Is this a dumb idea?

[mickeymaker2003]

Is it completely ridiculous to give a 3 year old an iPod Touch (8GB)?

All of our music is stored on the computer (all the CD's are packed away in boxes in the basement). My daughter likes to listen to music and has books that can be read with CDs. The only CD players in the house are the DVD players (which would require having the TV on for sound).

We were looking into getting her an MP3 player because she is asking for her own music. My husband wants it to work with iTunes because that is what he uses. A shuffle does not show what song is playing and it would be difficult for me to find the correct book or song for her, so that is out. A nano would work since it shows the current song.

We found a used iPod Touch (3rd Generation, 8GB) for the same price as a new Nano with the same capacity. It is touch screen and icon based, so my daughter can use it by herself. She already knows how to turn it on, unlock it using the slider, change pages on the menu, play her games (toddler games from the app store), start her movies (digital copies of Disney movies that came with some of our Blu Rays), turn it off, and play music on my Touch (I have a 32 GB one). She wouldn't be able to do any of this (except turn it on) with a nano because it is all text based and she can't read the menus and the dial mechanism would be harder to operate. She also likes the streaming Pandora radio (Disney and Toddler music stations) and a Nano can't use it.

Is it insane to get her this? We want her to have her own of whatever it is so there isn't anything on there that she shouldn't be getting into (only toddler friendly music, movies, and games).

Edited to add: We decided to go ahead and buy the Touch.

 

[Justsyd2]

I think it's a great idea. Just watch her with it, and explain to her to not throw it, or drop it!

 

[pixiewings71]

I guess it depends on whether you can afford to buy her another one if she breaks it somehow. I know that for what I paid for DBF's ITouch (xmas/bday gift) I wouldn't buy one for my girls and they are 10 & 13......

 

[mrsklamc]

I would get a speaker doc of some kind for it. I would be very concerned about a 3 year old being able to tell what an appropriate volume level was and worry about possible hearing damage.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

She sits on the couch to use it and brings it back to me when she is done--she doesn't run around with it and she will not be taking it outside the house. She wears her Leapfrog kid-sized headphones (I set the volume and she doesn't know the volume buttons are there)--if it is just hers I can set the volume limiter thing on it as well. It is in a silicon case and has a screen protector on it.

Our other issue is we have a few of those iHome docking stations/alarm clock/radios. They require a different insert for each iPod. If we all have a Touch, we can dock them all anywhere since they will all be the same physical size and use the same connectors. We also can use all the same accessories (screen protectors, cases, cables, etc).

BTW: The price is $130 for the 8 GB Touch with USB cable and a silicon case. No headphones come with it, which doesn't matter because we wouldn't use used earbuds and she already has her own headphones--we won't let her wear earbuds because she's not sticking anything in her ears. Her headphones are the type with the big foam cups that go over the ears similar to the ones they use to check your hearing (the old fashioned kind). If it breaks, we would rather it was hers than ours and we wouldn't necessarily replace it immediately.

 

[msmayor]

No...I would in no way hand a 3 year old something like that. They are not yet equipped to know how fragile it is, or that it simply cannot/should not be dropped, sat on, banged, hit with anything, shown to the family pet, etc.

Not to mention that their hearing is still developing, and putting those earbuds in such a young ear can be damaging.

As another poster said, get a speaker dock and keep it up out of reach.

 

[okeydokey]

I personally wouldn't do it, but then I don't have that kind of disposable income.

 

[tinkercat]

Well, I had people tell me I was nuts for giving my 3 year old an American Girl doll...but I did it anyways and she LOVES that doll. Totally worth it for us.

If you think she can handle it, $130 isn't a bad price. It sounds like you are planning to buy her an MP3 player of some sort anyways, and its your money to spend.

 

[foltzy]

I let my almost 5 and almost 3 year old use mine. I say go for it. We don't use the earbuds with mine we just set it aside and my oldest knows how to turn on the kids music I keep on there. So she'll set it on our living room table and dance around to Phineas and Ferb songs. They know the rules, they can't take it anywhere and must sit on the couch. They have certain games they know they are allowed to play and where they are. No videos yet but once I put some on they'll be allowed to access those too.

