You'd think five-year-olds would spend their time playing with teddies and toys, rather than technology.
But according to a recent Government report, a third of all children aged three to five have their own tablet, while separate research suggests one in three spend two hours a day online.
While it might give parents an easy life — at least until they try to take the tablet away from their little darlings at bedtime — experts fear this shift could hinder children's development, limiting their social interactions.
So, how do parents feel about the rise of the toddler tablet, and how is it really affecting their children? To find out, we asked the mothers of three five-year-olds to keep a diary for their tiny tech addicts for a week...
TED IS ABSORBED BY EDUCATIONAL APPS
Kim Yardley, 35, works in catering. She is separated and lives in Nottinghamshire with her four children Isabella, 14, George, 11, Ted, five (pictured) and Matilda, four.
Kim Yardley, 35, works in catering. She is separated and lives in Nottinghamshire with her four children Isabella, 14, George, 11, Ted, five and Matilda, four.
She says: Ted's dad gave him an iPad for his fifth birthday last July. He's so proud of it that he takes it everywhere except school, where it's not allowed — but they occasionally use school iPads in the classroom.
When he's not watching it, he'll still clutch it, even at the dinner table. But the rule is he stops without any fuss when I ask him to and at night it stays by his bed on charge. Although it's a bit of a shock to see how many hours he clocks up, I'm not too concerned. All my children have screens — Isabella has a MacBook, George has an Xbox, and Matilda has an iPad.
Ted still gets lots of opportunity to play with his siblings and run around outdoors at school. And on the iPad, much of his time is spent using educational apps. He also watches YouTube and he's allowed to play Minecraft occasionally.
I monitor what he's doing and have a few strict rules, such as that he cannot use it in the morning until he has dressed. He also has to put it down when he's brushing his teeth.
After school, it buys me time to cook and help the others with homework. I can't watch him all the time, but I've got parental control settings on all the kids' screens and on our internet connection.
I never offer the iPad as a reward and I take it away from him if he's naughty or doesn't eat his tea.
MONDAY: Two hours 15 minutes
7am-8am: Ted gets dressed, then plays educational iPad games until breakfast. He clutches it all the way to school, but leaves it with me without a fuss.
4pm-5pm: After school, he watches Minecraft tips for an hour.
6.45pm-7pm: Ted watches his iPad in bed while I bath Matilda.
TUESDAY: Two hours 30 minutes
7.15am-8.15am: Watches YouTube until breakfast.
4pm-5pm: We own horses and we all go to the stables. Ted loves to ride, but he's often happy just to take iPad photos or use apps instead. Today it's very cold so he decides to play on his iPad for a while in the car while we tend to the horses.
5.30pm-6.30pm: Everyone does their homework — the older children are using screens for this.
6.30pm-7pm: Another half-hour play before bedtime.
Kim says she's not too concerned about her sons screentime all her children have screens. He racked up 22 hours 55 minutes in total
WEDNESDAY: Three hours 35 minutes
7am-8.15am: Ted is dressed and watching YouTube videos.
3.30pm-5pm: After school he's on it again, using a learning app while the rest of us ride the horses.
5.30pm-6pm: Watches YouTube while I make tea.
6.40pm-7pm: 20 mins before bed.
THURSDAY: One hour 50 minutes
7am: Ted wakes feeling unwell. He doesn't use the iPad — but still wants to hold it.
4pm-4.20pm: At the doctor's and we play a tablet game in the waiting room together.
5pm-6pm: Ted uses a learning app until tea.
6.45pm-7.15pm: Ted asks to listen to music through headphones while I read Matilda a story. But when I take it from him, he's watching YouTube.
FRIDAY: Two hours 45 minutes
5.30am-7am: Ted climbs into bed with me at 5.30am — with his iPad already on. We cuddle while he watches YouTube.
7.30am-7.45am: I catch Ted watching his iPad when he's supposed to be getting dressed, and confiscate it until the afternoon.
4pm-5pm: George's birthday. Ted uses the iPad to take photos before joining in.
Kim says that Ted still gets lots of opportunity to play with his siblings and run around outdoors at school
SATURDAY: Five hours
8am-9.30am: We play on the iPad together.
10.30am-11.15am: I help Ted practise his phonics on the iPad.
6pm-6.15pm: Ted asks to play an iPad game. His hand-to-eye co-ordination is very quick!
SUNDAY: Five hours
8am-10am: Ted plays on the iPad
