We live in a totally digital world, and our children are actually part of their lives from birth. In addition, children have always played to imitate adults, so they also want to spend their leisure time and education in front of a screen.
An 8 – year – old should not have a smartphone, it is true, but that does not mean you can not reap the benefits of technology. If we buy a tablet from a child, this is not going to make it isolate and become less sociable, because that will depend on the education we give your parents. The truth is that, since we live in a technological world, it is logical and beneficial to become familiar with these devices as soon as possible, provided that proper use is made, of course.
Tablets for children: advantages and disadvantages
Like all tools, if well used we will draw much benefit from them. Among its greatest advantages are the following
- Interaction: unlike television is a passive activity, tablets require participation by the child, are interactive activities that provide an immediate response from the child ‘s actions (applause when hits, increased the score, etc.)
- Stimulation of learning: if a child hears a story on the tablet may be reading and also listening to the words, learning new concepts and terms. The catalog is very extensive: history, nature, languages, literacy, memory, mental calculation … Many applications are designed to improve care and stimulate children.
- Digital technology is present but also the future of education: in one device find all the necessary knowledge, multimedia files that make it more attractive matter to study, give more independence to children while helping them (and Guide) to solve problems.
- Unlimited source of culture: we must not forget that the content available is almost unlimited (unlike other sources of entertainment) and, in addition, parents can select appropriate to their age and our objectives contained, and not as in the case of, For example, television, which is a programming grid with a closed playlist and the only thing we can choose is to turn it on or off.
- Socialization: yes, contrary to what many think, digital devices promote contact with friends, family and even with people from anywhere in the world. Again, controlled by adults, these contacts can be very effective of course, there are also some drawbacks.
Let’s look at some of them:
- Sedentary lifestyle: Indeed, if the time you spend with the tablet is excessive, it can lead to obesity or postural problems (just like watching TV, on the other hand).
- Inappropriate content: Children still can not distinguish between what is right and wrong, between reality and fantasy, and if they access inappropriate content for their age they may encounter sexual or violent scenes.
- Dependence: Although this problem occurs in fewer cases it also exists. Some people are more prone to it than others, and children are people.
These risks exist, of course, but all have the same solution: a logical and healthy use of these tools. And this correct use must be supervised by us adults.
See Also: Technology That Helps Teach and Learn
Keys for the good use of the tablets
To avoid these problems just need that parents or guardians are aware and know how to exploit all the resources that this technology offers.
- Set a maximum time: We must limit the use of the screens in the day, and not only of tablets but also of computers and television. Depending on the age, a child should not be too long in front of the screens. Here we must set an example and, as adults, do the same, of course.
- Always with them: We will centralize the use of the tablets and have them play with them where we can see them, in the room for example. That way we will control what you are seeing and, best, we can share it and spend more time together.
- Use a parental control program: Although many tablets designed for children already have a pre-installed, we must always have an application that prevents them from entering inappropriate web pages. Some of these applications contain many more tools, such as game time control.
- The duty before pleasure: It is more than advisable to first do the homework and, once finished, can play with the tablet. Thus, we can also reward you for your previous effort.
- Nothing tablets before going to bed: Well, no tablets, no phones, no computers or TV. All this makes you nervous and prevents you from getting a proper rest.
Guide to buying a tablet
After seeing the many benefits and knowing what you, as a parent or guardian, must do to avoid risks, we come to the next point: “What tablet you buy?”
Despite its undeniable quality, it is not a good idea to buy a 500 dollar tablet for a child: they do not adapt to their needs or are prepared for their “hands.” So there are child models designed specifically for them. Here’s how to choose:
- Age: There is no idea to introduce in the digital world now, but recent psychological studies show that the minimum buy an electronic device is the age of two years, an age that the American Association of Pediatrics has set a limit for it.
- Size: This is much easier to hit: no less than 7 – inch size, on the other hand, it is one of the most widespread. Obviously, a 9 or 10-inch tablet will offer the contents to a larger size, but obviously, also the size of the device may be too large for children to handle.
- Technical Specifications: Again it depends on the age of the child, as it grows as you go choosing more complex games and therefore require more features to the device. As a general rule, in order not to be short, we can say that we should look for a tablet with a quad-core processor, 1 GB of RAM (better if they are 2 GB) and at least 8 GB (better if they are 16) of internal memory All existing in the market support microSD card to expand memory).
Some tablets to choose from
Among the tablets aimed especially at children, we can find good devices like these, whose prices range from 49 euros to 150 of the most expensive.
Tablet Vexia Tab 8i Big Hero 6
With a quad – core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8 – inch screen HD, 16GB memory (expandable via microSD), front camera of 2 megapixels and rear 5, dual speaker, also has exclusive content of the movie Big Hero 6 as an interactive eBook.
Clan Motion Tablet
The official tablet of the children ‘s channel has a quad – core processor, 7 – inch screen, two cameras, and even connect HDMI to connect to the TV.
Out of these, and if you want to buy a tablet that is not specifically child, we also have many options:
SPC Glow 7 “
Pink, blue or white are the colors that will find this device containing a quad – core processor, 7 – inch screen, 8 GB of memory … ideal home tablet.
Tablet Lenovo Tab3
Something more powerful than previous (has 2 GB of RAM), and 8 – inch screen, the rest of the specifications are the same but adds Face Unlock option.
Tablet ASUS Zenpad
Also with 8 inches, this tablet offers 5.1 surround sound that added to the DTS-HD and SonicMaster technology, will result in an excellent (and powerful) sound. The rest of its features are similar to the previous ones: QuadCore processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB memory, 5 and 2-megapixel cameras, Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.
And these are just a few examples. It should be clear that the use of tablets, per se, is not harmful but quite the opposite. That, yes, without forgetting that they are children and, as such, need the supervision of adults because they do not know the risks. Being cautious not have any problem and enrich the lives of our children.