What is the best Thinkpad for a one year old boy?

Message

TomKroscavage · #1 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:21 pm

He likes to hit buttons and see things happen, so the operating system is just as important.

#2 Post by **rkawakami** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:22 pm

I would opt for a cheap 600-series system running some old DOS software for kids. One of my first systems that I let my daughters play on was a simple menu displayed in DOS 3.3 with batch files associated with the numbers 1-20 (1.bat, 2.bat... etc). Entering the number and pressing the Enter key would start that particular game or activity. I know it's retro to consider DOS as opposed to Windows but there wasn't much you could do to harm the system setup that way. Unless the kid figures out how to type "del *.*"

.

TomKroscavage · #3 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:53 pm

A DOS system is also what I was thinking.

TomKroscavage · #4 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:31 pm

I think I'm in the market for a 600E. Last year I gave away a cherry 600E with a 7k100. My sister's son loves it. He convinced all his little friends that "It is the worlds best laptop."

#5 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:54 pm

I do not think a one-year old can benefit from a computer in any way. Read to him, and talk to him, give him simple one-year old's toys. Forget the computer - really. ... JDH

TomKroscavage · #6 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:10 pm

We do all that, are you joking?

#7 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:40 pm

No - I was not joking. One-year olds are busy absorbing their surrounds in a way that computers cannot assist (so far as I know and so far as I have observed). My children have grown now, and there was a computer in the house from the time they were infants. ... JDH

TomKroscavage · #8 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:43 pm

Could someone remove this thread.

Kyaresk · #9 Post by **Kyaresk** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:46 pm

As the grandma of a 1 year old, I'd have to agree with JDHURST, a child that young does not need to be playing on a computer. First, let him learn about his surrounds, master simple childs play and then when he's four or five, then think about introducing the child to a computer.

Granted, being young on a computer may give him an edge later in school computer labs, but what is lost being a child with everyday toys can never be regained. A computer only increases the 'instant gratification' that kids today seem to demand. Let the child learn that only by doing will they become proficient at things.

My 1/2 cent for what it's worth.

Kat

#10 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:58 pm

Spirit-1776 wrote:Could someone remove this thread.

No, it's just starting to get interesting

...pass the popcorn.

TomKroscavage · #11 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:59 pm

With all due respect. You don't know me you don't know my boys. This is Thinkpads.com not ItTakesaVillage.com.

TomKroscavage · #12 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:17 pm

Harryc wrote:
Spirit-1776 wrote:Could someone remove this thread.
No, it's just starting to get interesting ...pass the popcorn.

Thanks, but I think I'll just pass my coat.

Stan · #13 Post by **Stan** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:03 pm

My cat does quite well on a laptop, although the shortness of it's thumbs are a hindrance.

#14 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:19 pm

Our 14 month old grandaughter just arrived. She has learned to walk and get up herself with all the attendant thumps and falls. Great fun.

So she has the run of the place. Two computers (on and running), toys, piano, stairs, empty cracker box to go out to the recycle, magazines. The piano is great fun. Magazines are fun to point out men, women, flowers, even a fish. Computers?? She could care less. ... JDH

TomKroscavage · #15 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:26 pm

My one year old walked at 7Mo 1week. He can navigate to his favorite video with a mouse. That is what he wants to do. Does anyone want to talk about Thinkpad and not my parenting?

#16 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:41 pm

We were talking about one-year olds and not criticising your parenting (at least I was not trying to).

Sarah loves remote controls for the TV and HD box, so mom and dad got her a giant remote control with big buttons (if the batteries are in, it works). So consider (a) a desktop and (b) try to get a keyboard with very large buttons (although I haven't seen one).
... JDH

Website · #17 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:57 pm

I agree with Spirit-1776, this is about his/her choice of a Thinkpad, not their choice of parenting. I introduced computers early on to my son, and he is quite advanced. We also encouraged interactivity with others, so there is no issue there.

