Toddler + iPhone =

I have recently read a blog post by Patrick Hunt on the effects of the Apple iPhone and a young child.

I can understand fully how engrossed children can become with a product, having been one myself and also having contact with young people both through work and at home, having grown up with three younger sisters. However, I believe this could be different to anything I have seen before.

I would welcome and embrace a child's enthusiasm for an educational device, especially at such a young age. If the iPhone has been disabled as a phone and is effectively an iPod Touch with a camera, it would open up an opportunity for young children to make the most of educational apps, like Letter Tracer, which would appeal to kinaesthetic and visual learners who don't find pencil and paper work stimulating.

I could also imagine that the iPhone could be filled with plenty of interesting and educational videos, songs and podcasts which children will not only find interesting, but which will also provide relevant educational experiences.

However, I must be critical of young children using the iPhone. As I have mentioned before, children can become over engaged with a product and I have seen this, in particular with children spending hours on end playing video games. I believe that moderation has to come into play here as it could be easy for a child to fixate on their iPhone and to ignore other important experiences children should have, such as playing outside, socialising with others in their peer group and spending time with their family.

If I was to allow a toddler or a child to have an iPhone I would ensure I was responsible for the hours in which it could be used and It would only be allowed at certain times of the day.

However, I must give praise to anyone who would give a toddler a handheld device which promotes learning as it gives the opportunity for educational development to happen at home, on journeys, basically everywhere.

Have a look at this video I found on YouTube which shows a toddler using an app called Shape Shifter. It promotes early mathematical concepts such as recognition of shape and spacial awareness. It is also appealing to visual, kinaesthetic and visual learners.

Let me know what you think of it.

 Dazzle 