Kids Sure Do Pick Up the Internet Quick!!

[becka]

We started letting DS play some games online at the nickjr.com site and it has been so much fun for him. Within a month he has taught himself to navigate all around that site. He looks like such a little computer expert already and he is only 3! He clicks around all the different games, videos and music, etc.. Thankfully he has not figured a way out of the nickjr site!

 

[kristen821]

What a smart kid!

 

[Keli]

He strikes me as rather bright too. Seems like most three yr olds wouldn't be able to do all that, especially so quickly.

A smart kid--Could be trouble later on Becka! LOL

 

[kristen821]

I am pretty sure my dd3 wouldn't understand how to work the mouse. My ds7 gets frustrated with it at times! How long did you have to work with him on that? That really just amazes me!

 

[becka]

I guess I just really thought this was normal...maybe not?

I just sat down with him about a month ago and taught him how to use the mouse (maybe 5-10 minutes) so he could play the Dora Bingo and Dora and Blues Clues matching games. I think he just watched me navigate between the games and within 2 weeks or so he was able to switch between the games he wanted to play. The computer is in the living room so we are able to watch everything he is doing. Within the last few weeks he clicked on the video button and started watching the little Dora and Diego videos and has since discovered he likes the Lazytown and Miss Spider shows because he saw the video clips.

If this is not normal I bet we are in trouble!!!!

 

[RobinMarie]

My daughter navigated the net pretty early as well. She liked pbskids.org a lot. The real FUN part comes when they start typing things in your browser.

My daughter is 8 now and after she has been on the computer I might find:

www.howtobuyafarm.com
www.iwantahorse.com
www.bunniesforsale.com

Oh the list goes on and on!

 

[Aneille]

My DD also picked up the mouse very young. She started playing at Pbskids when she was 3, moved on to Noggin and now she's onto Nickjr. She turned 4 in November. She's been on the PC weekly since she was 3.

What amazes me more is she can also handle a laptop mouse! I find that so much more difficult than a standard mouse.

I found Pbskids.org to be the best site for young kids because its not overloaded with ads. Noggin has a few more and Nick is full of them. My DD used to get upset because she would lose her game when it went behind another window or she was taken out of Noggin and into Nick. There is a link somewhere on Noggin that did that. She hit it almost everytime!

Now she fully understands and hits the back button on Explorer and minimizes windows as they come up. Sometimes she has about 20 on bar on the bottom! I need to show her how to close them.

The other thing she loves to do is send Email postcards to family. She'll dictate them to me but sometimes she just pretends she can type and its so cute!

 

[EthansMom]

My DS4 is also a natural with the computer. Can navigate web sites, turn the computer on/off, can put in and run his computer games. I'm certain we'll have to get a filter for the internet in the near future. In the meantime, we have the computer on a password and haven't told DS the password, so Mom and Dad can monitor his computer use.

If you don't already have one for your son, you may want to look at the Leapster as a gift. They are a handheld game system a la Gameboy, except all of the games are educational. My son loves his.

 

[Aneille]

My daughter navigated the net pretty early as well. She liked pbskids.org a lot. The real FUN part comes when they start typing things in your browser.

My daughter is 8 now and after she has been on the computer I might find:

www.howtobuyafarm.com
www.iwantahorse.com
www.bunniesforsale.com

Oh the list goes on and on!

Haha! thats funny!

Today I left Toysrus/Amazon open and forgot to shut off one-click, she almost bought a telescope!

We are thinking of getting another PC just for the kids to be used in the family room. Probably when we upgrade they'll get this one.

 

[kristen821]

I will have to start working with my dd3!

 

[Aidensmom]

I intstalled my 4 year old son's game disc on my laptop a couple of weeks ago, and showed him how to use the touch pad. I am so amazed at how well he does with it, especially because sometimes I still have trouble!

 

[becka]

My DS4 is also a natural with the computer. Can navigate web sites, turn the computer on/off, can put in and run his computer games. I'm certain we'll have to get a filter for the internet in the near future. In the meantime, we have the computer on a password and haven't told DS the password, so Mom and Dad can monitor his computer use.

If you don't already have one for your son, you may want to look at the Leapster as a gift. They are a handheld game system a la Gameboy, except all of the games are educational. My son loves his.

We did password our computer after we got up last weekend and found him in here sitting at the computer trying to get his games to come up. Oops!

We hide the menu and address bars when he is on the game sites so it will be harder for him to get out of the site. I have not had any problems with him clicking on ads.

He is getting a Leapster from Santa. I think he will love it and I might get my computer back!!!

 

[kbkids]

Both of mine started using the computer at home at age 3 - they each had a computer in their preschool room too for puzzles and games during center time. It really is truly amazing how quickly they pick up. Took my DD (now 8) a little longer to pick up how to work the mouse (couple of days), but my DS (he's 4 now) had it figured out almost instantly. Guess he had been watching his sister.

 

[Dan Murphy]

He needs a DIS screen name now!!!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

DD does that on the Playhouse Disney website. She taught herself how to play the JoJo game that is like Frogger. She gets the timing right and everything! I started letting her play on that website last year. She likes NickJr. too, but not as much.

Does Nathan ask to play all of the time?

 

[becka]

DD does that on the Playhouse Disney website. She taught herself how to play the JoJo game that is like Frogger. She gets the timing right and everything! I started letting her play on that website last year. She likes NickJr. too, but not as much.

Does Nathan ask to play all of the time?

Nathan has not cared for the Playhouse Disney site as much. He is so in love with Dora and Diego right now that is all he wants to play. He does ask to get on all the time and I have to limit how much time he can spend. A lot of the time we will set a timer for 30 minutes or so and when that goes off he has to stop. Thankfully he does not fight getting off when the timer goes off...of course he is usually asking if he can get back on about 5 minutes later.

I have to say most of the games he plays are at least a little educational. I think he knows more Spanish than I do now! I did get him the Dora game for his Leapster so maybe that will keep him busy for a while!

 

[Hillbeans]

My son who is 4 is also very skilled on the computer - he loves playing games on NickJr, Nick and Disney.com (especially Little Einsteins). A year ago I bought him some Dr. Seuss CD games for the compuer and they are fun and educational.

I think some children just enjoy the computer more than others - lately it's like tug of war - the second i'm on the computer (like now), DS is trying to kick me off to play his games!

We were just outside running around at the park for an hour, so it's nice to let him have some time to entertain himself.

 

[RobinMarie]

Haha! thats funny!

Today I left Toysrus/Amazon open and forgot to shut off one-click, she almost bought a telescope!

We are thinking of getting another PC just for the kids to be used in the family room. Probably when we upgrade they'll get this one.

I made that mistake myself, leaving myself logged into ebay: After searching guinneas pigs she must have clicked "buy it now" because I got an email notification saying "Congratulations, you have won 'All About Guinnea Pigs Book'

Hurrah?

The separate PC sounds like a good idea!