About the Family Computer for Babies and Toddlers
Introducing the computer to your baby or toddler is a personal decision for your family. Some people prefer to wait, while others would like their children to be comfortable at an early age. What we all agree on is that whatever exposure babies and toddlers have should be limited in time. Young children have a lot of things going on at that age and the bulk of their time should be spent in explorative and creative play. Whatever they do on the family computer should augment the learning that is going on in their lives, whether it's the basics of cause and effect or the fundamentals of the alphabet and letter sounds. These resources will help you introduce the computer to your baby or toddler.
Safety and Health
Internet Safety is less of an issue when using the computer with your baby or toddler. There are two things you should focus on when introducing kids to computing. The first is making sure you don't end up somewhere online that you don't want your kids to see. The second is starting to teach healthy computing habits such as taking breaks and using good ergonomic practices.
Games and Software
Once again, babies and toddlers aren't going to spending time playing video games. You want to look for software that is age-appropriate and that helps reinforce the concepts they are exploring in their daily lives.
Websites
Since babies and toddlers will be spending so little time on the computer, your best bet is to find a few websites with games and activities that your child enjoys. Look for games with bright colors, simple controls (such as pressing a key on the keyboard) and big results. As your child gets older, they will also enjoy learning letters, numbers and colors.
Gadgets and Tools
Since babies and toddlers have smaller hands and less fine motor control, they will do best with gadgets geared specifically for them. There are also some nice learning tools aimed at the littlest family members.
Projects
Babies and Toddlers are obviously too young to work independently on the family computer. Still, they can enjoy helping out on projects with parents and older siblings. Toddlers, in particular, will enjoy taking pictures, finding objects and helping with a craft. Try out these simple projects with your little ones:
