A netbook for a 4/5 year old starting school?

[anditwasallyellow]

I don't really have space for a desktop and would prefer to keep him off my laptop until he is slightly older and has learnt not to just bang the keys. I knowhe's going to need some kind of access now he's starting school and I'm considering a refurbished netbook from Argos ebay. But are they any good for what he'll need in the first few years of school?

A range of responses here, schools obv differ!

DD's school uses an online learning environment, her IT skills are pretty impressive imo (taught by school not me). She has had a login and password since reception and whilst it is not yet compulsory for her to use it I think she would be missing out if she didnt at least occasssionally.

He won't need one.

I don't like this relying on computer learning mentality. Not you OP, the teacher.

I think the keyboard and mouse is the best option

Schools generally have PCs or Laptops and mouse control is something they have to learn.

There are online KS1 games they can play that teach mouse control.

Mine regularly get homework which needs the Internet from about age 5.

Thought we might be a bit behind with the times my neices have desktops in their rooms (same age)

No child that age should have unsupervised access to an internet connected computer IMO, that's just crazy.

ghostship I don't like it either to be honest not the teachers fault but just in general. For lots of people internet access is still a luxury if I lost my job I could easily end up in a position where I couldn't afford internet connection I only have a laptop because it was given to me.

Yes, to a separate key board and mouse.

DD2 banged keys and wasn't let near a lap top until she got her own.

(she was 6or7, rather little, but DH is a geek and I was fed up her playing games on mine). It was her absolute pride and joy and she's really careful with it.

I don't think DCs need a computer until Y5.

It is much easier to drill Internet safety into a 8/9 yo than a know it all DC about to go into Y7, who's mates are all on FB.

ghostship I'm a teacher and believe me that I don't like all the use of computers either.

Unfortunately, I have to evidence cross curricular use of technology (which often means computers) and computers feature quite heavily in the national curriculum. (which teachers have no role in writing).

Some HT's are very enthusiastic about computers.

The teachers have no choice.

DS didn't need a computer until KS2.

DD needed access to one in Reception. Her maths homework, spellings and some literacy stuff was all done online. It's all well and good for people to say that the school provides one in school for the children to use if you don't have computer access at home, but there is no time in the day for children to be able to do it. And in Reception, children are still learning computer skills as well as everything else, and so need an adult with them.

folkgirl as a teacher do you think that a netbook would be adequate?

He will not NEED one but I would say useful. We do mathletics and lots of learning games I guess it is up to you but if not the room to have a family PC then do it.

I would say to make sure it can run flash, though.

Dd1 (y1 since yesterday) uses reading eggs and the cbeebies website, although she used them a lot more before she started school. She also plays maths and literacy games on my iPad and we watch science videos on YouTube on our TiVo bx. I am starting to introduce 2yo dd2 to computers too now, but she can't yet manage a mouse. She does play on the iPad though, surrounded by cushions and with me holding it, lol.

To me, they need to learn mouse and keyboard skills alongside pen skills. ATM, dd1 is fairly slow with both, but she will learn. Dd2 is starting to copy shapes with a pen, so it is time to learn how to use a mouse. Plus it is a lot easier to just press a button than form a letter.

I spent most of school being told off for bad handwriting (books ripped up in front of the class etc - I'm 27, so not that long ago) and the school IT was woefully inadequate. I know things have moved on since, but who really handwrites more than the odd list as an adult?

Still, netbooks are pretty slow and restrictive - another vote for his own keyboard for your laptop. We are fairly poor too (but geeky, so we spend a disproportionate amount of money on gadgets) and a netbook for his own use doesn't seem like an effective use of cash, when you could spend the same on accessories for him to use with your laptop (a printer is brill, get the mega cheap ink off amazon)

School don't request use of a computer at home, but they also don't request use of a dictionary or encyclopaedia, so

I think if schools want the children to do homework relating to computers & the internet then they should pay for it.

My dd has had homework where she has needed to use the internet. We are fortunate enough to have it but some people arent & also a lot of libraries are closing down.

A child younger than a teenager doesnt NEED its own laptop. Even then not all teenagers need their own laptop.

No, I've went through two netbooks in 3 years so it's a false economy. Could have bought a really good laptop for the combined cost. Oh well.

anditwasallyellow as long as it has internet access it would be fine but tbh I wouldn't look at buying him one, he certainly won't need that.

He will need your support to do any homework he gets because (unless he's superkid) he will find it a challenge. You'll want to be around to support and help him - there's no point him doing it if you're not there to see whether he's doing it properly or not. I wouldn't leave a reception child unsupervised on laptops or the like anyway.

I think a usb keyboard and mouse (for about £20) would be a far better bet for a reception child than buying him something of his own.

He'll need internet access for maybe one or two short homework activities a week (at most) the kind of thing found here it really isn't worth buying anything.

Our children did Mathletics homework on the computer even in Reception, plus other homework on Fronter.

My son is just going into year 9.

He had a laptop for Christmas when he went into year 7. The teachers communicate with them through email a lot of the time, they can access the school intranet from home and they need to use the internet for research.

He does need it.

However, he isn't able to access the internet from his room.

I don't believe that ANY 5 year old needs access to the internet at all, nevermind their own netbook, how ridiculous.

Britta I handwrite pretty much everything.

I print off forms to complete them by hand. But then I have lovely pens and enjoy writing!

At our school they said that if you didn't have a computer already, the county would give grants to people to set themselves up. Not sure if you had to be on benefits for this.

Just to add I wasn't thinking that I was going to just leave him unsupervised on a netbook to get on with his homework, not at all and of course I realise that homework will be done together I really hope I haven't come across as THAT thick.

The though was more a mixture of a few things. My laptop is pretty useless as it is it's very slow and freezes up a lot, the mouse doesn't work properly it npo longer has a working right click button. I would really love a new one but have other money priorities atm but definitely don't want ds banging away at the keys or sticking his hand through the screen. My thought with a netbook was that they are not terribly expensive (refurbished) and it would be like this is yours for school and games so he'd be more likely to be more careful as it would be a novelty. I don't really have any idea how much it will actually be needed or whether he will eventually need an office package at primary school? But it sounds as though it will just make more sense to use what I've already got.

I think I'm just a bit out of touch all the kids I know seem to have every gadget going I've heard things about laptop grants for children so though perhaps it was the done thing these days.

It wasn't a silly question OP. Kids in our school do homework on the computer from Reception.

If you are going to spend money, spend it on one for all of you. Then get a USB keyboard and mouse.

But it really won't hurt him if none of that's possible atm. You'll be sharing his reading books and doing other things the school sends home.

Computers are not compulsory.

He won't need a home computer til he is in juniors - so about age 8

My DSs both had computer based homework from reception. Second the comments about making sure it runs flash since lots of educational sites use it (eg mathletics) so don't get an iPad.

Can you not just get a new mouse for your laptop? If the toggly thingy doesn't work you will still be able to plug a normal mouse into it. You can buy them for a few uus.