Computer Savy Kids

Technology is becoming a part of kids lives younger and younger these days. We do not have any video games. Although, Norm and I would love a Wii...we're not sure we should expose the kids, if they are not asking. That, and they are just too expensive! The closest the kids have to that is their leapsters and the computer games they've been playing for years now. There is a computer in the preschool classes that they use for playing learning games, and getting used to maneuvering the mouse. Nathan's school has a computer lab, that they visit occasionally and they have learned to use it for looking up books at the library and are starting to learn how to surf the web. So I decided to make a kid stuff folder on my computer desktop of safe sites for them. Sites that we often visit such as pbskids, playhousedisney and many others we've discovered. There are a lot of not-for-kids sites out there and I don't want them to accidentally land on one of them. So until we get the parental controls on, this is a way for them to be independent on the computer. Of course they have to ask before they get on, and then I set a timer for them. It's been great! I thought I would share some of the great sites we have in our folder, besides the ones I mentioned. If you have some too...pass them along! http://www.rif.org/readingplanet/ This is a great live feed of a hawks nest at the Franklin Institute. Eggs should be hatching any day now! http://www.ustream.tv/channel/franklin-institute-hawk-nest http://www.storyplace.org/eel/other.asp http://www.kidsbiology.com/animals-for-children.php http://kids.yahoo.com/animals http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/activities/fantasy/princess/princess_dressup/ http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/cathymath.html http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Audiences/kids/ http://www.kidsites.com/sites-edu/animals.htm There are a lot of sites about animals that Nathan especially enjoys. Kaitlyn likes the Barbie and pbs, and disney one. I also have various sites on there of their toys that come with the codes for interactive computer play. If you would like to set up a kid stuff folder just copy and paste the shortcuts into a folder on your desk top and label it "kid stuff". I also dragged some in right from our bookmarks or favorite places. I put a star on our folder so they know which one right away. We'll have computer savy kids in no time!