OLD LAPTOP as educational toy?

[slurmsmackenzie]

my take with my kids is to get them involved in everything i do. while they won't be able to actively participate, they have such a high propensity for learning in early childhood that i figure it can't hurt, right?

 

[MisterJackson]

My son got his first head shot in UT GOTY when he was 7. I was SOOOOO proud!

He's had a PC since he was 5, gave him his first laptop last year (he's 9 now). I've only let him have net access on my work machines if I'm around. I've had the talk with him about what's out there and what's off limits. He knows where he shouldn't be. I've also taught him to double check the spelling of a website as a misspelled domain can take him somewhere he shouldn't be.

I did put net nanny on at first, but I also kept an eye on his activity after using. In the few years he's had net access he's never abused it so I finally gave him a wireless adapter for the laptop in his room.

I've got a lot of the bad stuff filtered out through the router. That, coupled with his responsibility so far....I'm not too concerned. I do still keep an eye on it, just not as much.

all he ever looks at is Pokeman stuff and the like.

He told me the other day when he was online "Let me show you my Pokemans!" and I died laughing.

 

[Shawn]

I was playing Sesame Street games on our IBM PC Jr when I was 2 years old.

 

[NuAlphaMan]

It's never to early. I've introduced my son (16mos) to PCs. He will sit there and bang on the keyboard, but he's gotten the hang of the mouse! I even let him hang out with me while I was building a PC. He's a little dangerous to have around when I'm building them, but he does enjoy being around them.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Thanks, these are very encouraging responses, I guess my son will soon be going through a crash course in computers

 

[MX2]

I introduced my kids to computers as soon as they could sit up and crawl. First with a cheapy wireless keyboard/mouse to play with, then onto sitting in my lap with me and playing learning games and such.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Does anyone know where I can download simple games suitable for a young age, like Pac-Man, Space Invaders and the like? My first computer game (on a Sinclair Spectrum machine, in 1983) was Brickbat

 

[FoBoT]

three years old at the latest

my girls have been using computers since they were babies

 

[rivan]

My daughter's had her own "office" since she was about 1.5 - an old keyboard and wireless mouse not connected to anything. She's just turned three and I'm going to start her into some Dora games to work on her mouse control soon.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Does anyone know where I can download simple games suitable for a young age, like Pac-Man, Space Invaders and the like? My first computer game (on a Sinclair Spectrum machine, in 1983) was Brickbat

Old school is the new school.

http://www.virtualapple.org/

Given their prominent use in the education systems in the late 80's-early 90's, there's an assload of good software and easy-to-play games for the Apple II.

- M4H