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What age to get an iPod touch?


MomtoCandJ
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My kids got hand-me-down iPods (really they're just old 3G iPhones) at the ages of 3 and 6. They've been very careful with them, they haven't lost or broken one yet.

 

But ultimately, it's going to depend on the kid. Some preschoolers would be fine with one, and I know some middle schoolers who have lost/broken multiple devices.

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My boys got refurbished itouches at 6 and 11. They are now 8 and 13 and they have the same devices in perfect condition. We do have rules, such as no taking them out of the house and no bringing them in the bathroom. I did warn them about the old 'my itouch was in my pocket and it fell in the toilet' issue.

 

However, my younger son's best friend had an old iphone (was using it as an itouch only) and he dropped his in the sink. He thought it was a good idea to hold it in his hand while attempting to wash his hands? That said, my sister hands her phone over to her toddler and her 5 year old since they were big enough to hold them and they have never done anything to them.

 

I will say I am glad they have them. My boys love audio books and music and the itouchs have been a great way to store them and let them listen to what they like. They play minecraft on them and make movies with them, and use them as noise machines to fall asleep. I would replace them in a heartbeat if they were broken.

 

 

Do invest in a good cover.

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My dd~3 doesn't have her own Touch, but she has used mine and her sister's since just before her 1st birthday. At that point she was just looking at family photos, then we added educational apps, and now she has a higher Temple Run score than her teen sibs! Of course we restrict her usage, but the Touch has been a life-saver in public situations where we need her to sit still and wait for a lengthy period, or on long car trips. I think it's a better investment than the V-tech or Leap Pad type educational game systems for kids, because there is such a wide range of very inexpensive or free apps, and they won't grow out of the device.

 

All that said, she did throw mine in the toilet 2-3 times when she was a young 2yo. Fortunately I saw/heard and got it out quickly enough. I have always used Otterbox Defender cases and they have thoroughly protected my Touch through multiple drops from shopping carts and down the stairs.

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The person who wants to buy it for her is dbil who has two teenage daughters. Dh and I don't put high priority on having the latest and greatest (we don't have any flat screen hdtvs or a GPS but we do have smart phones), so buying our 4 yo an iPod wasn't even on our radar. We thought we were doing good with a wii (which really just collects dust) and buying a new portable DVD player for Christmas for her.

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I'm thinking of restricting use to the car and while out and about (or the power goes out, happens often in the winter).

For a minute there, I thought you said, "I'm thinking of restricting her use of the car," and I was thinking that your dd was one lucky 4 year-old to already have her own car. ;)

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I would not hand over an ipod to a child of any age without one if those nuclear war proof cases... Ds6 got his iPod touch in January and broke the screen in early October, then again a week after I paid $60 to fix it... Dd13 has had hers for a few years, and has broken the screen twice. Neither screen is getting fixed for as second time, they'll just have to live with it. Dd previously had the old style iPod and it got dropped in the bath once and toilet once and was revived, although didn't operate quite right afterwards.

 

Believe it or not, I expect the kids to take good care of their stuff, the house is tidy, toys are put away etc. I don't regret giving them iPods, though, as they're so useful, and the iPod touch is much more user friendly for younger kids.

 

Our expensive cases are due to arrive any day now...

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