Disclaimer: I do cringe at the thought of giving a 1yo a Thinkpad, not because of parenting choices, but as a Thinkpad lover I dread seeing a Thinkpad get damaged. (Not that your 1yo would)

As for your recommendations on a Thinkpad, the 600E is my recommendation given that it is the toughest Thinkpad that I have come across. Though the bulkiness and overall weight of the 760 series sounds enticing, so that a 1yo is not likely to pick it up and move it around...and possibly damage it. Futhermore, they are also VERY cheap to come by.

joester · #18 Post by **joester** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:45 am

I'm kinda on the fence with this one... My kids (a boy and a gorl) have been exposd to computers Since they could crawl, but they were of the V-Tech brand. We concentrated on the reading aspect, and my son was reading on his own at just over 2 years old. My daughter is different, she was reading at about 3.5 or so. Both had access to "their own" computer (V-Tech) until I thought they were ready to jump into the big toy world. They were given a PII-300 and a miriad of development software. As far as eye-hand coordination, the mouse helped a lot. As far as reading, comprehension, ect... I'm not sure if it was the reading (which we still do at 9 and 12 years old) or the software. My son read all of the Harry Potter series on his own, starting with book 1 when he was 6.
I would suggest the V-tech approach, while you reserve the Thinkpad for the day he stops "loving to bang on the keys and watch things happen". In a year or so tops, he'll be ready to truly comprehend the computer and will be able to drive the trackpoint well and run the programs without killing the computer.
The V-tech's are cheap and built for key banging.

My 2 cents...

Joe

BTW: The 600 series would be my choice for a starter too. Once he masters the programming you provide, upgrade as required by the newer software. My kids both have their own computers, e-mail, ect... now, and are fully responsible for maintenance on them. They are really good to their computers and I'm sure your son will be too.

leoblob · #19 Post by **leoblob** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:30 pm

As the proud (?) owner of an i1400 series, I'd recommend one of those. Large-ish screen, heavy enough to not pick up and throw, probably can get one for free... and if it gets wrecked, no big loss.

Since you'd most likely be using DOS, the PII-era Celerons would be plenty of muscle.

dietpepsiaddict · #20 Post by **dietpepsiaddict** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:11 pm

I agree with joester. I think that the v-tech computer would do perfectly. My parents gave my sister one when she was little. They were very durable and it would of been no big loss if it got destroyed.

Congrats to joester!

NautTboy · #21 Post by **NautTboy** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:45 pm

Anything under $50 would be good. I think the V-tech goes for about that much. Kids like colorful stuff both boys and girls. You'll noticed most of the kids toys has the base color RED YELLOW BLUE.

My son is 21 months and he just love to press on my DVD eject, Wifi, On/Off button. When he was younger he likes to bang on the keyboard.

I just got an old Dell for $30 from ebay just needed hard drive, I'll put that together for him unless i get too attached to the laptop

joester · #22 Post by **joester** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:44 pm

I'm soooo proud...

My 9 year old recently got a Webkins cat and wanted to install the software, create an account, ect...

She didn't know it, but I was watching from the other side of the room while working on a 300PL...

I watched her read the ENTIRE user and privacy agreements. After she got set up and all, I asked her what user name she used... it wasn't a name that anyone would have suspected, and her password is a mix of 4 numbers and 3 letters.

Woohoo! Gotta love it!!!

Joe

NautTboy · #23 Post by **NautTboy** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:50 pm

I was just reading bout when your kids start reading Joe. Wow, they must be really smart. Too bad my son who's almost two and only saying less than 50 words.

I wonder if it multi-language he's exposing to.

joester · #24 Post by **joester** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:30 pm

Read to him. That's all. Whenever you can find the time, and most importantly, at night as a bedtime ritual. He'll open up to reading and speaking. Kids are ready when they are ready. You cannot force them. By hearing your voice and the words, they'll sink in. I would also suggest some small "chapter" books to start. Just enough to hold interest. Also, ask where the previous night left off (kind of like a quiz).
Patience.....

And yes, I'm very proud of my kids. They attend a Catholic school, and both have consistent grades in the honor roll. My son has gone to the state finals for the Scholastic Science Fair two years in a row now.

