Study: Kids want iPads, not consoles

The iPad is at the top of your average kid's Christmas list, according to new research - well above traditional gaming consoles.

A recent Nielsen poll, as reported by Gamasutra, revealed that 31 per cent of all six to 12 year olds surveyed were "interested in buying" an iPad in the next six months, compared to just 12 per cent who coveted an Xbox 360.

The top 10 looked like this:

1. iPad: 31 per cent
2. Computer: 29 per cent
3. iPod touch: 29 per cent
4. Nintendo DS: 25 per cent
5. PlayStation 3: 21 per cent
6. Smartphone (non-iPhone): 21 per cent
7. Other mobile phone: 21 per cent
8. iPhone: 20 per cent
9. TV set: 20 per cent
10. 3DS: 20 per cent

Further down the list, 18 per cent said Wii, 14 per cent said PSP and 12 per cent said Xbox 360.

The results were slightly different among those aged 13 and above. Their top 10 read:

1. Computer: 20 per cent
2. TV set: 19 per cent
3. Smartphone (non-iPhone): 19 per cent
4. iPad: 18 per cent
5. Blu Ray player: 17 per cent
6. E-reader: 15 per cent
7. Wii: 15 per cent
8. iPhone: 13 per cent
9. PlayStation 3: 13 per cent
10. iPod Touch: 11 per cent

Xbox 360 claimed nine per cent, DS took eight per cent, 3DS took six per cent and the PSP took five per cent.

Where to start? Call us old-fashioned, but shouldn't six year-olds dream of buying bags of chocolate mice and marbles, rather than £500 tablets and HD TVs? And more teenagers want E-readers than PlayStation 3s? Really?