• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, February 16, 2012

The teddy bear may be in danger of being replaced by the tablet. According to a Nielsen survey of adults with children under 12 in tablet-owning households, 70% of children in those homes used a tablet computer in the fourth quarter. That’s up from 61% in just the prior quarter.

More than three-quarters (77%) of parents surveyed said their kids play downloaded games on tablets and 57% used them to access educational apps. The study found 43% of kids watch TV and movies on tablets but only 15% use them for communicating with friends and family.

Tablets have also become a favorite option for keeping kids occupied while on the go. More than half (55%) of parents said their children used tablets for entertainment while traveling, and 41% in restaurants.