Computers for Today’s Children
Getting ready to start school today is dramatically different than it was when we were children in many ways. Children are more aware of the adult world, more sophisticated, and certainly more aware of technology and the internet than was imaginable even a few years ago.
When preparing your child for preschool and kindergarten, be prepared for how large a role computers will play in much of their early childhood education. From letter sounds to spelling tests, from research reports to science projects - there really is no portion of modern schooling that has not been affected by recent developments in computers and technology.
To best understand what your child will learn about computers and the internet in their first years of education, begin by visiting the school. When children begin preschool and kindergarten, computer technology is not taught as a subject area like language arts and mathematics. There are no tests about computer components or the inventors of the internet. However, being familiar with the purpose and general use of a standard desktop computer will be helpful for children when they're allowed access to the classroom computer, often a small-group activity at first.
Today's teachers are finding that many students come with a relatively high level of knowledge related to computer usage and the internet, while others have no exposure to any computer technology. Having computer experience is not yet a prerequisite for most toddlers starting school; however, for children with experience using a mouse and keyboard, many of the early tasks they will accomplish with the computer will be easier than for those without any prior practice. When tasks are easier and more familiar, children generally enjoy them more and are able to go beyond the basics to get a head start on the fundamental skills being taught with the technology (rather than having to focus on just learning the technology).
So how do you give your child the right amount of computer experience before school?
Start by accurately assessing what they already know. Many parents are surprised by what their very young children are able to learn from their friends, the modern cartoons on television, and by watching mom and dad use the computer. School-aged children are generally eager to have a conversation with their parents related to how much they know about computers, even if it's not entirely accurate.
Spend time with your child on the computer discussing rules and demonstrating some fun, safe activities that can be done online, like:
- Visiting family-friendly websites
- Searching for picture printables
Time spent using a computer mouse can help develop hand-eye coordination, while learning to use a computer keyboard is a great way to practice basic letter recognition skills and early spelling. By beginning to develop these skills when they are young, you will help your child be more confident during computer time in the first years of school.
Many young children have held more computing technology in the palm of their hands than most of us experienced in the first several decades of our existence. Computers are smaller, lighter, faster, and more ubiquitous than ever before and will play an ever-increasing role in our children's lives, especially in their education.
E-mail, instant messaging, and video chat software can allow children to communicate with people across the street or across the globe. But young children should never communicate with anyone that mom or dad doesn't personally know and should probably not be chatting with anyone without parents nearby. While adolescent children can be at great risk from internet predators, young children are not immune to this threat. Even well-intentioned friends and family need to understand that adult supervision is necessary anytime young children communicate online.
In addition to using communication tools, children also require supervision when learning to browse or surf the internet for topics they're interested in. It doesn't take long for children to figure out that they can find fun printable pictures of their favorite cartoon characters by just typing a few letters into a search engine. Unfortunately, without proper safeguards, even adults may be offended at some of the items that appear in the search results.
Most search engines offer a filter or "SafeSearch" feature that can be enabled on family computers to restrict inappropriate search results from appearing. In addition, computers can be equipped with monitoring and filtering software that can block a significant amount of offensive content from the internet. Products like Net Nanny and CyberPatrol provide parental controls that limit what children can view on the computer. However, for young children, software won't replace a watchful parent.
Since you can't watch your children all the time, it's worth investing time talking to your children when they are ready and teaching them about some of the dangers of the internet. The website NetSmartz provides online safety education and activities in a manner appropriate for each specific age group.
Obviously, the internet will be a tremendous tool in the lives of today's children. The sooner they can begin learning about computers and the online world in a safe and supportive manner, the more children will be able to properly use and apply this technology at home and at school.
The KinderIQ free Kindergarten Readiness Test features dozens of online questions to help you assess your child's readiness for school and allows you to compare your responses to thousands of other parents so you know where to focus future learning activities.