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Dunrie Greiling Ph.D., Ann Arbor, MI 48105

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How young is too young for a laptop?

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So, it is nearing Christmas, and I am remembering my intention to purchase gifts mindfully. I haven’t been able to arrange charity exchanges with everyone, but I have got a few takers, and that’s good.

Theo and Dave

A colleague at work told me about one laptop per child, an organization that is providing rugged laptops to third world children. It’s a cool concept, building a low-cost, efficient laptop for kids (so no expensive office oriented software). I’ve heard that it is programmable, but also comes with a reset button to undo mistakes.

The most intriguing part is that one laptop per child is offering a “give a laptop, get a laptop” promotion, allowing us to explore the form, function, and user experience of the XO laptop. It would be fun to touch it and play with it, but it seems to violate the spirit not to give it to a kiddo. I’m wondering if my four-year-old nephew Theo (pictured here eating his first s’more) is too young for it.

Is 4-and-a-half too young for a laptop?

11/25/2007 – After seeing him with Dave and Dave’s laptop over Thanksgiving (replacement photo at left) I think he’s going to love it.

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Comments

  1. I think 4 1/2 is too young for the internet, but assuming the parents aren’t letting him just veg in front the screen (and that they make him wash his hands before using!), I think it’s not too young for a laptop.

    Cool gift idea!

  2. Given what I’ve seen my own nieces and nephews do, 4-and-a-half seems just about right! Learning the alphabet, playing logic games with pix, maybe even getting a start on reading.

  3. Given his fascination with my husband’s computer over Thanksgiving (replacement photo above), I know he’d like one of his own. Good thing his dad is a computer-savvy guy who might be able to doctor it/rescue it if anything goes really awry.

  4. I think that four is way too young for a laptop. I won’t even get one for my 12 year old son. My daughter however is fourteen and we just bought her her first laptop. She uses it responsibly and it helps a lot with homework.