Fisher-Price Develops iPhone Case For Toddlers

[WyomingKnott]

"Fun alternatives to books?"

Great Caesar's Ghost, what a horrible turn of phrase. I won't even go into the educational implications.

 

[misterdna]

1) I think some of the people who react negatively have no idea how many educational apps there are for iPhone. I truly believe my 24-month-old has learned his numerals and most of his letters due in part to some of the learning apps he uses on my iPhone.

2) Letting toddlers use the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is probably akin letting them watch TV. Yes, there are educational shows, but you definitely need to limit how much time they use any of the screens. You might even argue educational apps are better than educational TV shows, because at least apps are interactive; your child does things, he doesn't just sit like a zombie watching a screen. In other words, if you ever let your child watch TV, you are being a hypocrite if you think it's horrible letting a child use educational apps on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. And even those cringing at the term "alternatives to books," keep in mind, more and more people are reading BOOKS on phones, pads, kindles, etc. There are children's apps that simply read like a book. Not sure if there's some huge negative in your minds about words and pictures being displayed in pixels vs. ink, if so, I'd like to hear your reasoning.

3) For anyone interested in sharing iPhones, iPads, or iPod touches, there are already several products that help you accomplish this (you don't have to wait until July for this Fisher-Price case). The Griffin Woogie is a stuffed animal case for toddlers, and it comes with a built-in powered speaker. BubCap home button covers help keep toddlers from pressing the home button. Many Otterbox iPhone cases are great for protecting devices from kids. Finally, the Lapworks Crystal iPad Folio covers both the screen and home button, so it's great for watching videos with a toddler (who otherwise would touch the screen and home button and unintentionally interrupt their own viewing experience).

Unlike the Fisher-Price case, all the above mentioned products allow parents easy access to the buttons, so when you want to change the app or something, you don't actually have to remove the iPhone from the case and replace it (which seems like it will be a bit of a hassle). While the Fisher-Price case is a great case for babies, I believe parents may prefer using the other solutions I mentioned.

 

[oysteins]

The iPhone is the world´s best toy, it is a thousand toys in one small box. Games for fun, for learning shapes, colors, reading, writing and math, for music, puzzles, animals and a lot more. So just think of it as a toy instead of a phone. And the price? You buy a lot of stuff more expensive than that, not to mention games for under one dollar if not totally free. My 7-year had my old a couple of years ago, and he has learnt lots and lots. And it created a general curiosity for a lot of useful things.