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Parents - What's some good hardware / software for toddlers?

dman

Diamond Member
We bought this fisher price keyboard w/ some software for our daughter (16mo's) but it sucks. The keyboard sits on top of a regular keyboard and has buttons underneath that press special keys. Well, our daughter just lifts it up and it no longer works. Of course we sit there with her and hold it down while she plays, but, the software it came with pretty much blows as well... some real basic graphics that don't really hold her interest.

Recently we bought a 'Sesame Street Baby' game from Costco that she likes. Mostly cuz she loves Elmo and he's in there. It has songs and games w/ all the characters... pretty nice. Uses regular keyboard and mouse and is pretty good, if a bit outdated in graphics/resolution.

So, what stuff do your children like.

Are there any special keyboards / mice that are easier for kids to use? I thought I'd seen a keyboard before but haven't seen one lately...

Thanks.
 

Jumpstart software is good... they also have languages, and my son loves Spanish. They are by Knowlege Adventure... lots of good stuff there.

As for hardware, the kids have always used the same as we do, seems to work for them.

🙂
 
Don't teach them anything. You'll regret it later when you're trying to pry their dear sweet little fingers from the keyboard.

<--- has spent three weeks trying to detatch her twin 8 year old sisses from the comps.
 
kids don't need special keyboards/mice

they can use the real thing starting at about 20-24 months and as long as you just use a "regular" cheapo keyboard, who cares if they drool all over it? for $9 you can get a new one after they get too many graham cracker crumbs jammed into it

there is lots of decent kids software, just check the bargin bins at all the retailers
 
Jumpstart Preschool
Dr. Seuss ABC's
Sesame Street Elmo
A dozen other titles, but the above three are the favorites
Regular two-button mouse

Four-year-old niece still can't use a mouse properly but likes to play anyway.
Three-year-old nephew turns on computer, monitor, and speakers, Inserts CD, Clicks on appropriate Desktop Icon, plays solo. Shuts down windows and computer properly too (old computer doesn't turn off automatically). Yes, I'm bragging. 🙂

A friend of mine pointed out that he didn't want to "dumb down" stuff for his kid, so he's always used a regular mouse.
 
Originally posted by: HotChic
Don't teach them anything. You'll regret it later when you're trying to pry their dear sweet little fingers from the keyboard.

<--- has spent three weeks trying to detatch her twin 8 year old sisses from the comps.

Well, Jennifer (17mo's) is now hooked on Sesame Street "Baby Me" cd.

As you indicated, I regret ever installing that one... "Elmo, Elmo EEEELLLLMMMOOOOO! PLay it, please."

We also have the jumpstart ones, but, right now she's hooked on Elmo. Found an optical Elmo mouse for her to use, she likes that too...

and of course, I recommended the Baby Me CD to a friend w/ a daughter the same age and now he regrets it too. Share the pain I say.

Still looking for a link to a good kid-friendly keyboard (just for looks mostly, maybe w/ 'bigger' keys would be nice though.
 
another vote for jumpstart...my son started using it when he was three, and still plays some of their software now that he is six
 
Might as well get them going on Halo and CounterStrike!

My girls started off with Elmo, Blue's Clues, Winnie the Pooh. Then they moved up to things like Reader Rabbit. My 8 year-old is all about I Spy right now, though 🙂
 
I vote jump start also. My son has used it since he was 18 months, had to sit with him for a little while and help him, but he took right too it. My daughter also has uses it, they love it. they also like reader rabbit as well, but use jump start more. Stuart little number land and wordland is another they like. If I had to pick just one it would be jumpstart.
 
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