[lotharbot]

My son (not quite 2) engages in all these same behaviors. He pokes things, points at things, touches things, checks to make sure his finger is still attached, pokes things some more... and he's been doing it since long before he was allowed to touch the tablet computer.

Sometimes when he touches, say, pictures in a newspaper or magazine, he's just trying to get daddy's input (same as when he touches something in a board book.) He touches a picture, and I'll say "it's a blue car!" or "what a furry kitty!" You might mistake it for "thinking the newspaper is a broken tablet", but not for long.