iPads: a Good Tool for Toddler Learning?

There’s really no escaping technology when it seemingly improves every aspect of our lives. Tablet computers such as iPads are booming in popularity not just among adults and older students, but they are being prevalent in much younger classrooms.

Kids as young as elementary school are proficient users of tablets and thanks to their numerous uses in teaching and learning. It’s not easy to get a Kindergartener to pay attention to a sheet of paper with math problems, but turn that worksheet into a mini-game with bright colors and fun characters and learning takes on a whole new level of awesome in the eyes of any youngster. There are a huge selection of games and apps that not only enhance learning, but make it fun too! Teachers have been searching for ways to engage children for ages and a tablet computer is a great way to keep things interesting.

It’s pretty common to see parents handing off their phones while waiting in line at a store to keep a toddler occupied for a few minutes. This is a pretty harmless distraction, but excessive screen time in any format can be detrimental for a toddler’s development. There’s something to be said for teaching children ways to pass the time with their own imagination rather than with iPad games. Children have immense amounts of energy and it’s not good to let them stay inside all day on a computer or playing video games. A healthy balance of everything is an important part of the Montessori method practiced at Montessori Ivy League in Pembroke Pines.

Montessori Ivy League is a school for children as young as one to when they start Kindergarten. A Montessori education is one that emphasizes independence and natural development. Nowhere in the Montessori approach does it mention letting children waste time looking at screens all day. It’s obviously important to introduce children to the technology that can help learning, but there needs to be a variety in the tools we use to learn. Most experts say limiting screen-time for children to only a couple of hours is ideal, but that can be hard to do with the sheer number of gadgets available. It’s also important to monitor screen time closely and close off access to content that is not age-appropriate. Child care in Pembroke Pines isn’t always easy, but enrolling your child into Montessori school allows them to learn and grow in a happy and safe environment. Call today and schedule a visit to come see the school for yourself!