Yours can do just as well. Just keep the stories simple to start, then stay one step ahead of his reading ability once he starts. Get him used to having the bar bumped up just a bit higher.

Joe

#25 Post by **ryengineer** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:08 am

Spirit-1776 wrote:Could someone remove this thread.

Give a computer to your kid(s), I did the same, I don't know what they learnt from it initially other than striking the keys hard or touching the screen but they loved it for sure and that's what mattered to me the most. Now they can play games online on computers, my elder daughter more efficiently than my younger son.

As a kid I remember my parents used to give me all sorts of funny items (which I'm not going to name here), I laugh whenever the thought comes to my mind.

ThinkPad · #26 Post by **ThinkPad** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:51 am

Younger children seem to enjoy playing with the the non-working 701c we have.

stalepie · #27 Post by **stalepie** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:32 am

[deleted by poster]

schmaud · #28 Post by **schmaud** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:46 am

Hi,

get what ever you might be getting cheap. If you would live near me, you coudl have my i1400 in exchange for a cup of coffee or so.
In my experience a mouse works better than a track point for the little ones, less abstract.

My daughter had huge fun with paint ( click on color, draw a line ( set to brush by me), clic another color, draw another line...
There is also some software with pictures, where you can click on a color, click on an area etc and color a picture in this way. Unfortunately I do not now the name of the software. Our daughter acttually ask us to go to ikea, since they have touchscreens with this software in the playground in the restaurant there...
Ours did not handle the thinkpad, but the old desktop...

Where I woudl watch out for ( even with your thinkpad): keep him away from the powercord. 16-20V is in principle save, but you do not want to test it experimentally.

To all the concerned people here:
Kids are learning by example, the computer is a big part of our live, why keep the kids out?
Kids see you working on a computer, so there are eager to learn what it is and what it does. Why stop such eager interest in learning?
And they want to do things themself, not just watch ( so you want a semi-dispossable sytem for this and not the machine you are earning the money with).
I noticed that one of the first words the kids around me learn is "alone", in the meaning, "i want to try if can do this alone, so please step back, and don`t interfere before i ask for help"

If someone takes the efford to post here to ask for advice, there are surely suffitiently concerned for their child. I doubt that the original poster will park his son in front of the PC for long times or without supervision. I think the idea of the original poster is way better than e.g. parking the little ones in front of a TV.

cheers

r.

schmaud · #29 Post by **schmaud** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:55 am

NautTboy wrote: I was just reading bout when your kids start reading Joe. Wow, they must be really smart. Too bad my son who's almost two and only saying less than 50 words.

Actually there are kids which are later with language, ussually they are faster with other things, e.g. walking. Further more boys ussually talk /learn talking later /or slower, reason of this are actually hormons.

NautTboy wrote: I wonder if it multi-language he's exposing to.

This is one of the greatest gift you can give to your children. I am just blown away with the language skills of my 4 year old ( speaks french and german)... she could identify and use some italien phrases after a few days vacation there....

Even if she is never going outside your country, it will help her with lots of things, from music to programming.

cheers

ralf

#30 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:36 am

Spirit-1776 wrote:He likes to hit buttons and see things happen, so the operating system is just as important.

Get him a 755 (preferably a CX or Pentium model CD) with an old version of OS/2 or Linux (with FVWM or some other flashy window manager) and he'll not only have something with plenty of flashy colors and funny sounds, he'll have something that can take whatever beating he dishes out. If you need something newer, get a 770. I'd suggest a 760 but the keyboards on those are fragile (then again, the 760 is the easiest model to make repairs and replace parts on, IMO).

Avoid the A3x, R3x and I series due to structural weak points and cheap materials, the T4x (T43 excluded) for having the GPU in a flex point (problem is the worst on 15" T42s with the Radeon 7500), the 760 for a weak keyboard and easy brakable lid latches and the 350 for faulty hinges and cheap materials.

What is the best Thinkpad for a one year old boy?

What is the best Thinkpad for a one year old boy?

Just My Opinion.

Wow!!

Re: Wow!!

Re: What is the best Thinkpad for a one year old boy?

Who is online