iPad for Tweens: Pros and Cons

As a parent, it doesn't take much of an internet search to recognize that tweens love tech gifts and tech gadgets, and that iPad is one of the top tech gadgets for tween wish lists.  Some of us may look and think that it's a pricey toy.  Others of us, fans already of iPhone and other touchscreen devices, may think more in terms of the educational value.  No, it's not likely that our middle schoolers are thinking that their tween iPad is going to help them excel in school.  However, if the tween thinks that this argument will achieve the end result, don't be surprised at their pulling it out!

Apple iPad 2 Tablet:  Newest Model
16 GB WiFi, White
Click Image for Further Detail

On the positive side, iPad, and other touch screen tech gadgets, incorporate multiple learning modalities:  tactile, or kinesthetic learners have a hands on device, which taps into their active learning style, one that is very difficult to teach to in traditional classroom settings, and even more so in upper grades.  Auditory and visual learners, as well, are able to use the iPad in ways that work with their preferred means of learning.  If any educational device meets all of these modalities in one place, it's the iPad. 

Apple iPad (first generation)
32 GB Black, Wifi
Click Image for Further Details

App development for touchscreen devices has multiplied monumentally, and whether your child is interested in the solar system, or in learning Spanish, the iPad has apps for these areas.  Math quizzes, strategy games, graphing calculators, and more...there are a multitude of inexpensive, or free apps that meet educational needs, both generally and specifically.

Apple iPad 2
64 GB Wifi and 3G
Click image for further details.

iBooks provides access to ereading, and Kindle and Nook both have apps for iPhone and iPad, as well.  The iPad provides access to multiple ereader formats, and though much more expensive than a Nook or Kindle for a tween, is much more versatile.  If you were to purchase an iPod, a netbook, and an ereader, you would easily spend as much, or more, than you would for the most basic iPad.  From that perspective, iPad can be an outstanding investment.  Refurbished versions of the early generation iPads can be purchased at prices that take some of the sting out of the investment.  Newer versions are great, as well, and Apple has a track record for continually improving and re-defining already successful technologies.  Tween iPad use is a good means of getting some informal education into your middle school student's recreational activities.

On the down side, tweens can be somewhat irresponsible with technology items, and you really need to evaluate your tween's behavior and responsibility.  An iPad in a tween backpack is scary enough (the abyss of the middle school backpack is downright frightening!)...but when a tween takes a tech item to school, trouble is bound to happen...anything from confiscation by a teacher, to theft by a classmate, to damage in mishandling.  You must set groundrules with a tween iPad owner, and you must be prepared to impose consequences for infractions. 

Otterbox iPad Defender Case in White/Blue
Click image for further information.

Protective enclosures are advisable for the tween iPad owner, and Otterbox is a very good choice, in terms of their protective covers.  Double protection, with a silicone outer shell to absorb shock upon impact, combined with an inner hard case, makes Otterbox doubly protective.  Tweens can be a little clumsy with belongings, and if another iPad isn't affordable, you want to go out of your way to assure the safety of the one you select.

Be sure to check out user reviews of iPad 2, with a variety of insights into the use of the popular tablet pc.

Supplementing Middle School Academics: Tween Computers?

With finances tight for many households, it seems tough to keep up with technology.  On the one hand, as advances in development happen, prices decline for more outdated products, and many of those so called "Outdated Products" are light years beyond the dinosaur computers of a decade ago! Costs aren't as prohibitive, but getting the best return on your technology investment is important. 

Desktop computers are priced to sell, in many cases, and are especially cost effective during back to school sales, and during the Black Friday blitz in late November.  Plan for either of these time frames, to get the best package.  Do your research on Black Friday discussion boards so you have an idea of previous years' offerings.  The last few years, I have seen huge speculations about $100 netbooks, but the only netbooks that come close to that price range tend to be insubordinate models, and really won't grow very far with your tween.  Basics will be able to be accomplished, but netbooks have advanced so well in recent years, that the $250 range can purchase a nice piece of equipment, suited to most school needs for the middle schooler. 

