Kid-friendly computers

December 19, 2006 7:55 AM

I'm playing Santa's elf this year, and am setting up 2 computers for my siblings that Santa is bringing them. I need suggestions on software to equip it with.

The computers will be for 10 kids (yup, I'm the oldest of 11) ranging in age from 19 to 5. I've got the security end of it covered: Firefox with security extensions, AVG anti-virus, spyware software, etc. Looking for parental control sorts of programs, games, research software, and anything else that computers that will be primarily used by kids. Freeware/open-source preferred, but I am willing to drop cash for the right apps. Thanks, and happy holidays!

posted by charmston to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Best answer: I've set up computers for most of my kids. (ages 4-16) I'm also assuming Windows.

Now I'm going to give contrarian advice on the security. Don't bother with spyware, anti-virus stuff. It's just won't work with kids, especially older ones, they'll install some fun "video player" and it will hose the computer. What I do is when I setup a computer is two-fold. Create one admin account that you (or one of the older children) can login in as and install software. Configure the rest of the children as users with limited access. Finish installing everything and ghost the machine to a hidden partition. Keep the ghost disk, eventually the machine will get hosed (it always does), and ghost the machine when it does.

In terms of what kids need. Kids will need Office installed, in particular Word. You can go with Open Office, but they will need a program for school that can read and write .doc files. Install Fox-it for reading PDFs. Install K-Lite Codec + Media Player Classic for watching movies. Install Messenger Live (or they will from some crappy site with adware)

For games, especially for the youngest the best solution is to get a good range of emulators going. That and go into the account they'll log into, and make lots of bookmarks for them for kid's sites (nickjr.com,nick.com, etc..).

All of the above with the exception of Norton Ghost should be free.

Links:
K-Lite Media Codec Pack
Open Office
Foxit Reader
Norton Ghost
Messenger
posted by patrickje at 9:04 AM on December 19, 2006 [2 favorites]

The kids might prefer AOL Instant Messenger - it's going to depend on what their friends use, so you might want to either install both or ask them which one they prefer after they get the computer. I wouldn't bother with something like gaim or Trillian, unless they clamor for it
posted by muddgirl at 9:20 AM on December 19, 2006

Snood!!
posted by dpx.mfx at 10:17 AM on December 19, 2006

how about a link dpx.mfx? make the effort eh?
posted by Frasermoo at 10:23 AM on December 19, 2006

If you don't live in the same place, set them up with VNC and NO-IP. That'll let you log in and fix any problems remotely. May save you a lot of time.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:29 AM on December 19, 2006

Frasermoo: You're right.

Snood!!

My 7 year old nephew loves to play and so does my 70-something dad.
posted by dpx.mfx at 2:05 PM on December 19, 2006

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing is a must-have. Not free but pretty cheap - if a kid can read, s/he can (and should) learn to type.
posted by radioamy at 9:59 PM on December 19, 2006

I disagree with patrickje. If the kids are going to be using it at all for homework, it needs to be reliable and secure. Set it to automatically run Windows Defender (free) and McAfee. Kudos if you also run CCleaner and defrag it once in a while.

Also, set it up with folders for each sibbling so their stuff stays organized. Also teach them how to back up onto a flash drive or other disc of your choosing, in case someone "accidentally" deletes someone else's research paper.

Since there are five times as many kids as computers, how do your parents plan to divvy up usage time?
posted by radioamy at 10:03 PM on December 19, 2006