Tablets for kids

I'm sure everyone has at least heard of the iPad and other tablets that are out there, especially those of you who will read this. I was on engadget.com the other day and an article caught my eye in regards to tablets. VTech has created a new tablet called the Innopad which is targeted for children. It is basically an updated Leap Frog type of technology, however, has many more uses than just a game for learning. This tablet is built to take beating (we all know how kids are) and could probably be beneficial to some clumsy adults, like me. I think it's a great way to keep kids utilizing new technology and prepared for the next new thing to come out. However, if this is your child's primary way of learning... I would question your parenting skills. Don't get me wrong, I do think that games for learning are a wonderful idea. Some kids do not have older siblings to learn from, for example I was writing my name by age 3 because my sister taught me how whereas someone else the same age might just be watching Baby Einstein videos which, if I remember correctly, do not have much of an effect. Don't quote me on that though. I believe that these types ideas are worthwhile and beneficial, however, I do not think that parents should rely on technology and school systems for their children to learn. There is much more to gain from social learning, experience, and general knowledge sharing between peers, relatives, etc. Plus, children crave attention, love, and new knowledge from their parents and without that attention there can be psychological impacts. Now that I've noticed my ranting, let's get back to basics here... VTech's new Innopad is a great way to incorporate learning into technology use, however, in my opinion it should not be your child's primary learning source.

The article about the VTech Innopad is here: VTech Innopad