Jan 4, 2008 1:03 pm US/Eastern
Laptops For Kids: Are They A Good Idea?
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Six-year-old Kellen Hage is already a whiz on the computer. He even has his own pint-sized laptop. "I can play games. I can chat with my Mom and Dad, my sister, my two brothers."
When he was just three, his mother bought him his first PC.
"I thought it would be essential to the learning process of learning his ABCs, his numbers, shapes and colors in a fun kind of way," said Ellen Hage.
According to industry insiders, the Hage family is part of a growing trend.
"Because technology is used in schools and certainly in the workplace, parents recognize that there is value in introducing children at an early age," said Tim Herbert of the Consumer Electronics Association.
Stores are full of laptops, desktops and other gadgets specifically designed for young children. They range in price from about $100 to just under $600.
"Often times they're more durable because, let's face it, kids are going to drop products," Herbert said. "Often times they are in appealing colors."
Some of the kid computers feature big, bold icons, and come pre-loaded with educational software. Others use special programs that make web browsing and word processing easier.
"In terms of the internet, there are a host of tools available to help parents screen access to certain websites or to even block access," Herbert explained.
Not everyone loves the idea. Dr. Michael Rich of Children's Hospital Boston is an expert on children and media. He says very young children really don't learn much from a computer.
"Even if they are old enough to perceive what most of this material is, there's not a lot of evidence that that is retained more than short term," Rich said.
According to Dr. Rich, there are three important things that developing brains need that computers don't provide. "Interaction with other human beings, manipulating the physical environment and open-ended problem solving."
"I think it depends on the child and whether or not they're ready to be on the computer," said Ellen Hage. "And I think that's an individual parent choice." A choice she believes helped her son build a foundation for learning.
Nearly four million kid-friendly computers were sold in just the third quarter of 2007. That's an increase of 84 percent over the same period in 2006.
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