[nikki121]

hello all. trying to get the hang of this... and get into a group of some sort as well.
With preschool approaching we got him a leapster for Xmas and he has learned alot with it was wondering if anyone else got any learning devices to help. My mom told me that kids need to know how to use a computer now when going into school??

[MellieB]

While using a computer is a good skill to have I would assume that they would learn it at school and not really need it in the first few years of school.

We have a lot of books and flash cards rather than devices. We do have a few learning games on our tablets for the girls but they rarely use them.

[kerian]

hi and welcome!!!
we also got my daughter a leapster, but she doesnt use it much. i would say at this age it is more important to hands on stuff, like painting, and playing.
a little technology is good but i dont think essestial. i think if they need to about that, the school will include it.

hope you hang out with us more over here.

[mommy2Breana+Brandon]

Welcome to the board.

I agree that they will learn the computer in school. My daughter has a leap pad and she LOVES it and she is 4. My son plays with her old leapster explorer and he is 2 but right now just really bangs on it and pushes buttons

[MaineBean]

James enjoys his letter magnets and Sesame Street and books and us talking about sounds and letters. Oh, and Word World on PBS too- he LOVES that show. We just did a little project yesterday to make some number magnets too with the same number of stickers by the number so he can learn to visually identify the numbers.

We are actually avoiding as much technology as we can- there is SO much screen time that people get these days, there is no need to rush into it. I'd rather James get his learning by appreciating the natural world, in hopes he doesn't become too tied to electronics. (Not that I think all tech toys are bad- it's just our personal choice! I doubt you NEED them though.)

[Jessy_Ree]

My boys had leapsters as little ones and used them until they fell apart..as far as using computers in school..they actually start learning that at school as young as preschool so youre probably ok..I think there is too much being replaced by technology these days..When i was a kid we hand wrote essays..LOL..Honestly..you might just as well get an old fashioned age appropriate work book..I bought them for both my boys and they are top of their class..I can't imagine a child needing their own computer or anything..if you do allow your child access to a computer there are websites that have math games etc that are age appropriate.. my fave is Cool Math - free online cool math lessons, cool math games & apps, fun math activities, pre-algebra, algebra, precalculus it has math starting at pre-k all the way to calculus an trig..statistics so its pretty neat..LOL