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Any tips on a laptop for a 3 year old?

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I got my iBook G4 about the time my oldest was 3, I could not pull it out without one or both kids hopping on my lap to look at pictures in iPhoto. So, I revived an older P3-150 desktop which we set up in the living room for them to play age appropriate edutainment games or just to bang on the KB or wiggle the mouse for a while. When the youngest turned 3-ish we added the 17" iMac which is still mainly the kids' computer.

Rules in our house are no TV, computer, DS, Wii, .... behind closed doors, everything stays where we can see what they are doing. Hence no laptops.

They are 8 and 6 now. The oldest likes to get on Skype and chat with his best friend 3000 miles away once or twice a month. They talk smack, and sometimes meet in Club Penguin to play together virtually. They have a set of URL shortcuts to vetted sites with flash games they enjoy and such.

The times they are a changing!

B
 
Yikes, I dunno. I didn't start using a computer till I was 8 and wasn't even that into till I was 11ish. 3 sounds awful young for a computer.
 
jnyepu said:
I wonder if the next generation will start driving at 4, or something like that
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That is, if the next generation isn't too lazy and ignorant to maintain our society and infrastructure. That's not looking very likely, at this point.
 
Hehe.

I'd consider one of the following:

* eMac. Big, cheap, and indestructible

* iMac G5 bolted to a table with a piece of plexi over the front

Keyboard/mouse is up to you. If you have the cash to blow, one of those crayola keyboards may suit em well, or the simple apple keyboards so that they don't get overloaded with stuff.

Here's a few things though:

1. At 3 years old, I don't think they're going to use a computer much. I don't know anyone that had a computer at home before the ages of 5-7, but that's because I grew up in a poor-ish town.

2. Don't give it importance over other things.

3. What are they going to do with a computer at that age that's so great anyway? Program? Write code?
 
A laptop for a three year old? There is absolutely no need for a child to have this. Take the kid outside to experience what life is and not have him on the virtual "babysitter". Make a parenting decision and let your kid be a kid. This preschool that you have him enrolled in should be teaching the kids basic human interaction skills and should stop sitting them down in front of the good old computer. You sir need to enroll your child into a different preschool. I'm all for learning technology, but this is just too young. Good luck!
 
MaxxTraxx said:
You think that will handle all the video editing the kid will be doing however? He will probably be working with some HD Video & a lot of pictures. I would suggest an 8 Core Mac Pro w/ maxed out ram.

You should also think about buying the '30 Cinema Display, that way the kid will be able to see anything.
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Yes, but he could probably throw a 17" MBP against the wall with more force, thus building on his motor skills and self esteem. But WAIT FOR THE REFRESH.
 
Hook that kid up with some He-Man figures, a Van Halen Tshirt, some AC/DC albums and a copy of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure on VHS. Maybe then he won't submit to the flu with the rest of his generation XD
 
The OP came here to ask the simple question of a computer for the 3 year old. The result is a crap load of opinions on how a parent should educate their child. Are any of you parents and qualified to tell others what to do?

Back to the topic: I would imagine a older, cheaper computer to use. If you want a new machine, I'd buy a PC because those are generally cheaper and can be purchased with accidental protection. A good machine may be a Thinkpad; they're built very well.
 
... does nobody but me check the dates of the original and previous posts before replying? =D This got necro'd yesterday from a December 09 thread!

/hide

Back on track. I'm 29, and I started using a computer at a VERY early age. My father was a COBOL programmer with IBM, and I can distinctly remember starting up his PC and knowing to type 'S-Y-S-T-E-M." I didn't know what it spelled or what it meant, but I knew I had to type those letters and press return in order to get everything going. My earliest memories are of DOS and Norton Commander (including a specific Games menu my dad set up - press 'J' for Jeopardy, 'W' for Wolfenstein, 'R' for Raptor, 'D' for Duke Nukem, 'K' for Keen!). I knew when I was very young how to create batch files, format disks, etc ... my dad taught me.

I see nothing wrong with a child learning how to use a computer, as long as there is adequate supervision. My dad left me alone on his computer, but there was nothing that I could have done to get myself or him into trouble - he didn't have internet in the early 80s, let alone a modem in his desktop. With 'always-on' internet access and (in most cases) the lack of an inhouse programmer like my father, it is much easier for a child to either get into inappropriate content or to screw something up. As long as they as supervised, I don't see any problem teaching a child the basics that they will no doubt need and use later in their lifetime.
 
Alaerian said:
... does nobody but me check the dates of the original and previous posts before replying? =D This got necro'd yesterday from a December 09 thread!
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and probably the OP's 3 year old kid already bored with the laptop and now is building a space rocket.
 
really I see nothing wrong with this.

if the 3 year old is brilliant...then feed him genius.
 
Even though this is an old thread...I just had to reply when I saw it!

As a developmental psychologist, I would strongly advice NOT to buy a laptop for a 3 year old.

It looks like you have good reasons for buying one, thinking you will enhance your child's learning abilities and skills, getting your child used to computers, and let it do educational games.
However, research shows that children learn most by interaction with adults and peers and most importantly, with physical objects like blocks, toys etc instead of a screen and a mouse!!
There is nothing wrong with electronics for a child, but a laptop for a 3 year old will not give you the results you think it will have.

A waste of money at this age.
 
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