•A quarter of mums use smartphones to keep the kids quiet. •Phones are now more popular comforters than teddy bears and three times more popular than dummies.
Smartphones are fast becoming mum’s best friend as parents use them to keep the kids quiet. A survey of mums for Asda reveals that over a quarter of mums (27%) use their phone regularly to entertain their offspring. The phone now beats more traditional comforters such as a bottle or a drink (25%), soft toys (21%) or a dummy (9%).
Whilst the majority of mums (40%) let their children play with their smartphone for an average of 10 minutes or less a day, one in ten mums admit to letting their children regularly play with their phone for between one and 2 hours at a time. The device is handed over to keep children entertained when they get up early or to keep them quiet in a restaurant, car or when waiting for an appointment.
Louise Pearson from Bishop Stortford and mother to Harry 3 and Oliver 6 said: “My phone is the boys’ favourite toy, sometimes the only way to keep them quiet is to hand it over. I have a range of apps on it for them to play with from puzzles and games to educational programs.”
Across Britain it is the same picture with even more mums in Scotland (40%), Wales (32%), Northern Ireland (30%) and the Midlands (32%) regularly using their phone as a child’s toy.
David Fletcher, Asda’s mobile phone expert said: “Our customers are demanding more and more from their mobile phones – no longer are they just a device for keeping in touch. To see them also used as an ‘electronic pacifier’ is no surprise with the large variety of games and entertainment now available to download for children.“
Asda offers a wide range of mobiles and tariffs from the Samsung Galaxy Y to the Motorola Razr – enough to satisfy even the most discerning mother and child.
The retailer has also compiled a list of some of the best apps for children:
•0-10 Numbers A fun learning resource focussed on numbers aimed at kids aged two to four.
•Wheels on the Bus An animated and highly interactive app, from spinning the wheels to swishing the wipers, there is plenty for children to poke and slide and they’ll love the music.
•Classic Simon The retro game is now available as an app – excellent for building memory skills in kids.
•Steamy Window It does exactly what is says and allows kids to make pictures on a steamy window.
•iStory Books Free books complete with voice-over, pictures and alternative. Eleven free books are included from the get go with new ones added every two weeks.