Best toy 'laptop' sought

July 6, 2005 12:47 PM

Which are the good toy 'laptop computers' for three-year-olds?

I'm trying to find one good toy computer which is a learning aid/toy for my daughter. Every time I go to Target I end up not buying anything because I have no idea which one has the best software, user interface, depth of software titles and indestructability. Not necessarily in that order.

posted by thayerg to computers & internet (7 comments total)

At the risk of derailing the conversation, I'd have to say the "No Computer" is the best computer for your child.

The "No Computer" sports a varied paper or outdoors based interface, with crayon, pencil, or toy-based input system. Software is 99% freeware, after some hardware investment - dolls, balls, shoes, etc.

Children given the "No Computer" UI lead happy, healthy lives, filled with fresh air. The "No Computer" system has been used for thousands of years, and is guaranteed against crashes. Some patching (knees, clothing) will be required, however.

Not kidding. And yes, I have one of my own.
posted by unixrat at 1:51 PM on July 6, 2005

All of the computers specifically designed for that age range are crap, and some are expensive crap, IMHO. Save your money. Do you have a desktop or a docking station for a laptop? Let her use these with some supervision. Even if she destroys a keyboard or mouse, which is actually pretty hard without come conducting liquids, these are cheap to replace. You load the software and let her go. unixrat has a pretty good idea too, but if you want her exposed to computers I would start right out with the real thing.
posted by caddis at 2:15 PM on July 6, 2005

Vtech, LeapFrog and Fisher-Price are the top three. Though unixrat's suggestion is more open to spontaneity.
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:15 PM on July 6, 2005

I agree with unixrat - sure you want your offspring to get a head start; but do they really benefit from getting thrown into such a medium (with computers, you do something - the computer spits a response. Even.If.The.Input.Is.Crap)?

Computers are tools, with complicated - yet with non-first-principles interfaces. Teaching kids about complexity is laudable, but maybe it's a little too ambitious at this point.

I remember cousins and stuff when they were that age - blocks beat out the cheap "punch a button and some fuzzy-celebrity's picture would make a noise" that seemed to be pretty prolific.

Spacial concepts, physical cause-effect, and language are things that I would want to throw at a child that age. I just don't think that "using computers" (when it means using OSX or WinXP) is something important to teach somebody that age.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 11:43 PM on July 6, 2005

Wow. I ask a question soliciting advice and a total stranger presumes to lecture me on what is right for a child whom the stranger has never met. Because he simply knows better than I do and his deft little puns prove it.

I'm way more stupid than you are Mr unixrat. Sir. Whatever was I thinking?
posted by thayerg at 12:22 AM on July 7, 2005

Honestly, can we keep the snarking to the blue or grey? The point of the green is to answer the question that was asked...not presume to lecture people on the moral rightness of their child rearing abilities. Did you even see the text under the comment section...or are your reading comprehension skills as low as your advice giving skills?

That said, what Caddis suggested is what I've done. I wiped an old computer, loaded it with art programs, 3d programs, science and encyclopedia programs, some Storyboarding programs, and a mapping software so he can see where we're going on long trips. I also loaded Word, so he can type, and I've got a couple of learning games that I picked up at Half Price books. There's a lot more software available for the general market PC than there is for any of the proprietary systems.

On rainy days, or days when we don't have activities, he loves to come in my office and just pound around. His keyboard is multicolored from crayons, but still functional...and at 2.5, he can already type and read complete words, use the mouse to open programs, and seems to be having a blast in Bryce. Also, it saves my alienware from baby invasion...always a good thing.

And yes, for you moralizing asshats, the child gets plenty of outside time, pool time, gymnastics time, museum, library, zoo and mommy time. How dare you presume to tell someone else how to raise their child? What audacity to presume that the child isn't smart enough or active enough to allow for them to have an additional tool added to the repertoire. People like you are what have destroyed this site, I swear to god. What was once a useful tool for answering and asking questions has just become another soapbox for moralizing, self important, chest puffers.
posted by dejah420 at 12:05 PM on July 7, 2005 [1 favorite]

If you don't have a spare computer like dejah420, and I didn't when my kids were that age even though now it seems like I could open a used computer store, you might want to also lock down the desktop to prevent inadvertent damage. I just kept an eye on what was happening and trusted my kids to obey my request to not play with the other stuff on the computer. They had a directory which would open to fill the screen with icons for their programs. This recent thread has some info on something that could be of use if your daughter might like to start reformatting drives or whatever.
posted by caddis at 7:36 PM on July 7, 2005