or physical skill set to treat something like it's worth that much. It will be either lost, stolen, broken, or traded for a couple of Twinkies in short order by the vast majority of 5 year olds, regardless of how sophisticated their parents think they are.
To be sure though, more and more parents are giving their children these type of extravagant gifts, and those kids are growing up with an ever increasing flagrant sense of entitlement.
You don't understand kids these days apparently. 5 yo are very tech aware and savvy
Depends what it's for. If it's for indulging in Facebook 24x7, then bad idea.
If it's for education, then price is less important. It's analogous to the common practice (years ago) of parents stretching themselves financially to buy their kids barely-affordable sets of encyclopedias. Perhaps being not so fortunate themselves, they understood that knowledge really was power.
Today, $500 is piffling compared to the lifetime cost of educating a kid.
If it's for education, then price is less important. It's analogous to the common practice (years ago) of parents stretching themselves financially to buy their kids barely-affordable sets of encyclopedias. Perhaps being not so fortunate themselves, they understood that knowledge really was power.
Today, $500 is piffling compared to the lifetime cost of educating a kid.
I agree. It'd be ridiculous to buy a kid that age an iPad. He should be outside scrapping his knee and getting dirty and playing with friends and sticks.
Very tech savvy.
Very bright
more so it seems than a lot of MR posters as he was prepared to wait for the 3g version rather than jump at the wifi.
Spolit brat no. He does understand money. He does play outside when he can but has a number of difficulties.
Tell me how many 6 year olds could understand the concept of wifi and 3g. And then understand that to get what he wanted he would have to wait.
He has problems with physical abilities. But is amazingly bright and loves all things techie. Who am I to take away his strengths.
Very bright
more so it seems than a lot of MR posters as he was prepared to wait for the 3g version rather than jump at the wifi.
Spolit brat no. He does understand money. He does play outside when he can but has a number of difficulties.
Tell me how many 6 year olds could understand the concept of wifi and 3g. And then understand that to get what he wanted he would have to wait.
He has problems with physical abilities. But is amazingly bright and loves all things techie. Who am I to take away his strengths.
You clearly know my son better than me. As He isn't able to do what you suggest.
If I can afford to buy him an ipad I will. For the record I will be buying one for my 4 year old daughter and my elder son for their birthdays in the summer.
They don't abuse their stuff. I don't buy them anything in between birthdays and Xmas and they are not spolit. They appreciate their possesions and really look after them.
Thank you. Not all 6 year olds Have no respect for their stuff. He has an iPod that he treasures. Tbh it's less scratched than my phone.
My daughter loves some of the early reading apps and we are really looking forward to the bookstore too.
I got an idea.
Invisible shield your iPad (he is a 5 year old after all) and let him play with it (limited amount of hours per day like parents do with video games BUT only let him play educational games).
*Problem solved*!!
Invisible shield your iPad (he is a 5 year old after all) and let him play with it (limited amount of hours per day like parents do with video games BUT only let him play educational games).
*Problem solved*!!
With all due respect, I wonder if some of the posters have children.
Your children know what they learn from you. My daughter has had her own iPod Touch since she was 4. I promise you she has never thrown it across the room or mistreated it in any way. She knows it's a valuable tool, because I taught her that. A 5 year-old is more than capable of being trusted with a relatively expensive piece of equipment, if they have had the proper guidance.
It is still up to the parent to guide content and time of usage.
By the way, my daughter has time enough to split between homework time, outside time, computer time, Karate class, Ballet class and Adventure Club at school. I would no more let my daughter spend all day on the computer than she would want to spend all day on the computer. But, when she's curious about something (which is very often) and wants to look something up, she goes to google or wikipedia - on her own.
Computers are and should be PART of a child's education these days.
Your children know what they learn from you. My daughter has had her own iPod Touch since she was 4. I promise you she has never thrown it across the room or mistreated it in any way. She knows it's a valuable tool, because I taught her that. A 5 year-old is more than capable of being trusted with a relatively expensive piece of equipment, if they have had the proper guidance.
It is still up to the parent to guide content and time of usage.
By the way, my daughter has time enough to split between homework time, outside time, computer time, Karate class, Ballet class and Adventure Club at school. I would no more let my daughter spend all day on the computer than she would want to spend all day on the computer. But, when she's curious about something (which is very often) and wants to look something up, she goes to google or wikipedia - on her own.
Computers are and should be PART of a child's education these days.
Funny you should say this as I'm in college and this is totally true.
Believe it or not but MOST of my learning activities/homework happens online now.
I learn more from doing tutorial/interactive study guides at home than going to class. The professors are there now for any additional help a student might need + giving you grades (heck grading is automatically generated online nowadays from the online homework and you can see your grade instantly).
i say go with get him to be nice and doing his chores right, so he can buy time on ur ipad, that wat he knows its value