Old laptop for daughter

gt568

I've got an old laptop, probably about 5 or more years old, its got XP on it....

I was thinking of letting my 7 year old use it and load it up with educational computer games, like maths and the like...

I'm not sure though as I never had that at 7, but at the same time its sitting unused and she wouldn't be allowed on the internet and she is computer mad.

Thoughts...?

Alikay

Sounds reasonable, but why would she only be allowed educational games? Obviously GTA, Facebook and a Bet Fred account are a tad inappropriate at 7, but being able to listen to music, skype or email Grandma and browse Argos for her Christmas prezzy list would be OK too? There are also some fun kids websites like CBBC which are good without being overtly educational. It's great that she likes maths and computers but we're all using technology for loads of things these days, and I don't think it harms kids to use a computer for stuff beyond maths and literacy exercises.

geerex

Just make sure you use a good file deletion program to get all the "artistic" movies/pics off the hard drive. ..

2gorgeousgirls

Using it for other things as previously suggested is ok but u need to be careful if she is searching the web.

My daughter loved watching Rupert bear and she wanted to see if there was a game on the web.

KEy in Rupert Bear and u get Rupert bare! Try explaining that sight to a 6 year old!

theoretica

There are advantages to learning to touch type early - ie before she gets too good at hunt and peck - so you might want to be sure to incude that. My brother's first computer had the keys blanked off so he had to learn where they were!

Savvy_Sue

You'd need to know what you were doing before connecting an XP computer to the internet these days as it's no longer supported so may not be 'safe'.

But just for games etc, why not?

Buzzybee90

Can someone tell me why lots of comments and signatures are just random letters and exclamation marks?

Savvy_Sue

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Can someone tell me why lots of comments and signatures are just random letters and exclamation marks?

There was a massive spamming / trolling attack on the forum in the early hours, and things went a bit pear-shaped. There's a few threads about it on the site feedback board, eg this one.