would you get your 18 month old a LeapFrog Pad? (product in discussion)

devins_mommy

so im going out on black friday, and im really debating on getting my son this learning toy.
my parents say hes too young, but i feel like he would love it while we were out to dinner or in public. he can color and count and learn his animals on it.
i also feel like it will grow with him. my son is pretty ruff and tumble! he likes to throw his toys, but if i put a case on it it should be fine. what are your thoughts? - again my son is 18 months.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11776545&searchURL=false

Mijita

My MIL bought my LO an iPad for her 1st birthday. Many thought it was silly and outrageous, but at 15 months she knows how to turn it on, unlock it and navigate it (by scrolling) to her age appropriate games, books and educational activities.

I think it's a great idea! Who cares what anyone thinks, they are not buying it, so who are they to judge?!?!

Mallory27

I bought Makenzie and inno tab 2 for Christmas this year. I think its a good idea

Roxy

I want to get my son one he's only 13 months that way I can have my phone back lol

Mallory27

@Roxy Right! lol

Máthair

My daughter plays "games" on my phone all the time and I don't see anything wrong with getting your son his own thing. Maybe your parents think you are planning on him doing all the reading or math games. Lol there are so many products like that out there I can't keep track of which one does what.

BabyComingSoon143

That's exactly what I wanna get for my 15 month old! She adores my sisters iPad and loves baby mole!!!

pineapple07

I can see where your parents are coming from. To me it just seems like we are creating a dependancy on electronics at younger and younger ages. We all learned without them. I get times are changing but it bothers me when I see a child with their own cell phone and toddlers with their own tablets. While I think it is amazing that children have these tools to start learning at an earlier age, I feel it also isolates them because they aren't learning from another person.
*Just my two cents, I hope I didn't offend.*

littlenat86

I sort of agree with @pineapple 07 but don't want to offend you and understand your reasoning too! My son got the leapfrog explorer handheld last Christmas just after he turned 3.It is useful for when we are out and about but I always take colouring, books, jigsaws to these types of places....things he can do with people so he is also still interacting. I think he was a great age to get it. He still gets limits on the time he is allowed to play these things too as although they are a great learning tool I don't want him sat with a computer for hours. It's amazing how quick they learn to use them too isn't it, my one year already gets hold of my phone and tries to open it! x

Janet_2011

I think it all depends on the parent, i am not planning to buy my 1 year old anything electronic til shes a little older, but in the other hand is not like if i can afford anything of that sort at the moment, my 3 year old got a kindle at the age of 2 and people though it was too early, but she was the one who showed me where to even turn it on because i didnt find the button. and she was a pro at using it, and it became really good when go out , she also does her abcs , numbers and puzzles and other age related games. my 3 year old also uses my computer, but she has a time limit of 30-40 mins a day on it, since my little brothers are addicted to gaming, i dont want that for my girl.
if you feel like buying it.. go ahead no one can judge you.

devins_mommy

I agree, he is young. But its a great price, and u think hell love it. Especially when were out. He is very impatient lol is always trying to use my iPhone, he even knows what button to press to turn it on.

firsttimemom

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. That's what I bought my daughter for Christmas, she's 14 months. I was thinking of returning it, but I'm not. people kept telling me she was too young.

devins_mommy

@firsttimemom im so mad! i went out black friday to pick it up. and i waited 2 1/2 hours in line at walmart and went straight for the leapster isle. and it wasnt there.. so i asked 3 different associates one told me it was with the reg. leapester stuff. and another told me they were sold out, and the other one said it should be in the bins in the middle of the isles (which i had looked ne ways and only saw the leapster explorer 2) and then i see a lady with one in her carrage! i swear they only had ONE in stock because i searched that whole section like it was my job! :-( very sad. but i guess i can look at toys r us, i was just happy about the deal, it was only what 64$!!!

devins_mommy

my mom also told me i was making a "mistake" if i buy it lmao oh well i think hell love it!!!!

Máthair

@pineapple07

I fully understand your point but as long as a parent doesn't use technology as the parent but as an aid I don't see the harm. I was a single mom when my son was younger and he had a leapster with a few games, if we were running erands all day I would allow him to play with it in the car, but never in the stores (unless we would be sitting somewhere for more then 30 minutes and I had to have my attention focused on something/one else like my doctor. I would also allow him to play it if I was cooking dinner or doing something he couldn't help with. But he would be in the same room and we would be talking.

But because I didn't really allow tv time, and we had limited room for toys the game was a life saver at times. I would also play with him on the game.

devins_mommy

@Mathair i agree as long as he doesnt have his face in it ALL DAY LONG, i think its okay. like the car, he hates being in the car and his car seat i think that would be a good toy. he tends to throw his toys in the car. lol but thats not the point.

Máthair

Just be careful with him so young in the car with it. If you have to stop short it can crash into his face causing bruising or possibly breaking his little nose and make sure he knows to keep it far enough away from his face so he doesn't burn/harm his eyes. My son was 3 1/2 so he knew to keep it on his lap but needed reminding some times.

Máthair

I know target sells a contraption that locks a smart phone to a stroller or car seat, maybe there is one for the gaming system as well.

I also want to add that introducing computers young doesn't make kids addicted to games. My son, mentioned above, is 9 now, he has a ds and a tv in his room but hardly plays the ds (I honestly play it more - he is not allowed to have it in his room) and only watches an 30 minutes to one hour tops of tv a day. As long as you set and enforce limits on these things kids won't get addicted.

firsttimemom

@devins_mommy I bought it at kmart $70 it wasn't on sale. I couldn't go to black Friday. You could try today cyber Monday:)))