Tech-savvy children learn as they play

Only one has started school but all three of the Cotter children are using iPhones, an iPad and an Apple laptop.

Their mother, Sarah Cotter, says her kids sometimes fight over the various Apple products but they can be educational and it is better than plonking them in front of the television.

She says the products are functional and kids can find their way around them while learning things at the same time.

Toby, 5, is able to find his way on to the Apple web browser Safari, get to Google and then search for animal videos on YouTube.

His sister Evie, 3, has learned how to make videos of herself and send them to random people in mum's address book.

"People get photos of her pulling faces," Mrs Cotter said.

Drew is just 2 and learning to talk but is already tech-savvy.

She can open an application on mum's iPhone called Talking Tom which records her voice and repeats it back to her at high pitch.

"She can barely talk but she can use an iPhone. She talks to the cat and thinks it is talking back to her," Mrs Cotter said.

Asked what was wrong with the traditional Kiwi Buzzy Bee on a rope, Mrs Cotter said, "They play with those too."

She said her friends' children were just as tech-savvy as her own three and could also use iPhones, iPads and laptops.