Laptops are often desired, but caution is suggested in terms of size.  Middle schoolers, and younger, will have a little trouble handling a larger laptop, so sticking with a smaller size, 14-15 inch, is advisable. 

If your budget isn't super stretched, and you can afford to spend more, there are lots of fun options, including colorful tween netbook computers.  Likewise, all in one and touchscreen computers are great options for enhancing your middle schooler's research options.  Tablets are also great computing options, with multi-modality benefits for all major learning styles.  Everything boils down to budget, interest, and goals.

Tween Fashion Gadgets: Slap Watches

Slap watches are fun gadget gifts for tweens, and come in a wide range of colors, styles and designs.

One of the best types of slap band watch is the interchangeable slap watch, which permits your tween to combine faces and bands of different colors.  Great for stimulating mathematical thought, challenge your tween to figure out how many possible combinations he, or she, can put together, given a certain set of basics. 

Available in Many Colors, this slap watch style is interchangeable,
making for multiple color combination possibilities.

More interchangeable selections.
Click images for availability and pricing at Amazon.

TKO Orlogi Slappers are another brand of slap band watches with
interchangeability.

Best Computer Choices for Tweens: Tween Netbooks, Tween Notebooks, or Tween Desktops?

There are many factors to take into consideration as you look at a computer system for your tween.  What's hot isn't always what's best, and the latest innovations sometimes have kinks to be worked out.  That said, computers have come a long way in a decade, and when your tween looks back, he will probably be amazed at how far things have come when he's a college senior, finishing his degree. 

At the time we purchased our first desktop, a family we knew had a tween who tinkered with an older computer at the time.  As technology advanced, he continued to tinker, and is now working with computer development for a living.  Tweens have the capacity to learn quickly, when they have an interest, and computers definitely hold the interest of many tweens.  Your investment in a computer for your tween is not just provision of an educational tool, but has the potential to provide a path to an interesting career.

Desktop Computers for Tweens

A desktop isn't as popular these days, given the portability of laptop and netbook options for tweens.  Nevertheless, the desktop can promote a bit of responsibility, and can provide just about all a tween needs to get through the middle and high school years, with some oversight.  A desktop won't walk out the door to school, and isn't likely to be dropped, a couple of pitfalls of giving a tween access to a portable computer.  An anchored workspace is a good habit developer for a tween, as organization and discipline in studies aren't innate skills for most kids in this age range.  If multiple children will be sharing a computer, this is best located in a central area, where parents can observe what is being done, and where parents have easy access to examine browsing histories and web activities.

Amazon has a great desktop computer finding tool, and you can examine customer reviews of various products.

Laptop Computers for Tweens


A laptop can be a good option for the tween who needs some portability, and who is going to need to use dvd's with their computer.  Homeschool students using computer curriculum, for example, would greatly benefit from a laptop, which can be taken on the road, or moved from room to room.  It's still important for a parent to oversee activities on a tween computer, and to  hold the tween accountable for their online activities.  A larger laptop is awkward, and I've experienced some precarious moments with my tweens handling my laptop.  I suggest a 14-15 inch size, which will be a little less precarious to balance, than a 17 inch.

The Amazon laptop finder tool can help you refine your search, based on your priorities.





Netbooks for Tweens


Netbooks are lightweight and ultra portable, able to accomodate most tween needs.  An external dvd drive can accomodate the homeschool student, while the cost of the netbook makes it extremely attractive as an all in one device.  The main concerns for tweens and netbooks will be security, as it's easy to fit a netbook into a backpack and take it to school, which isn't wise, at all.  As well, the small size of a netbook makes it difficult for a parent to see much of what the child is doing while he's browsing online.  Hence, parental controls and vigilance are essential, for the sake of online safety and security. 