 

[meghanlea]

our son just turned 3 and he plays with DH's all the time. Just yesterday we were in the car and he handed it to him and he able to go to the disney app and play the cars game. But we also gave our daughter a DS at age 4 and then he too got a DS for his birthday this year b/c they fight over hers. I think it all depends on your child and how they handle things. You know your child better than anyone. We have friends who's children are the same age as ours and they have been through 6 DS's already b/c the kids don't take care of them.

 

[luv2nascar]

no I wouldn't. Three yr olds are not responsible enough to handle the ipod touch.

 

[deva]

IMO this seems quite excessive for a 3 year old. You can get her an FP 3 (Fisher Price MP-3). Very easy to download songs and you can assign an icon to each one so she still chooses by "picture". You can also download stories from the Fisher Price website. Kid friendly, parent friendly and cheap.

Call me old fashioned, but just because my child is able to operate a tech gadget doesn't mean he is entitled to one of his own.

 

[3boymthr]

Well, for a 3 yo no I wouldn't.

If you don't mind used I'd go with a refurbished nano for $99 direct from Apple. It comes with earbuds that you can save for later and it comes with a 1 year warranty.

We have an iHome dock. On our dock that little plastic insert is just there for looks. Oldest DS has a classic, middle DS has a 5th gen nano and I have a touch. We can put any of the ipods on it without having to change the base as the actual charging point is the same for all our ipods and you don't need the little plastic insert for your ipod to connect to the dock. We just took it out.

 

[Cornhusk]

Sure!













If I wanted it broken.

 

[hcmomma]

My dd - she will be 3 next week - uses mine as often as I do. It is great when we are waiting somewhere for her older siblings. Would I buy her one? Probably not but that is for purely financial reasons. If I had the money I would get rid of the DSs and just have iTouches for the kids (the youngest does not have a DS but the older kids do). I hate looking for those tiny DS games.

If you have the money and you would not be upset if she broke it then I think you should buy her one.

 

[PrincessNoelle'sMom]

You know your dd best. It sounds as if she has rules and you are being totally safety concious. This generation of kids are so technilogically (sp?) advanced that she is probably ready for it. My ds could fully use a computer and mouse at 2 1/2. I'm still having trouble at 30-something

BTW - that is a great deal! I am currently shopping for one for my dd and can't find anything below $185, except for apple store refurb, but they are not in stock all the time.

 

[Syrreal]

We gave DS (then 2.5) one of our old iphones when we got the new 3G ones. We disabled the calling feature and put a whole bunch of kiddie apps and some disney movies on for him (especially his faves- Cars and WallE) and "his" music. He is pretty careful with it and nothing has happened to it yet. It's great to keep him entertained.

His fave apps are a little puzzle one called Shapebuilder (also in Spanish), Bus (interactive wheels on the bus game), and pocket god

 

[Traveliz]

IMO this seems quite excessive for a 3 year old. You can get her an FP 3 (Fisher Price MP-3). Very easy to download songs and you can assign an icon to each one so she still chooses by "picture". You can also download stories from the Fisher Price website. Kid friendly, parent friendly and cheap.

Call me old fashioned, but just because my child is able to operate a tech gadget doesn't mean he is entitled to one of his own.

But on the other hand - the FP item will be outgrown and in just a couple of years where the IPOD would last much longer. That is something to think about too.

Liz

 

[racechick8293]

My daughter is 4 and uses my iPhone all the time for the games. As long as she continues to act appropriately with it, she's welcome to use it.

You know your child best. If you are considering the iTouch, it's likely because you know that they would be responsible with it. And, IMHO, an iTouch with a good protective case on it can take quite a beating!

 

[mickeymaker2003]

IMO this seems quite excessive for a 3 year old. You can get her an FP 3 (Fisher Price MP-3). Very easy to download songs and you can assign an icon to each one so she still chooses by "picture". You can also download stories from the Fisher Price website. Kid friendly, parent friendly and cheap.

I just looked up the FP3 player on Amazon. The cheapest one is $150. I wonder if they are no longer making them...