The rise of the iPad Kids

A guide to identifying, understanding, and appreciating iPad Kids

Elsa Scurfield Contributor

“Ademon who watches cocomelon.” This graphic, five-word definition from the Urban Dictionary (a very reliable source) summarizes the iPad kid we’ve all come to know and reject. What is an iPad Kid? Another entry in the Urban Dictionary defines the iPad Kid as “Children that were given an iPad at a young age. They’re usually loud, annoying, and enjoy games and shows like Roblox, Fortnite, Cocomelon, and RyansToysReviews. Their iPads are usually crusty and filthy, with ridiculous stuff like Cheeto dust on them.” Those who have witnessed the effects of technology on impressionable young minds can attest to the accuracy of this description. However, this way of describing young children can shock some individuals. For the faculty and students at NT that believe they know an iPad Kid, the following is a starter pack to help with your diagnosis:

- Practices contortion while on their tablet

- The iPad is full of crumbs

- The iPad is sticky

- The child is sticky

- Volume is obnoxiously loud

- The iPad is in a large, chunky case

- Limited social skills

- Addicted to Cocomelon, Youtube, - Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, and more

The recent and rapid development of the iPad Kid following the introduction of iPads in 2010 leaves many questioning what induced this new way of living for children. A study conducted in 2017 showed that 42% of young children in the US had a tablet, compared to 7% in 2013 and less than 1% in 2011; this statistic can be expected to have risen since. In their defense, remote learning and quarantine during the pandemic left many children dependent on their technology for schooling and entertainment. This led to 44% of five- to ten-year-old children exceeding four hours of screen time per day, more than double the average before the pandemic. Such statistics provide a valid explanation for the sudden rise of iPad Kids and their social peculiarities.

Most North Toronto students agreed that they know, have come in contact with, or have been an iPad Kid. Grade 9 student Cameron Lee looks back on himself and reflects, “As a retired iPad Kid, I deeply regret going down that road.” He explains, “For a few years, no one liked me - they thought I was the weird kid. Being an iPad kid isolated me so much that I didn’t even notice how annoying I was until I grew out of it.” Cameron’s villain origin story shaped him to mind. However, a stop-motion movie that completely slipped under the radar is The House. The film is an anthology split into three different parts in three different periods that follow different characters living in the same house. Although this film is a dark comedy, the stories can be disturbing and get under your skin. Each story has some sort of message for the audience to interpret which keeps you thinking about the film long after you watch it. The stories themselves are intriguing, the pacing is well done, and the film knows how long to stick around for each story. The character design is unique, and the animators do an excellent job of giving each setting an eerie atmosphere. The House is a stop-motion movie that should be praised just as much as Laika Studios films. into the person he is today, and he is proud to say that he has recovered. Hopefully, his story can reassure the older siblings at NT that the iPad Kid phase is temporary. Every generation has its challenges, and if iPad Kids are Generation Alpha’s biggest setbacks, the future is bright. However, a message to the NT faculty that will be managing the iPad kids in the following years: good luck!