At age two, most toddlers are just learning how to talk. But according to a survey from BlogHer.com and The Parenting Group, one in four mothers say their kids are already savvy with a smartphone by age two.
The study spoke to 1,038 mothers to find the kids of Gen Y moms to be the earliest adopters. By their second birthday, 34 percent of kids whose moms were born after 1980 have used a smartphone, 30 percent of the have used a digital camera, 21 percent have used an iPod, and 34 percent have used a laptop. Gen X moms are a little bit more hesitant when it comes to connecting their kids. By age two, 20 percent of kids of Gen X moms have operated a smartphone, 18 percent have operated a digital camera, 13 percent have operated an iPod, and 29 percent have operated a laptop.
By the time these kids hit age 4, they’re connected at an even higher rate. Overall, by this age 32 percent have been introduced to smartphones, a quarter have listened to an iPod, 36 percent have played with a gaming console, and 34 percent have played with a tablet PC.
The survey found that the average age that kids are given a smartphone of their own is 15. Kids tend to get iPods at age 9, video game consoles at age 7, and tablets at age 7.
But it’s not just the kids that are connected. The data shows that mothers are wired, too, with 71 percent of the moms reporting that they use the Internet every day. In fact, 40 percent said they can only last a few hours without using their phone or getting online. They’re also spending a lot of time on Facebook; 81 percent log into the ‘book at least once a day and 46 percent check on their Newsfeed at least three times a day.
These moms use Twitter at a lower rate. Just 14 report that they send out 140-character messages daily.
“Digging deeper into how technology is really used by the family, we see it integrated into every facet of family life,” Elisa Camahort Page, co-founder and COO of BlogHer said. “Whether it’s seeking advice from moms who blog, staying in constant touch with text messages or delivering pure entertainment and play, parents have identified, particularly, the Internet and their mobile devices as their ‘desert island,’ can’t-live-without technologies of choice.”
