There is no getting away with the fact that this world is almost fully digital. It is hard for any parent to admit that electronics such as tablets are going to be a major part of their children(s) life sooner than they had expected. I was one of those parents, and unfortunately I was judging. Fast forward six years on and my five year old now has his own tablet. So this post is going to show you how to choose the right gadget for your child.

I know many children that have had hand-me-downs when the parent or an older sibling upgrades their phones which is one of the best ways of getting them started. Hopefully they will appreciate the importance of looking after them and how expensive they are. There are some parents that appreciate that tablets can be entertainment and educational for their children as well as respite for us parents.

In lockdown sales of tablets rose almost 20%, educational apps grew extremely popular. There was a desperate need for them. They were used for lessons from their schools and some apps being used to send out resources. When all the pupiles returned after lockdown our school sent out weekly resources. To ensure the children can keep up with lessons when off because of illness.

How to choose?

If you’re lucky enough to have a choice into which tablet to choose there are so many on the market, prices ranging from £50 right up to £1,000. There are so many different makes and models. It can be a mind-field looking into which one is best, some say Apple is the best one (which is probably why it’s the most expensive). Then others say the cheaper versions are just as good, but it’s all up to the individual and their requirements.

When looking into which one, there are so many things to consider:

Cost – how much can you afford? If you cannot afford, then when birthdays and Christmas come round don’t be embarrassed to ask for money rather than a gift because people will understand.

Battery – do you need a tablet with a long lasting battery? Then look into which batteries last longer, and how long their lifeline is.

Weight – this factor is understated, but some children won’t be able to hold a tablet that is too big and heavy (unless you have a stand)

Accessories – look into what accessories you will need to get for the tablet, headphones and a good heavy duty case and how much this will cost. A stand is also useful if the tablet will be used on a surface and cannot be held.

Where to buy

It is also worth noting that you can pick up really good quality refurbished tablets on some websites, Apple do their own and there’s also places like CEX and Music Magpie. But it’s also worth checking about geting cover if you’re not very techincal minded!

The best apps

From then you have the decision of which app you want for the tablet. The same app you can get on a Kindle may be different to what it’s like on an iPad, but trying to work out which apps to put on I found baffling. We discovered many of these apps during lockdown as I suspect many other parents did. The only downside I found when trying to find one, was the use of the English language, many of the apps originate in America which uses different names and terms. There are many apps out there, but it’s always best to consult an educational authority such as a teacher.

There are many online social media groups you can consult which contains parents as well as teaching staff. Another thing to think about is that when you’re looking into which apps to go for, many of them do offer a free trial. I signed up to the top three apps using a free trial before I made a decision, and I used them before my five year old did to make sure I was happy with it.

Security

And finally this is the most important thing to look into if you’re leaving your child alone on the tablet, and that’s knowing what they’re looking at. Make sure the tablet has the specific settings so you have the ability to set time limits on them and websites you can block. There are many YouTube videos with how to do this as I hadn’t known where to start and a video came to my resue!

I really hope this has helped you choose the right gadget for child, happy purchasing!