Do you use iPhone or iPad Apps to teach your kids?

Leekeisha - posted on 05/23/2012

For my 7 year old I downloaded the dictionary, Spanish lite which is app that teaches Spanish, a Spanish dictionary, and other apps that may help enhance his vocabulary and help with different subjects in school.

Kristie - posted on 05/23/2012

I have a Kindle Fire and have some learning apps on it for the kids. Mainly aimed towards my youngest but some for the oldest. My 7 year old plays them all

Leekeisha - posted on 05/23/2012

The same way you read to your kids, I read to mine on the iPad using my iBooks app. I always say don't knock it until you try it. My kids are supervised by my husband and I when they are on the iPad and we all enjoy as a family. They know not to touch without us around. Learning starts from home and electronics are the new substitution. Time to get on board

Leekeisha - posted on 05/23/2012

Yes I use the iPad to teach my kids. The iPad was not bought or my kids, it was a gift to me from my husband for Christmas. It nothing different than using a computer which I believe most of us have because we are active members on this website. The iPad has many education sites for kids. I set boundaries and my kids know not to touch it without the supervision of my husband or myself. I monitor what they look at and the time spent. Learning starts from home and this is the future prepare your kids. The apps we enjoy are super why , ABC animals, and the number train.

Natasha - posted on 10/17/2011

nope not at all...I bought books that help teach him letters and numbers...it's bad enough schools are leaving electronics to teach are children...

Sherri - posted on 10/17/2011

Wow thank heavens that is not everywhere Kelly because I can not afford and would not buy either for my kids.

Kelly - posted on 10/17/2011

I have also been told that when my daughter is in her 1st year of high school, year 9, (12-13yrs old) there is a compulsory iPad or net book on the stationary list, so it shows it is definatley their future......all in moderation I say :)

Marissa - posted on 10/16/2011

I have a droid phone and a kindergartner. I got some shape apps and number apps hose seem to be where she is having the most trouble. She also has a Nintendo DS Lite so I got her the cookie monster counting game to help with that

Stephanie - posted on 07/18/2011

For those who let their kids play with iPads, I have compiled a list of iPhone/iPad apps for kids that have recently gone on sale. There are some $3.99 interactive storybook apps that are now just $0.99. Some apps are even free now. This list is updated often so do come back to get the best deals http://bit.ly/pTc2hy

Edna - posted on 07/03/2011

NO! don't even let her use the computer yet. i think it's awful that people hae to resort to using these things to teach children whats wrong with a good book and some time and attention!!!

Teresa - posted on 07/02/2011

I don't think they will ever require that a student has their own laptop (at least at elementary age) unless the school's are going to pay for them. That would put low income students at an extremely unfair disadvantage. Maybe if you aren't talking about a public school they could require it, but not in public schools. All the kids at our school do have use of computers and there was the option to purchase your child's so that they could also use it at home, but for $350 each.... No way I could do that times two (I have twins).

Tara - posted on 07/02/2011

@Christine : towards the middle of the year, my daughter's class (1st grade) got two Ipads that they regularly used (other classes got them as well). Each student doesn't have their own, but I wouldn't be surprised if at some point, all students are required to have their own laptop or similar device.

Tammy - posted on 07/01/2011

My daughter has had her own iPod touch and has known how to use it since she was a year and a half (she is now 3). She has trouble falling asleep at night, so that's when she gets her iPod and it helps. She has learned so much from this little device. Not just from apps that I download for her, but also from YouTube! She's learned the alphabet, counting, colours, animals, nursery rhymes in several languages (first I thought she was just singing in baby talk, then I recognized several words in Spanish and Japanese!). It's amazing what kids can learn by themselves!

edit: My favorite apps don't matter, it's what my daughter's favorite apps that does. She loves Zen Brush, Moose & Zee, Dora Skywriting ABC, Baby Apps, Itsy Bitsy Spider, among others.

Teresa - posted on 07/01/2011

I don't have an iPhone or an iPad.... ;) All my kids have learned to count and learned the alphabet from one on one time w/ mom, books, etc... Well, my 3 year old is still working on it, but he's doing pretty good. :)

My girls DID play a Snoopy ABC game on the computer when they were 2, but it didn't teach them anything.... they already knew it all. :)

Stephanie - posted on 07/01/2011

Yes, there are lots of educational apps for different age groups and they keep the child entertained while still learning. Interactive books are also a fun way for the kids to pass the time. I wish there were these things while I was growing up! Check out the Top 5 Apps of the Week http://bit.ly/ktJglb as voted by parents. #1 app is an interactive storybook that kids will surely have fun playing with. There is also an app giveway right now - still some codes left for those who would like to receive free copies of different interactive storybooks. http://bit.ly/iufYzk

Janie - posted on 07/01/2011

There are some great games that offer more education than 'angry birds' without making the kid feel like they're being given a school lesson. I love "fly high" It's a math game with 3 levels; the first is perfect for my 2nd grader. There are math problems and three answers at the bottom. The faster you answer the problems (correctly) The faster the rocket flies into space and the more points you get. I just go to the app store - categories - educational. Then I download a few and try them out myself to see if they are appropriate for my child. If they seem fun and appropriate I show them to him, otherwise I delete. There are a million free educational apps. Also, there are free apps to download e-books So Philip always has a book at his fingertips while he's bored at the grocery store or in the car or wherever.

