Home Tablet

[ruthandsam]

My 6 year old daughter wants a home tablet for her birthday. She mainly wants to be able to play games, take piccies, etc.

Any recommendations for which one to buy for under £100? My friend is selling an Archos 7 Home Tablet but I know nothing about these things. Her big brother is going to have a play with it tomorrow but if he had his way we would be getting an Ipad which is totally out of the question.

Many thanks

[hc4361]

The Archos is £55 on Amazon, reduced from £180

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/dp/B003COZM2C?tag=invihand-21

Read the description and reviews and see what you think

[hc4361]

For a 6 year old that Archos 7 will do everything she needs to.

[hc4361]

Why shouldn't a 6 year old have a tablet?
With apps like these there should be no concerns:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kidoz&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kiddoware.kidsplace&hl=en

[ruthandsam]

Thank you Triggerhippy and hc4361!! Much appreciated.

Just for clarification for the other messengers, I wasn't asking your opinion on if my soon to be 7 year old daughter should have a Home Tablet thank you very much.

[gingejbee]

We all know, what 6 year -olds want - 6 year-olds get.

[DJHawkes]

make sure you get a screen protector, my 14 year old grandson borrowed my kobo arc to play candy crush and the screen was a right mess afterwards.

[venator]

How about a Kindle Fire? She might even do some reading...

[sherrardk]

My five year olds have been playing on the ipad since they were four. My nine year has a a kindle fire which he loves and my eldest has a Nexuus which he is equally impressed with.

[ruthandsam]

Hmmm yes, especially as her 7 and a half year old cousin has one!

Just trying to think back to what I had for my 7th birthday - a plastic teaset I think. I remember filling the teapot with pond water and giving each of my friends a cuppa......

[sherrardk]

I'm considering buying one of the five year olds his own Kindle Fire for Christmas, he would be delighted with it and would look after it.

[ruthandsam]

Thank you very much for your answers. Much food for thought but we've still got 10 days to make up our minds. I've a feeling that the Home Tablet idea is being fueled by my sons opinion (he's 21)....

[hc4361]

Well, at £55 you can't go wrong.

[DJHawkes]

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/disruptions-what-does-a-tablet-do-to-the-childs-mind/?_r=0

Is there any evidence produced under controlled conditions that might impact on a parents decision whether or not to let a child use a tablet? Is there any evidence that tablet manufacturers are targeting parents with small children from a marketing/advertising point of view.

We can't judge any parents parenting skills based on how much TV time our parents allowed us. Schools in particular base so much of thier lesson and homework time on computer based activities. No longer do kids have to carry their school books home, all their homework is published online and completed, submitted and marked online. If a child progresses through pre-school and primary school with very little access to any type of computer or internet then they enter high school at a distinct disadvantage not only academically but socially and career wise.
I have been using computers since 1977 and seen an awful lot of development and used many different types of device, it's not over, technology based learning is developing faster than we could have imagined when we were lugging 3 lots of homework a night home and back to and from school. We all need to emrace technology for our kids and grandkids sake because it is what they are going to be living all their lives.

[AB Editor]

Comments removed that decided moral advice was more important than shopping advice...

Except the useful one...

What's the absolute top range of the budget? Have a look at the Nexus 7 if it's not too much.

Remember, it's likely to be relegated to the kitchen as a recipe book when she's grown out of it/it's got too old. I would suggest something that would be serviceable

Here's a couple of articles on setting the tablet up to be good for kids:

http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/how-to-make-android-child-friendly-1045708

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/google-android/3461359/parental-control-on-android/