Modern children learn to operate a computer before they read and count. It is no longer surprising to surprise anyone with a three-year-old toddler who cleverly plays a computer game and watches cartoons on the Internet.
This trend has not only negative sides. If you use modern technologies wisely, then gadgets and the Internet will only benefit the child. In this article, we'll take a look at which tablet is best for a five-year-old to benefit from a gift.
Pros and cons
The cons of such a gift as a tablet are obvious to everyone. If the kid uses the computer uncontrollably, then this can have a bad effect on his communication skills, vision, and general development. A tablet is a rather expensive purchase, and a child must learn how to use it correctly, otherwise the present will quickly fail.
There are much more advantages to a tablet computer:
- The child can learn in a playful way, get ready for school.
- The child can watch cartoons and listen to music.
- There is a possibility of Internet access.
- The child can draw, read books.
With the purchase of a children's tablet, the issue of organizing children's leisure is practically resolved.
However, the measure is good in everything, and the manufacturers made sure that parents can control the child's actions on the Internet, the total time spent with the tablet in their hands. Today all children's models have parental control functions.
Features, requirements and functions in 5 years
A children's tablet for a five-year old why is different from adult gadgets, first of all, in that society makes higher demands on technology for kids. A child at the age of 5 is still not too neat, very mobile and impulsive, and therefore the tablet computer should be as protected as possible from falling, getting wet. Most manufacturers make a sturdy case and include a bumper case that provides maximum shock resistance to the device.
Adults can read books and use the Internet even from the small screen of their own smartphone, this option is not suitable for children. The screen size must be 7 inches or more.
Cheap tablets with a diagonal of 3 inches are dangerous for children.
A growing optic nerve also requires good screen resolution for normal development. It is best to choose models with a resolution of 1280x720 or higher pixels. Admissible for adults 800x600, unacceptable resolution for children.
RAM and processor characteristics determine the speed of the device. For a 5-year-old child, 1 GB of "RAM" and a 4-core 1300 MHz processor are quite enough.
It is important that the device supports flash cards, including memory cards. 16 GB is enough for the child. If the tablet supports up to 32 GB, this will provide more opportunities for installing "heavy" programs.
The possibility of Internet access deserves special attention. You will definitely need the World Wide Web to update applications, install new games, watch cartoons and download books. All modern models have a Wi-Fi module, which will allow the child to connect to an existing available network. Some tablets have the option of additional support for 3G SIM cards. This will be useful if the child goes somewhere where there is no Wi-Fi, and, for example, he needs to get in touch with relatives.
The tablet should be made of quality materials, it should be safe. Cheap fakes can not only harm a child's eyesight, but also explode in the hands, such cases have taken place. Preference should be given to trusted manufacturers who guarantee the quality of equipment.
Programs must fully meet the needs of the child.
As a rule, manufacturers sell devices with preinstalled developmental training programs in Russian. With the help of such applications, the child will be able to do mathematics, geography, biology, learn one or several foreign languages, draw, compose music, etc.
The computer will grow together with its owner, because the applications from which the child "grew" can be removed and new, more complex ones installed, which are ideal for different ages, up to 13-14 years.
Popular models and reviews about them
The choice of tablets for children from 5 years old is quite wide. The most popular models among Russian parents are presented below:
TurboKids
The lineup of these tablets is wide enough. For children five years and older, you can choose a model such as the TurboKids Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It is more suitable for boys. The gadget meets all the minimum requirements for a children's tablet - 1 GB of RAM, 8-inch screen, good resolution. The tablet supports 3G, there are phone functions, a fairly good and capacious battery (4000 mAh). Reviews about the model are mostly positive, but so far there are few of them, because the tablet was released not so long ago.
TurboKids S4
TurboKids S4 is a budget option. In terms of technical characteristics, it is somewhat inferior to the Turtles, primarily in terms of the amount of RAM - 512 MB. The battery is also less capacious - 3000 mAh, but it is enough for continuous gaming for 3-4 hours. The device charges quickly - in about an hour and a half. The tablet is pre-installed with more than 30 educational programs for children from 4-5 years old and older. Users rate the model as a solid “four”. Among the shortcomings is called a slight slowdown, which accompanies voluminous programs, low quality of photos that can be taken by the built-in camera.
TurboKids "Dasha the Traveler"
Another inexpensive purchase option is TurboKids "Dasha the Traveler". This model is optimal for girls. It has educational games, loaded interactive fairy tales, lessons in literature, Russian and foreign languages, as well as other subjects that will be useful to a child in his school life. The screen is 7 inches, a special children's interface with the favorite cartoon character, 1 GB of RAM, the battery lasts for about 4 hours of continuous active work. The reviews are mostly positive, as a disadvantage, users call the not very good performance of the case and the absence of a protective bumper cover.
Samsung galaxy tab 3 kids
Samsung galaxy tab 3 kids is a more expensive tablet from a well-known manufacturer. Screen - 7 inches, processor - 2 cores, acceptable resolution. The battery is capacious and keeps charging well even in active use, it lasts for 5-6 hours of operation. The model has been on the market for a long time, and therefore there are enough reviews about it, both positive and negative. Overall, parents rate the tablet 4.5 out of 5.
Design
Recently, manufacturers of children's tablets have been trying to personalize their products and give the design a clear "girlish" or "boyish" motives. TurboKids has been the most successful at this. In addition to "Dasha the Traveler" for girls, this manufacturer has TurboKids Princess, made in pink with hearts and crowns on a silicone case.
MonsterPad is a boys' model from TurboKids, just like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The most depersonalized by gender are the models from the manufacturer Samsung. They are suitable for both boys and girls.
What skills are worth working on at this age?
At the age of 5, active preparation for school starts. Therefore, the development of mindfulness, memory, logic comes out on top. The child should learn to read at least a little, because independent reading will greatly facilitate his learning process. The apps that are preinstalled in the tablets are selected in such a way that these skills and knowledge are trained.
What games will help development?
Among educational games at the age of 5, interactive coloring remains the leader. The plots get more complicated as you progress through the levels.
Useful for preschoolers and logic puzzles - 3-in-a-row, puzzles, "snake".
Reading will become one of the favorite activities after games, in which the child must read the names, choose certain categories and directions. To complete an exciting quest, even a lazy preschooler will learn to read.
How to block access to different resources?
Parental control functions are installed in modern models. They are completely free. In addition, parents will most likely want to protect their child from inappropriate content on the Internet. They have the ability to block access to various social networks, to Youtube. To do this, they can enter the menu in advanced mode and close certain sites for visiting from this device. In child mode, the child will not be able to bypass this administrator ban.
More detailed step-by-step instructions can be found for each specific model on the Internet. You can go the third way and download one of the programs for blocking inappropriate content - SafeKiddo, SkyDNS, KidLogger, KinderGate. After installing the program on the device, you need to follow the instructions and make lists and categories of resources prohibited for children to visit.
Tips for parents
When choosing a tablet for a child, be sure to ask if there is a silicone bumper case in the kit that will protect the equipment from shocks and falls. If this protection is not available, the case must be purchased separately.
Be sure to check the technique or ask a specialist to do it - the tablet should work correctly, the battery should not get very hot, and there should be no “broken” pixels on the screen.
Be sure to check the list of installed and preinstalled programs. Delete the ones you don't need. And do not forget to limit the time of the game, because children 5-6 years old and even older do not know how to control their time when they are passionate about an interesting game.
You will learn more detailed information about the children's tablet in the following video.
