Is this a dumb idea?

[jlima]

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

That sounds like fun.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

Thanks for your input everybody. We decided to go ahead and get the 8 GB Touch.

 

[Syrreal]

That sounds like fun.

It's a really cute game and has the song in lots of languages too

 

[MinnieLove]

I am going to add my two cents, and I have a 16 yr old daughter and 6 yr old twins. If you give your 3 yr old an ipod, what is next...

What my experience is ... if you give a mouse a cookie he'll want.... his own cell phone at 4 and a laptop at 5. What is next. It is scary. I have watched the girls that my daughter has grown up with and how they have turned out. How what they are given effects what they expect. One of her friends received a Saturn as a 16th bday present and cried for a week because it wasnt a Hummer. Seriously! Same thing with the demands for Coach purses and electronics.

And not to say this will happen for the OP but I have seen it happen!

 

[penn19]

I am going to add my two cents, and I have a 16 yr old daughter and 6 yr old twins. If you give your 3 yr old an ipod, what is next...

What my experience is ... if you give a mouse a cookie he'll want.... his own cell phone at 4 and a laptop at 5. What is next. It is scary. I have watched the girls that my daughter has grown up with and how they have turned out. How what they are given effects what they expect. One of her friends received a Saturn as a 16th bday present and cried for a week because it wasnt a Hummer. Seriously! Same thing with the demands for Coach purses and electronics.

And not to say this will happen for the OP but I have seen it happen!

Could not agree more! Sort of along the same lines, one of my friends just got her daughter highlights for her 11th birthday. Really? An 11 year old needs highlights. And people ask why our country is in such a financial mess.........

 

[mickeymaker2003]

Although you can't tell from the fact that we did give her a Touch, we don't have any of that other stuff (except a laptop and a plain cell phone) and she won't either. She will have a computer (hand me downs from Mom & Dad) and eventually, she'll get a cell phone (not until she is in her teens). When she is old enough to drive, she will either be allowed to use our oldest car (which could easily be 10 years old) or my husband will help her find a safe, inexpensive used car (which she will have a job to help pay for--if she doesn't have a job, there is no need for her to have a car either). The fancy, name brand stuff isn't gonna happen. We don't buy that kind of thing and she'll have no expectation of ever getting them. We don't even get the Disney Channel...

 

[brandylouwho]

I was going to say, "Go for it," but I see you already bought one for your child.

My almost 3 year old uses my iPhone to play games, listen to music, look at photos & watch videos. It is amazing how well she can navigate through all the stuff on that phone.

We do make a big deal about having her sitting at all times with it (to minimize the chance of it falling & breaking). If I had the extra funds I'd definitely buy one of her own (so I could reclaim that disk space for my own stuff). Mine is only an 8GB, so our entire library isn't on it..I rotate movies, TV shows and some songs. But when my hubby finally upgrades from his old/original iPhone, it will be passed down to the kids without the phone feature.

We also have an "ancient" 5th generation iPod that still works fine, but it is not particularly user friendly for the preschool set. Our 6 yr old can handle it, but navigation is an issue for the 2 yr old.

I just need to add that having & using the iPods doesn't prevent us from having real conversation, playing tic tac toe (both on the phone & on paper), playing I Spy and all sorts of old fashioned fun. Technology doesn't always spoil us, it can actually enhance our lives.

 

[bennyrn12]

My 3 year old and 20 month old share my old iphone and let me tell you it is a lifesaver. We put some of their favorite tv shows on there for car rides and there are a ton of great kids apps out there. They are very good with it. Hope your 3 year old loves it!

 

[diamondpixienc]

I would treat myself to the newer one & just give her the older one.