Should You Get a Learning Tablet for Your Kids?

how tablet learning can work

Whether it’s watching videos or reading, there are plenty of ways for kids to learn! With so many educational apps, some parents are opting to let their children use a tablet to supplement their education.

Given the time kids can spend in front of a screen, many parents hesitate to give their children another device. Fortunately, looking at a tablet doesn’t have to be bad for your kids! If you’re wondering how on-screen learning can work in the classroom, there are a variety of educational advantages from using a kids tablet.

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Kid-Friendly Benefits of Learning with a Tablet

Screen time may not seem ideal for learning, but there are educational benefits associated with a children’s tablet. While it can teach responsibility, it also allows access to a variety of kid-friendly content. In the classroom, children can use a teacher app to improve memory, develop creative skills, and exercise spatial reasoning.

Many games and apps can help with children’s development. Fortunately, when the day is done, an iPad education also allows kids to engage with their teachers and classmates. By learning with up-to-date technology, they’ll be able to find the answers they need and integrate with their fellow students.

Should You Get One for Your Kids?

Despite potential benefits, you may want to hold off giving your small child a tablet. According to Dr. Carolyn Jaynes, a learning designer for LeapFrog, "Children under two years of age learn best from real-world experiences and interactions." This means that instead of giving them instant access, they should be using other methods of learning.

Whether it’s playing games with others or free play, doing these activities will help them to grow and develop. Once they’re using a tablet, it’s good to play together whether they’re learning the English alphabet or subtraction. This allows you to assist your child and monitor the time they spend on screen. As they enter the classroom, a children’s tablet can be used as part of the lesson plan.

Even when your children are older, make sure the learning tablets are NOT substitutes for real-world interactions. You can use them for supplements, but there are both benefits AND dangers associated with too much screen time. If you decide you'd like to make the investment, here are some options to consider.

Tallying the Options

You can, of course, let your child use your personal iPad, Samsung, or Android tablet. Those multipurpose tablets often include parental controls or kid-safe modes and can usually have a fairly long battery life. If you're sharing with the family, a normal iPad or other device pre-installed with their favorite games.

But if they’re entering preschool or kindergarten, they might benefit from their own device. There are plenty of options for a kids learning tablet just for your little one.

Kid-Friendly Learning Tablets

Here are a few tablets just for kids.

  • Fuhu Nabi 2 Tablet – Appropriate for kids 2 and older, this may be your child’s first computer. Fortunately, its rubber casing is made for wear so they can drop it without a fuss! With Fuhu Nabi, your children will have access to more than 500 kid-inspired apps in the Nabi App Zone.
  • Leapfrog LeapPad Ultra – This learning-centered kids tablet is appropriate for ages 4-9. It’s one of the best tablets to feature learning and comes with 800 apps on everything from language to social skills. It was also recommended by 98% of kindergarten teachers surveyed in 2013!
  • Lenovo Tab 4 8 – A tablet tailored to your little ones is great! However, it can be even better to have a truly adult tablet your kids can take to school. This Lenovo 8-inch also has an add-on Kids Pack so your children can use content while you retain parental controls.
  • Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition – Often noted as the best tablet for kids, this Kids Edition offers Kindle Fire FreeTime. You can easily create a profile for your child and choose apps, games, and books specifically for them. Whether for school or play, you have the ability to set controls and limit their time usage. The Kids Edition of the Fire 7 is also available and a little bit cheaper, but many prefer the Fire HD 8 for its extended 10-hour battery life. The Fire HD 8 also has twice the storage of the Fire 7, but this kids tablet is roughly twice the price of the earlier model.

Searching for Technical Support

There are many online resources that offer assistance if you need tech support for a tablet. If it has a help app, you may want to try using this. You may also be able to access a tutorial or guide app to help with some of its functionality.

Whether it’s a LeapFrog, Amazon, or Lenovo device, the manufacturer may offer online support, an FAQ, or customer service contact information.

Too much screen time can frustrate any parent! Fortunately, there are many benefits to learning with a children’s tablet inside and outside the classroom. Just make sure the parental controls are in place and you've talked about healthy media boundaries! If you're considering one, talk it over with family on FamilyApp. Whatever the case, there are plenty of educational benefits out there to make tablet time worthwhile.

What are your thoughts on kids and learning tablets? Do you have a favorite? Or do you tend to avoid these types of devices?

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