Are ipads OK for Babies?!?!!

 Admit it: Your tablet or smartphone plays babysitter anywhere an eardrum-piercing cry isn't acceptable.  No big deal, says Nancy Darling, Ph.D., a professor of phychology at Oberline College whose focus in on parenting.  Just stick to these ground rules.

1. Dabble in Doses: Tech tools are sensory dead environments: no textures, smells or taste.  Too much time spent with them also means your baby won't develop fine motor skills (like holding a crayon) and vision (like depth perception). 

2. Pick the Right Apps: Choose apps that grow with your baby (starting simple and becoming more complex), like drawing, coloring and puzzles.  Youtube videos don't fit the bill: they are the same as watching TV.  Great apps include Baby Games My First Shape and Uncolor.

3. Play Along: All kids learn more from experiences if they have them with an adult.  Talk about colors, vocabulary, animals or whatever. 

Parenting Magazine, September 2012