Comment by trollbridge
10 hours ago
Get kids an old computer. They prefer something big they can see, with switches that make a resounding clunk, and drives that make clanking noises.
To a kid, playing games from the 1980s off a floppy disk is not a significantly difficult experience than using the very latest technology, but I suspect the former is far better for their developing brains.
Meanwhile, you can get them to learn how to type on the keyboard and learn the basics of needing to type in commands to make the computer do something, which is a lifelong skill - tapping icons on a tablet is not.
when i was around 8-9? i got my first "PC".
but thing is, it was not a whole PC. it was just the keyboard...
i played with that keyboard for 1 year before my family could afford to buy the rest of the PC.
in that year i learned the position of every key and would show off to friends how i can find any key, with my eyes closed.
To be fair, my first computer _was_ inside its keyboard.
Cool idea. Where would I get one?
Maybe an old Amiga. It's easy to get started, as most games boot automatically from the floppy disk. When they are ready for more advanced usage, the default boot ends up in Workbench where they can get a desktop environment.
After a while, expose them to programming through AMOS or Blitz Basic.
doesnt HAVE to be old.
just a regular PC with keyboard mouse monitor and the unit.
edit: maybe a DVD unit for reading AND writing disks.
Just a start.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=dell+pentium+ii+mid+tow...
In this case I gave them a COMPAQ Portable III I rescued from my father-in-law's computer repair shop.
myroom.isfine.org on a pinch. I tried to make everything as authentically annoying as it was, having to rewind tapes shapes character
Look up the Pocket 386.
Don't give kids a computer, give them a camera. A real one.
No, let them paint.
A toddler needs manipulative toys to develop patience and motor control. Blocks to stack, puzzles to fit together, balls to throw and catch, books with pages to turn. Nothing electronic at all.
Hard agree. And a lot of unstructured play. Actually, that should all last well into their pre-teens IMO.
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I did that and now they want me to buy film for it, which costs a small fortune. And would be even harder to find someone to develop.
Why does it have to be a film camera? A "real" camera can still be a digital one.
There's plenty of places online you can mail film to to be developed.