Ipad Mini or Ipod for 10 year old

[Nana2Callie]

Suggestions please? My GD has been playing with my old droid phone which is just about done... so for her birthday I was thinking of replacing it with an Ipod but then Target has the mini on sale for $199. Now I'm wondering which would be the best and if an Ipod which version. Thanks,

 

[kymom99]

Whichever you decide on, make sure it has enough gigs to handle the apps she will want to download. The cheapest ones won't hold much. My son has an ipod 16g and it has plenty of space for all his apps and music.

 

[havaneselover]

My 10 year old has an IPad mini 16 gb (traded in my 1st generation IPad for $200 and she paid $275 for it) and a 32 gb IPod Touch 5th generation (bought used from Cowboom for $170).

If you can get the Ipad for $199, I'd say that's a no brainer unless she needs something smaller.

Another thing to consider--is a cell phone in her future? I know a lot of 12 year olds have much nicer Iphones than I do, so that may be a consideration (because there's no need for an Ipod touch really once you have an iphone).

My 9 year old who has a 16 gb IPad 2 (he bought it on Black Friday in 2012 for $350 or so) desperately wants a new IPod touch. He does say 16 gb is too small for his apps. I'm not sure if that's true. Trying to get him to hold out to see if they come out with a 6th generation IPod touch or if his sister gets an IPhone from her dad and lets him have her IPod touch.

 

[mjkacmom]

Another thing to consider--is a cell phone in her future? I know a lot of 12 year olds have much nicer Iphones than I do, so that may be a consideration (because there's no need for an Ipod touch really once you have an iphone).

Many of my 11 year olds' friends have iphones already (mine do not). They'll be getting them in a year, right before middle school. They have ipod touches now (which they've had for a few years). If there is a phone in the future, you might want to go with the mini.

 

[hsmamato2]

most kids that age seem to love their ipod touch.... they carry them around,play games, chat with friends..... an ipad is more delicate,less portable (esp. when you're 10 years old) I've noticed they stick it in their back pocket and go...

 

[LadiiAstroid]

My 10 year old sister has the touch but occasionally plays with my ipad mini. I would recommend the ipod touch because it is smaller and easier to carry around. My ipad mini would mainly stay home and in the car, but the touch my sister is able to take everywhere like how we carry phones.

Either way I would suggest someone get a case for the device, somehow every week it seems like the device just jumps out our hands. We use the Otterbox (defender series) and man that case has been a wallet-saver! Although these cases may not be the cute little cases, it does its just of protecting our devices.

But in the end, no matter what your get I'm sure she will be happy with it!

 

[JillyBean1899]

Either way I would suggest someone get a case for the device, somehow every week it seems like the device just jumps out our hands. We use the Otterbox (defender series) and man that case has been a wallet-saver! Although these cases may not be the cute little cases, it does its just of protecting our devices.

I second this. Kids are clumsy (heck, adults are, too), and having a good quality case like a Trident or Otterbox can save the device.

 

[EMode]

When my ds turned 10 he bought an ipad mini with his birthday money. That was 8 months ago and he hasn't used his ipod since. He just prefers the bigger screen for the apps he uses.
I would go get one for $199 because that is a great price, and then get a feel for what your dd might prefer. You can always return it if she decided she wanted a touch more.

 

[havaneselover]

It really is so situation dependent. The mini is harder to lose. We lose IPod touches constantly. The mini is also better for long car rides and swim meets.

As far as cases, our IPads are in Otter Box Defenders. My DD's IPod touch is in a Kazoo case.

 

[abmitch01]

I think the kids today are using the minis more than the iPods.

 

[Sparkly]

I have a iPod Touch 4th gen that I love. They're much cheaper then 5th gen ones too and is compatible with most apps. Also, it's portable.

 

[lovesdumbo]

My kids 11, 13, & 15 all love their minis. None of them have iPhones. I have an older touch that they use on occasion (my oldest took it on a school trip to NY rather than risk her mini).

I just bought myself a mini tonight at Staples. They price matched the Target $199 plus let me use the $20 coupon off tablets in their weekly flyer. I have a full size iPad but am looking forward to taking the smaller mini on trips.

 

[DawnM]

Two sons had iPod touches and once they go their iPads, haven't used the iPods again. We sold them.

 

[lvillotta1]

What a timely post. My DD 10 lost her ipod touch 4 gen about 3mos ago. I told her I was not replacing it and she had to save. I then saw the Ipad mini's on sale at Target and was there first thing sunday am to get one for her. I like the fact that it is small,but the screen is bigger to everything on. You can bring it anywhere and we got a good case to protect it. I surprised her Sunday morning and she has not put it down. It was a great decision for her. She will not be getting an Iphone in middle school so she will have this for a long time. Now my 6 y/o wants one too. I told her to start saving her money.

 

[princessfionasmom]

I would definitely go with the target deal on the iPad mini. It's a great deal and they bigger screen is definitely better. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

ETA my daughters input. My DD 11 has an iPod touch and she loves it. She love the portability of it. She always has it with her to listen to music. She likes that it's also more storage. The iPad mini is 16g and the 5th gen touch is 32g. She loves the extra storage for videos she makes of our pets and photos she takes. It is much easier to take photos with it also. That said, it's also much more expensive. Hers was $299.

 

[sksjasams]

Since this is an expensive purchase, I think you should ask her. Or at the very least have her mom hint around and try to figure out which she would prefer. I'm sure she would love either one, but it would be a shame to not get the one she actually wanted more.

 

[mieuxmew]

I have 10 year old twins. Here's my opinion.

My kids each have a 32 GB itouch. They go everywhere. My kids take photos, play games and make movies. It has an awesome retina screen. Each iTouch is is an Otterbox Defender case (buy on Amazon - cheaper than retail). 32 GB got filled up in no time and we are loading/unloading apps/movies/photos a lot.

The iPad mini on sale for $199 at Target is not the current 2nd generation retina screen model. This sale model may be shortly discontinued in a few months when the new iPad minis are released. The screen is not a retina screen and in my opinion a bit grainy. Second issue - 16 GB is very limited. The operating system takes up a few GB. HD movies can be 2-4 GB each, so having a few movies preloaded for a trip would gobble a lot of hard drive space.. Apps take up memory. This is very limited amount of hard drive space.

Just my 2 cents.

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