This will get my kids ready for a position in middle management right away! Where do I get it?

not

We actually used to have this at a playgroup I ran for a non profit agency. They donated like 10 of them to our program, one for each site and honestly, I thought they were a big waste of money and I pretty much never had it turned on. The games were nothing special and they were something a parent could do with their children without the use of electronics. Imagine that.

A really awesome laptop will take a kid much further.

ugh.

My kids have been doing really well with our family computers since they were about 2 1/2. I don't understand the necessity of Little Tikes' product. I like having the family machine tucked neatly into a corner of the living room where I can set limits/monitor more easily, and there is no freakin' way I'd want to look at that plastic behemoth all day.

I would laugh openly if I saw this in someone's home.

This product is actually disturbing. And un-ergonomic to boot! Check out the wrist on the kid in the striped polo and how he would have to crane his neck up to see the screen.

i can see these things working in daycare playroom settings or at kids museums (where i've actually seen them), but not in private homes.

silliest thing ever. seems to take up a ton of space, is hella-ugly and why on earth does a toddler need privacy panels? built in mousepads? Really???

"I would laugh openly if I saw this in someone's home." tmoore, virtual beer on me. That was a good one!

This is for people who like to be told what to do. Think for yourself a little and you would discover that a) it's a honkin' piece of ugly b) waste of money and c) hands on education is the answer.

Just another expensive toy that will be pushed in a corner after a day or two...

The resolution on that screen looks terrible. Or is it a fake image superimposed on that monstrosity?

There's one at a local playgroup here, but as girlmommy says, the games aren't much to speak of. And that's when the gizmo is working... which it usually isn't. I think the kiddos are rough on it, which is kind of interesting, considering the fact that most of the kids I know, my own included, are pretty good at handling a real computer respectfully.

Oh my god. A toy cubicle? Are you kidding me?

I've seen these at museums, and I think an institutional setting like that is the right place for them. Somebody's home, on the other hand, no!

They really should use more plastic to build this product. It needs to be larger and have more plastic.

LOL, Vanessa.

A BIG NOT for at home...can you imagine how much of the room this would take up!

However...I work in a preschool..and I can really see this being used there. It's important that you have a place to lock up the extras, cords and software. The station would be safe..and not tip-able. The plastic is ugly...but when in use by tons of kids every day is easy to clean. And learning about typing is very useful for early reading. Our kids love computer as a center...and they only get about 10 min on it.

So it's not a total loss.

sibergirlblue--I'm intrigued by your statement that learning about typing helps with early reading skills. My understanding is that exposure to the computer provides absolutely no benefit until at least age seven or so. Do you have any articles/resources about this that I can read? I'm asking this out of true curiousity--not to be snarky. I was just thinking about computers and preschoolers last night. We don't have a TV, but my four year old asked me last night if she could learn how to use the computer. I'm really leaning towards saying "no," but I'm interested in seeing information that contradict my position so far.

And by that, I mean "information that contradictS my position so far." Sheesh. Maybe I needed a computer at four.

Yeah, computers can help kids learn to read and teach them about all kinds of stuff, but this is soooo not the way to do it. How about letting your kiddo sit at your computer and type...hell, get them a colorful keyboard and mouse. For $2600, I could get a pretty freaking awesome computer and just give my wee one the old one.

Or instead of giving them every electronic gadget by the time they're 7, how about sitting on the porch and talking. Or tell them a story about life BEFORE computers and telephones (my 4 year old is fascinated by these stories...how did they call people?).

My son's daycare has these, although he's too young for them yet. I don't think they're for home.

Just imagine how these will look in a landfill, because you know they weren't built to last.

Vanessa, lol!!

I see zero purpose for this product. What a waste of money! How can they even possibly charge $2,600 for it... a crappy computer and a load of plastic, hmm.

I do think computers have a place for children, though. They ARE the future, after all. My son is only 14 months and he is very interested in the computer, he only wants to hit the keys at this point, but as he gets older we will teach him to use it properly. He knows how to unlock the iPad and pick his favorite (educational!) game.

It doesn't make sense to me that computers would have no benefits for children under 6-7. Just because an image is on a screen it's harmful? There is some amazing learning to be had on the iPad.

By the way, it's not as if my son is on the computer all the time. He uses the iPad for about 5 minutes a day, if that. And he almost never watches TV. I just do believe computers are useful for children.

LinnyBee--I'm referring to a long study done on computer use in classrooms, and the researchers found no benefits from having computers in children's classrooms until about age seven (I forgot the exact number). There may be contradicting studies; I'm not sure. I have to say that with my oldest being four, I can't imagine what she would have learned so far from playing on the computer that she hasn't learned elsewhere, aside from how to use the computer. And she'll learn that one day anyway.

It actually makes me think about how Baby Einstein claimed for all those years that the videos helped babies learn (and now they've offered refunds on the DVDs for making false claims). It never made any sense to me. A baby can learn his colors from watching a video, or he can learn his colors from hearing and watching his parents talk about what colors things are on a consistent basis. The video provides no benefit that normal life doesn't provide, and it certainly provides drawbacks. I guess I kind of feel that way about the computer at a young age. I'd really like to see evidence to the contrary, though, if there is any. I'm definitely curious and, like I said, am mildly tempted to let my four year old try the computer.

Great!! it is really a very useful toy for children. I do wanna buy this toy for my child as it is a good way to play and teach them simultaneously.
alpine white teeth

Terrible. Not for institutional use, not for home use. Chances are, if you have to make a special version for children, the original item isn't appropriate for them anyway.

Children do not need computers, and they pose virtually no benefit to learning reading and math skills. If they do have a slim benefit, it's still not better than a warm lap and a book.

There's nothing about using a computer that a child can't learn at age 7 or 10. They aren't going to be behind, for goodness sake!

Please check out the Alliance for Childhood's excellent piece on this subject:
http://drupal6.allianceforchildhood.org/fools_gold