Please share how your 6th, 3rd, or first grader uses the computer.

[katalaska]

I'm curious how often and for what your dc use the computer.

 

So far, we've mostly steered away from having our kids on the computer. The oldest used to play some preschool-type games while sitting on dh's lap. We did not do this with the middle child because she was far too rough (she banged everything just to make noise). The youngest didn't play games, either.

 

The oldest has used the computer for email (mostly when she was in first grade). All three like to use the "paint" program to draw. The oldest has figured out a few of the games that come on the computer (i.e. solitaire and pinball) and the youngest has figured out a few things about solitaire.

 

The middle did her home vision therapy program on the computer

 

The oldest started a computer-based typing program this past summer.

 

That's about it, though.

 

They all got Webkinz from my sister last Christmas but I don't really know how that's supposed to work (except for a vague idea).

 

If your dc use the computer, please share why they use it and how you work out that use...i.e. is it for assignments, games, etc.? Do they have free access or is it something they must earn?

 

TIA

[teachermom2834]

The K uses it for starfall.com and spellingtime.com.

 

The 3rd uses it for spellingtime.com, bigstatestime.com, and vocabtime.com

 

The 5th uses it for Rosetta Stone Spanish and Reading Detective CD-ROM.

 

They don't use it for any other games. The computer is for dh and me and the kids' "school stuff".

 

They do have a Playstation that they have about 1 hr per day on weekends or if they have friends over. They don't earn that time exactly but it is the first thing to get pulled for behavior issues.

 

I'm very leary about the internet so we keep it to the school stuff and let them play on the Playstation. There has not been an interest in email, etc. yet. We'll cross that bridge in the next couple years with the oldest, I'm sure.

 

Marie

[TwinMominTX]

They use the computer quite a lot. Webkinz is their favorite. It is huge at our house! They also use Google to look up items of interest (lately chihuahuas and bald eagles). They use email to keep in touch with family and me - nothing cuter than getting an email from my girls who are downstairs telling me they are hungry! They also use the computer to draw and create art work and manipulate photos.

 

My girls have free access to the computers - we have 5 in our home and the girls each have their own laptops, but they must have all school work completed before they can get on their computers.

[JFSinIL]

My youngest, 12, uses it for school (Teaching textbooks, also now some Science Explorer since I bought the interactive text on disc) but mostly for Webkinz, Club Penguin, Runescape, and looking at cute videos of animals on You Tube. The oldest use it for games, too, and finding stuff for their MP3's.

 

I hardly use the computer at all, nope, no sirree (hahahahaha)

[hsmamainva]

My 1st grader uses it just for play. She has games like Dora the Explorer, Spongebob Squarepants, Blues Clues, etc. When I need to teach something to the older ones, she plays on the computer. I don't have to limit the time, really, because she has a fairly short attention span and she doesn't spend more than 20-30 minutes using it at a time, maybe once or twice a day. No internet usage.

 

My 4th grader is using Teaching Textbooks Math 5 on the computer, and that's likely the only time he's on it. He might play a game every once in awhile, but not too much. He doesn't access the internet at all, unless he's looking up videogame hints.

 

My 9th grader plays Star Wars games on the computer and other advanced games, but...again...no more than probably an hour at a time, 2-3 times a week. He also doesn't use the internet unless he's looking up videogame hints.

 

My 12th grader loves her computer and spends hours on the internet (she takes classes at the community college and she chats online with friends she's made there...she chats with friends from our old neighborhood -- we moved away 3 years ago to another state, so it's nice that she can stay connected! ... and she watches alot of YouTube videos and the like).

[Guest 4boys]

My 6 and 4 year olds use it for Starfall and paint. They have to ask my permission and they probably aren't even on once a day, maybe a few times per week.

[In The Great White North]

My oldest ds(16) uses it all the time. It's like his umbilical cord. He hates writing long-hand, so he types most of his assignments. He designs websites and maintains the website for our swim team. This year, he is taking AP US Govt online.

 

Dd(14) uses it to email friends. This started last year when she went to Switzerland for the year and wanted to keep in touch with friends back here. Now, she wants to keep in touch with friends back there. She is also starting to type papers on it.

 

Dd(11) has email but that's about it. She used IM to talk to her sister while she was in Switzerland but that excuse ended when sis came home.

 

We are thinking about getting Rosetta Stone or Auralog for Italian, which both girls will use if we do.

[Mekanamom]

Now that we're going to be using K12 again- they will be using the computer a lot more for school...

 

Here's the school list for the computer:

 

K12

Typing

Cosmeo

educational dvds

other books/music on cd

 

They also have kid-safe email and blog accounts at zoobuh. They each have a laptop. When our TV was unavailable for a couple months this summer, they watched dvds on their laptops. (It was kind of nice being TV-free!)