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Leap pad (Read 765 times)


Feeling the growl again

    So is giving kids an electronic/computer leg-up.  Woe to the kid nowadays who doesn't have a high level of comfort/proficiency with computers by the time they finish HS, especially if a person wants to work in any tech fields.

     

    Very true, but I think a lot of parents go overboard with this on preschoolers and early grade-schoolers.

    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

     

    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

     

      By the time they finish high school?  It would be near impossible for most kids to not have a high level of comfort/proficiency with computers after about middle school, utterly regardless of whether they ever touched a computer/tablet/gadget as a toddler.

       

      100% of my Frosh daughter's tangible work is done via the computer, and about 75% of my 7th grader's.

       

      And anyways, Trent, isn't this kid #3?  My first two had leap pads but by the time 3 and 4 came along we were burned out so just gave them a box of broken crayons and some sharp objects and told them to be quiet...seems to be working so far.  Kinda.

      Runners run

        There aren't enough jobs to go around in most fields, so those with the most skills will be given first dibs.

          

         

        How young is too young for their first welding torch? And are people going with MIG or TIG? (actually that's a false dichotomy, one can do both).

        Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
        We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
        Wing


        Joggaholic

          We have the leap-something for my kid (it hooks up to the TV, so definitely not the ipad-like one). She liked it when she was 2.5 years old but quickly grew out of it. The thing is we have all sorts of other gadgets (tablets, phones, laptops...etc) and it didn't take long for her to figure out that ours are better. Plus there are a lot of free/cheap apps and ebooks available. We just ended up teaching her how to use our gadgets responsibly and that worked out just fine. I wouldn't get an ipad over a leap-pad because of the huge price difference, but if you already have a smartphone or tablet, I don't think it's necessary to get a leap-pad or other computer-look-alike toy.

          zoom-zoom


          rectumdamnnearkilledem

            Very true, but I think a lot of parents go overboard with this on preschoolers and early grade-schoolers.

             

            Yes.  My 10 year old nephew has a cell phone.  This I don't get, since he can't bring it to school for a few more years.  Mostly he wants to call and tell me about Transformers and LEGO and Wii games -- because I don't get enough of that discussion ad nauseum from my own 10 year old.

            Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

            remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                 ~ Sarah Kay


            Feeling the growl again

              By the time they finish high school?  It would be near impossible for most kids to not have a high level of comfort/proficiency with computers after about middle school, utterly regardless of whether they ever touched a computer/tablet/gadget as a toddler.

               

              100% of my Frosh daughter's tangible work is done via the computer, and about 75% of my 7th grader's.

               

              And anyways, Trent, isn't this kid #3?  My first two had leap pads but by the time 3 and 4 came along we were burned out so just gave them a box of broken crayons and some sharp objects and told them to be quiet...seems to be working so far.  Kinda.

               

              I like your parenting style.  All I'd add is a good stick to whack things with.

               

              Since Indiana no longer requires the teaching of handwriting (apparently the ability to sign with a legal signature will no longer be required of future generations) I'm not too concerned with exposure to technology.  Giving them a watered down tech device at age 3 is not going to give them some magic advantage over a kid who has normal tangential exposure and then gets the same opportunities once school starts.  I've got ~30 years of computer experience over my oldest and she still figured out an iPhone faster than me.

              "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

               

              I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

               

              LedLincoln


              not bad for mile 25

                False dichotomy.  One can do both.

                 

                Not criticizing; just saying it's really easy for parents to go the electronic babysitter route.  It's a matter of degree, of course.


                "run" "2" "eat"

                  what ever happened to spending long car rides tormenting your little brother? those were some good times.

                  i find the sunshine beckons me to open up the gate and dream and dream ~~robbie williams

                    Thanks all.

                     

                    Looks like most of the downloadable apps are $10 (!!).  That compares to $0.99 to download similar games and educational apps on the iPad.  Am I interpreting that correctly?

                     

                    I don't know anything about the price of games, but my niece (age 6) got one for X-mas.  She loves it.  The only problem so far is that the CD it came with isn't working.  I am not sure what it's for, really - you download software for it, and I'm guessing you can download games onto the machine from there?  It didn't work on their home computer.  They tried ours... we could download the software but then it wouldn't hook up to the actual device.  My SIL is taking it to the Apple store this weekend to see if they can help.   Other than that, it has been a huge hit.  

                    Michelle

                      what ever happened to spending long car rides tormenting your little brother? those were some good times.

                       Or seeing who could empty more sugar packets into mom's hair before she realized? 

                      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                         Or seeing who could empty more sugar packets into mom's hair before she realized? 

                         

                        You had sugar packets? 

                         

                         

                         

                        Your mom had hair? 

                          Yeah, dude, I'm pretty sure they still have them at the IHOP.  

                          "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus


                          "run" "2" "eat"

                            IHOP? ppfth. amateur!

                            i find the sunshine beckons me to open up the gate and dream and dream ~~robbie williams

                            LedLincoln


                            not bad for mile 25

                              Syrup packets would be better.  In sibling's hair, I think.

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