How do I Choose the Best Laptop for Kids?

Choosing a laptop for kids is a complicated issue. There are some kid’s laptops that can be purchased cheaply and many mimic some functions of actual computers. Most of these aren’t compatible with desktops or other laptops and are more designed for playing learning games or as a simulation for the real thing. These might be great for a kid who wants to play a few learning games, but they may not have significant applications when it comes to using a computer at school. Some parents may just skip this step and go right to finding real laptops for home or school work, since these will give kids computer know how, arguably a very important skill in the modern world.

Your first consideration in looking for a laptop for your child is what kind of programs it will need to run. Unless the child is a dedicated gamer, it’s better to veer away from the really expensive machines that will run a variety of games, and parents might also want to avoid computers that are brand new. Instead, look for those laptops that will run functional programs for use in school, like word processing and presentation software.

Deciding whether to allow an Internet connection from the laptop is tricky. Some schools do offer filtered access to the Web, and others may simply have wireless connections available. It’s a good idea to supervise children when they go online because of some inherent dangers associated with this practice. Those laptops that support wireless can be disabled so kids can’t get online, but you should decide if the child will need a connection for educational purposes when examining available laptops.

Another factor that might require some thought is price and durability. Kids may not be as cautious with laptops, and they might be more likely to lose or break them. Many parents choose not to buy a laptop for kids that is highly expensive and brand new, and instead opt for a decent used one that will support necessary educational programs. When parents do purchase more expensive new models, they should consider home insurance, which might cover loss due to theft, and they should look for models that are durable. Having a strong and protective laptop case can be a good plan too.

As with any laptop purchase, it’s a good plan to choose one based on reviews of the various computers available. There are many companies that offer free reviews, and this can be a good way to determine which ones are most likely to keep running and offer features you want. Price is another consideration; once you choose your price, you can search for the best machines that fall within a certain range.

If you have a home desktop computer — or a family laptop — you may want to buy a model that is compatible with yours. This is usually not an issue if both computers are PCs, but some compatibility issues can exist when one model is a Mac and another is a PC. There are, however, programs that may be able to address this issue.