Oh geeze. First off, I know we are all guilty of handing our phones over to children while we are in the middle of something, but this is just taking it too far. I am so sick of mixing technology with babies, it is becoming a problem in our society I think. Aside from that, I would be concerned about encouraging kids to play with something that emits radiation.

This is just another marketing gimmick to get parents to buy more things they dont really need.

A plastic toy?! An iphone for a child?!

*grabs popcorn*

This sort of horrifies me.

I think it's great, specifically because it covers the home button. I'm not the only one: http://ask.metafilter.com/158850/Toddlerproof-iPadiPhone-cases

Consider me horrified.

What's to be horrified about? Let's be honest, the age group that the toy is made for would only be interested in the iphone/play case for about 5 minutes. & maybe it's 5 minutes that you gain to get a quick shower, load of laundry or teeth brushing.

This is absolutely genius. Its not horrifying at all. As a person who travels a lot with a toddler this toy would really help.

In my experience babies the age of the one pictured can be equally distracted with keys, pots, a wooden spoon, or the box that toy comes in. But older toddlers love to join in grown-up activities - this doesn't seem too different from a play kitchen. And any child watching me knows I spend more time with technology than in the kitchen :)

*Not that I'm against play kitchens. I just see toddlers wanting to do everything we big people do.

Since you couldn't make a phone call with this case, you would have to carry it around and pop the phone into it before you handed it over, which is two steps too many in my life. I prefer having a case on all the time so I never have to think about it again.

And as for the 'horrific' crowd, all I have to say is this: airplane.

@nellymom - ROTFL

@syllogi - I agree. Most children in the toddler years are certainly interested in imitative play, and I'd be thrilled to protect an iPhone for $15.00. Heck, I might keep it in the big ring in my purse - it would be easier to find that way.

Before I had a toddler, I was horrified, too. I waited the recommended 2 years before letting my son have any "screen time" of any kind. But in moderation, playing with an iPhone has been a sanity saver for me (now pregnant and launching a freelance design business from home), especially in situations where I really need him to be quiet for just a few minutes.

And yes, a case that covers the home button would be very helpful...would save lots of frustration.

Maybe instead of gifts or landfills, we should start buying kids their own landfills.

What a waste of resources and energy to produce a large hunk of plastic that will be leaching toxins for the next 300 years. What is the lifespan of this toy?

My son is now 2.5. He doesn't get any screen time at home except to Skype with family (we don't have a TV), but I recently let him play with my iPhone and he figured out how to play music on it right away. He's held it MAYBE half a dozen times, ever, and he turns on iTunes every time.

This is my way of saying I'm not sure this case is necessary. A really little kid will make do with a wooden spoon or what-have-you, and a older toddler/preschooler can probably learn (and might even teach him/herself) how to use it without breaking it or making unwanted calls.

I just can't imagine any reason why I would ever hand over a piece of equipment worth hundreds of dollars to a small child that may chew on it, shake it, throw it, etc. Just not worth it to me.

I'd save the iphone for kids a few years old who can really interact with kid apps - and for that, get a more standard case to protect from dropping and sticky fingers.

We let our 22-month old son play with an iPod Touch to watch sign language videos and play with learning apps. Please don't be so quick to judge as this does not replace ANY of our playtime and interaction with him. We do not just give him the device and walk away. There are a number of apps that he plays with to learn the words and sounds for animals, vehicles, food, toys, colors, etc. We have a rubber case with handles to protect the device, and an awesome home cover button called a "bubcap."

Let me start off by saying I sell a competing product to help share iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches with toddlers (thanks, rebar, it's thrilling to see someone commenting here who actually owns a BubCap)! As I've become entrenched in the world of sharing iDevices with toddlers, I've learned a lot. I can't tell you how many educators and therapy centers use iPads and iPod touches with very young children, and have had real breakthroughs with young autistic children with these iOS devices. And did you all catch the news last week that a school district in Maine ordered iPads for EVERY kindergarten student? I guess you all think these educators and therapists are insane. But, while those unfamiliar are incredulous about iDevices being used to educate such young children, the hands-on aspects of tablet technology, combined with the right educational apps, make for amazing interactive learning, something far beyond what can be done with TV. As an example for those of you think that technology plus toddlers is so outlandish, you can't let your toddler finger-paint in the living room without a lot of set-up and clean up, it's probably not something many parents have time to do on a regular basis. But you can let your toddler finger-paint any time they want on an iPad, see how colors mix together, etc. And it's been shown that toddlers who use various educational apps have a huge head start knowing letters and numerals compared to kids who aren't exposed to these apps that make learning fun. While I understand the gut reaction that kids should be kept from screens and only playing with wood toys, there's a balance of using technology that makes sense.

I'm with rebar on this one...we give our 22 month old daughter our EVOs, and have apps specifically designed for kids her age with alphabet and number songs and games...I don't think it is awful at all. I would buy one of those silly things if it fit an EVO.

People are horrified by baby leashes, binky use, not breastfeeding (or breastfeeding too late), and just about everything else. I don't judge, because lots of stuff I do horrifies others.
Case in point: my 19-month-old loves her iPod touch. She has lots of books, songs, alphabet, etc. apps on it, and she plays with it every day. Considering the 2 hour commute we both have to deal with, it's a life saver.
Is it doing irreparable damage? I don't think so. Judge me harshly if you want.
And thanks, rebar, for the "bubcap" link.

I've got too much to do to bother being "horrified" by a child's toy.

My 20 month old loves my iphone and I don't mind letting her play with it, especially when we're out somewhere that isn't safe for a toddler to run around (restaurant, older brother's swim lessons, etc) I've been looking for a case sort of like this that would cover the home button to keep her from shutting down the app she's playing with.

Nellymom... HAHAHAAA!!!! EXACTLY what I was thinking..... :)

I think this is great. I don't understand the landfill comment...there are plenty of other pastic toys that babies outgrow quickly that don't "horrify" anyone. It can always get passed on to someone else. I myself am a huge fan of wood toys, etc...but I see how this can be handy. I don't have an iPhone but my family does own 3 iPod touches. My 3 year old daughter has some apps on the iPods that are educational and she loves them. We use them together as well. She is loving the Leapfrog app since she has leapfrog videos and other gadgets. My neice is 6 months old and I also have a baby einstein app that I use for her. It keeps her entertained when I am baby-sitting her when I have to care for one of my 3 children. I know her mother has baby apps on her iPod as well. And I know she would love this toy for car rides, etc. I only wish we had it last month when our family drove from NY to Florida. Anyways...if you don't like it...don't buy it. And don't judge those who do. Everyone is different. I breastfed and buy wood toys although my children do own their fair share of plastic stuff and electronics too. My sister-in-law uses formula and thinks I'm crazy that I go nuts over cute wood toys and organic food. And we're best friends.

I agree with PapaRob. I'm amazed how quickly my 7 month old understood the touchscreen aspect of it. It's intuitive for them. She learned to unlock it too....
I wouldn't let her actively play with it, but anytime I had it and she was nearby, I'd let her see it. The downside: we used it as a music player one night, (the night she learned to pull up on her feet), and she slobbered all over it. It's dead now. :( I would have loved this protective case!

I could have used this a few weeks ago for myself when I spilled a coffee in my purse and killed my iPod touch.