Re:I introduced my 5-year-old and 2-year-old to startx and x...
by stevekemp on Thursday November 04, 2021 @04:13AM
(#29104567)
I'm not sure there's a "too young" or "too old". To children computers are basically magic anyway.
Our child used to see me and his mother working/playing and was always interested. We'd launch OpenOffice, maximize the window, select a huge font, and let him mash the keys from the age of 2+.
He'd amuse himself making characters appear, and we let him do this whenever he asked to "work on the puter". When he was three/four he'd start typing his name, our names, and the few words he knew how to spell. At some point he started using backspace/delete appropriately, and he seems to have learned that the mouse can be used to move the typing-point once the screen is full.
I've no specific plans to force more on him, but when he gets to five I might explain a bit more what is happening, or show him some simple online flash-like games. (Obviously not flash these days ..)
Ten minutes of typing/playing though? After a few hours outdoors every day isn't gonna do any harm though.
Our child used to see me and his mother working/playing and was always interested. We'd launch OpenOffice, maximize the window, select a huge font, and let him mash the keys from the age of 2+.
He'd amuse himself making characters appear, and we let him do this whenever he asked to "work on the puter". When he was three/four he'd start typing his name, our names, and the few words he knew how to spell. At some point he started using backspace/delete appropriately, and he seems to have learned that the mouse can be used to move the typing-point once the screen is full.
I've no specific plans to force more on him, but when he gets to five I might explain a bit more what is happening, or show him some simple online flash-like games. (Obviously not flash these days ..)
Ten minutes of typing/playing though? After a few hours outdoors every day isn't gonna do any harm though.