Keeping your computer up-to-date is no easy task. Who wouldn't want a brand new machine? If you can't afford a computer, take a few minutes to try and win one. Sure, the odds aren't great, but someone has to win! Sandra Grauschopf, the About.com Guide to Contests & Sweepstakes, has a few listings that might appeal to families. If you browse her site, she's also got some tips on increasing your odds.

From Sandra's site:

Laptop Magazine Eee PC Sweepstakes- Act fast on this one. It expires on May 21, 2008.

Listerine Kids Sound Byte Sweepstakes - In addition to a car, you could win a Macbook and some other great prizes. This one expires June 1, 2008.

Good luck!

I wrote awhile back about an "Aha" moment I had around computer use and kids. I realized that much of the criticism and concern parents have about computer use is due to a lack of awareness about what a computer CAN do. When I first started using a computer in elementary school, software was limited. So, I wrote my own. The stuff I wrote was simple and would hardly impress anyone today, but it helped me develop a number of skills including problem solving and logic. More importantly, I had the positive experience of having a unique idea and seeing it come to fruition.

Today we have operating systems that shield us from the inner workings of our computers. Everything has a graphical interface (friendly buttons, graphics, etc.) so we don't need to think about what's going on behind the scenes. For many, computer use has become a passive activity where we're fed information and experiences without adding anything of our own. Even "educational" software leads you through a pre-determined path of learning. Of course most parents would rather have their young child building with blocks that staring blankly at a computer screen!

The good news is that it doesn't have to be that way. If you're a parent who wants your child to experience creating things, to explore his or her own creative ideas and to learn to make hypothesis and see them through, the computer is the perfect tool. You just need the right software and some patience.

I've started putting together a list of resources for kids (and teens!) who want to learn how to program. It's actually not that difficult to get started, especially for kids. They have a natural curiosity to know how things work and why. With these tools, kids can create video games, interactive artwork, digital story books, virtual worlds and more. They don't have to be "techies" or want to be software engineers. They just have to like exploring and trying new things.

I'm going to provide forum space for folks using tools such as those mentioned in the programming resource guide. Hopefully, we'll get ideas from kids and adults who use the software, or software like it. I'll try to post some project ideas now and again as well.

Please let me know what you think!