Christine - posted on 07/01/2011

Just because you use technology doesn't mean they are getting hooked on anything as long as you set limitations and monitor them. It also doesn't mean that you have to replace technology with "real life" interactions, that would be just crazy. Technology is the future so embrace it or get left behind. Anything that gets a child excited and engaged about learning is wonderful in my book. Many school districts are also starting to provide ipads to their students starting as young as Kindergarten.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13...

http://www.newsy.com/videos/kindergarten...

Otillua - posted on 07/01/2011

i dont they break enough stuff without using my phone but for those of you that do leapfrog has an ipad coming out in august whwere you can download apps for the kids

Tara - posted on 07/01/2011

I also wanted to agree with the technology being the future thing. They start kids out using computers and things, in preschool here and in 1st grade our daughter knew how to get to the sites she needed to in school (she will start 2nd grade in the fall and our son will start Kindergarten). In the classrooms, they use things called "Smart Boards". It's a big projector screen pulled down and the classroom computers are hooked to it. The kids do all sorts of work on these boards (by touching it and using a wand type thing if needed).

There really is no way to avoid technology anymore..no matter how much you may want to.

Stephanie - posted on 07/01/2011

@Kelly Bennett I also agree that technology is the future. And it's really technology that keeps people connected and further enhances human interaction (maybe not physically, but people are more connected now than ever before)

@Kimberly Anderson that's exactly one of the things that made me decide to buy an iPhone - the ability to get information any time you need it!

Stephanie - posted on 07/01/2011

@Shawnn Lively yes I guess everyone feels differently about technology - I respect your opinion. I guess you shouldn't just give them the gadgets and forget about them. Parents should be there to monitor and guide them while their using it. These gadgets are just tools to help but not really there to replace people. It depends on how it's being used.

Kimberly - posted on 07/01/2011

I dont use app really cause my kids are older and have their own phones but I do use my phone to look up info all the time where ever we are and we are looking at something or kids ask a q I google it and bring up info and we have alot of on the spot learning. One example was when i told my kids that Lovelock, NV has a tradition of locking a lock to seal in the love for ever. My daughter asked a few questions and I googled it and told her all about it while learning it's origins myself. aka it's a tradition from China.

Kelly - posted on 06/30/2011

Yeah for sure, I let my children use my ipod and ipad, technology is there future!!! At the end of the day, schools allow children to use technology from the day they start school..................It's another great way of keeping the child interested in learning.......fun learning, and they don't think they are learning, but it's amazing what they learn and where they learn it from.......I say stop being so old school....TECHNOLOGY IS OUR FUTURE AND IT IS ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDRENS FUTURE!!!!!

Sherri - posted on 06/30/2011

Nope I don't agree with electronics teaching our kids. They are surrounded with it every turn they make 24/7. I would much rather teach them more hands on and having a bigger part of their eduction without leaving it to an electronic device.

Tara - posted on 06/30/2011

I want to add that I don't have any problems with my kids wanting to play on my Ipod constantly. They would rather play with their toys or outside, but every once in a while, they like to sit and just relax with the game. Or it's wonderful for long car rides, if they start to get bored. Just because you let a child play with some electronic device, doesn't mean you're using it as a "babysitter".

There is nothing wrong with letting your child play games on those things now and then. You are the parent and it's your job to set the limitations. Those children who feel like they can't live without them, have not been given any rules/guidelines of when they are allowed to use those things or for how long. If you set rules, everything is fine.

Tara - posted on 06/30/2011

I don't use my Ipod Touch to teach them anything, but I keep several educational games/apps on there for them, if they ever want to play on it. And you are right, there are tons a great apps out there for kids to play, that are fun and educational for them.

Shawnn - posted on 06/30/2011

Absolutely not! There are plenty of "real life" interactions that you can use to accomplish the same thing, without making your kid feel like being hooked to a (IMO, stupid) technological device! The sooner you "indoctrinate" them into the world of cell phones, ipads, or whatever, they think they "can't live w/out them", when, in fact, EVERYONE can live without being 24/7 connected.

I don't approve of electronic babysitters. Just my opinion