I live across the country from my 3-year-old nephew and want an easy way for us to stay connected. I'm looking for something tablet-like that focuses more on communication and shared activities than normal smartphone use. Ideally, we could video chat with fun filters, effects, and drawing tools; play games together; send messages and drawings; and make silly music. His mother and I should be able to add music and videos without giving him unrestricted access to YouTube. My budget is around $250, though I could spend a little more for something that fits these needs really well.
3 Answers
Keep his age and energy level in mind, especially for evening calls. A 3-year-old may be excited one day and completely unable to focus the next, particularly when tired. Short, flexible activities like making silly faces, drawing together, or copying funny movements may work better than expecting him to sit through a long game or conversation.
A refurbished ninth-generation iPad is worth considering if you can find one in good condition within budget. It has plenty of apps for video calls, creative effects, drawing, music-making, and cooperative games, and the built-in parental controls can keep the experience focused and age-appropriate.
A used or refurbished iPad would probably be the most flexible option. His parents can use parental controls to restrict apps, purchases, content, and screen time while still allowing video calls, drawing apps, games, music, and messages. It should also be useful for several years instead of being limited like many kids’ tablets.
Thanks for the suggestion! His mom and grandmother use iPhones while I use Android, but a refurbished iPad still sounds like it could work well.