Ask HN: Are Kids Getting a Phone Too Early On?

Hey everyone,

I'm writing this on behalf of my sister, who has a 4-year-old and isn't on HN. She's worried about her kid getting too much screen time too early. She’s wondering if there’s a cool, kid-friendly gadget out there that makes learning fun by turning life into a game.

Basically, she’s looking for something that makes the kid the main character in a real-life video game. This gadget would encourage the kid to explore the world and use AI to "level up" their skills based on what they learn.

For example, if the kid asks the AI about electronics, they'll level up their "engineering" skills.

Is there something like this out there? If it exists, do you think it’s good for kids? Would it actually work?

My sis says thanks in advance!