***Read user reviews of Acer, an inexpensive netbook choice.
With any tween computer, it is imperative that the parent not give free reign, but rather, supervise the use of the computer, imposing restrictions for any inappropriate computer use.

iPad for Kinesthetic Learners

Many of the apps available for iPhone, and iPod touch, are also available to use with the iPad.  I have loved the opportunity for my kids, in all age ranges, to try some of the hands on activities with iPhone, but one of the challenges, from my perspective, is the screen size.  Truth be told, the screen is hard on Mom's eyes, and being that I was the type of tween who would read at night, even when we were on the road, squeezing every word into the moments that I had street lights to see by, I know that a tween bent on doing, reading, or playing will not regard eye strain as serious. 

iPad 2, the Latest in Touchscreen Devices from Apple
Click image for More Details.

The range of apps is amazing, and though there are many companies working on tablet PC's in their own formats, I am very taken with Apple, especially for the multisensory experience it provides to all learners, and especially to kinesthetic learners.  I have children who are primarily auditory learners, and apps for the iPhone and iPad appeal to their ability to absorb most effectively with sound and audio.  I have children who are primarily visual learners, and they tend to do quite well with apps, whether games, or educational, because they process what they see, so well.  I have a couple of children who are primarily hands on, or kinesthetic learners, and the interactivity of Apple devices is perfect for them.  This is one of the toughest learning styles to instruct, but the interactive nature of tablet pc's and touchscreen devices, such as iPad and iPhone, make them extremely valuable learning tools.

At the tween age, it's tremendously difficult to adapt classroom instruction to effectively reach all learning modalities, given the time constraints and curriculum requirements.  However, as a parent, you have the ability to supplement your child's learning with touchscreen technology.  Invest some time in exploring apps that are available for various learning areas, and spend some time exploring together.  A game here and there won't hurt, and may provide a little motivation for the youngster who has some aversions to learning.  But then, take time to explore educational apps, as well, whether you do math teasers, vocabulary builders, or
Spanish vocabulary lessons.  Use the iPad as an ereader, as well...you have your choice of Kindle books, Nook books, or iBooks...all have apps that will work with iPad, and all have a huge selection of public domain works, free of cost.  iPad is a great learning enhancement tool, perfect for supplementing learning during the school year, or for averting learning loss in the summer.


First generation iPads are still available, at a discounted price, in comparison to iPad 2.  Whether you have a minimal learning materials and educational budget, or an extensive one, iPad is outstanding.  Be sure to check out some of the user reviews of iPad 2.

If you love the idea of a tablet computer for your kinesthetic tween, but don't feel good about the cost of iPad 2, be sure to check out the newly announced Kindle Fire, a tablet/ereader/multimedia touchscreen tool.

Colorful Netbooks for Tweens

Toshiba NB505-N508OR 10.1 Inch Netbook in Turquoise
Also Available in Blue, Brown, Green, and Orange

HP Mini 210 Netbook in Plaid
Also Available in Lavender Frost, Blue, Charcoal, Pink, and Red

Recent years have seen the incorporation of color into the plastic housing and casing of electronic devices, adding a little bit of fun to the various devices.  For tweens, this is a great element, making everything from iPods to portable DVD players a little brighter, more personal.  Read user reviews of HP colorful netbooks, and colorful Toshiba netbooks.

*** Images are clickable

Blue Netbooks for Tweens

ASUS Eee PC 1001PXD-MU17-BU 10.1-inch Netbook in Blue

HP Mini 210-2180NR Netbook in Blue

Pink Netbooks for Tweens

HP Mini 210-2160NR Netbook in Pink

ASUS Eee PC 1008P-KR-PU37-Pl 10.1 inch Netbook in Pink

Red Netbooks for Tweens

HP Mini 2210-2190NR Netbook in Red

Acer Aspire One AOD150-1920 10.1 inch netbook in Ruby Red

Green Netbooks for Tweens

Toshiba NB505-N508GN 10.1 Inch Netbook in Green

Samsung N220 Series 10.1 inch Netbook in Green

Purple Netbooks for Tweens

Acer Aspire AO532h-2254 Netbook in Amethyst Purple

HP Mini 210-2150NR Netbook in Lavender Frost