Portable for kids

When a servant was born, the elders said that a child comes with a loaf under his arm. Nowadays, if they have something under their arms, it is a tablet or a smartphone. For just over a decade, as soon as they are born, children are already touching digital devices, so they live and learn in a very different way than those of us who are now a few years old did. Technology can help them learn and in this article we are going to talk about kids laptops, some that are specially designed for them.

Best Laptops for Kids

Reasons to buy a laptop for a child

The reasons to buy a laptop for a child are few, but important. Later we explain some of them in more detail, such as doing homework, learning online (which includes navigating the web), and getting started with computers . But there's one detail to keep in mind: they'll do all of the above on their own device, one they'll feel is theirs and with which they'll also learn to take care of things.

Furthermore, and equally important, by using their own laptop, they won't be dependent on ours . If they need to do something from home during the pandemic, they can do it at any time and in any room of the house without using our laptop. They won't disturb us, and we won't disturb them, which is also important to us, especially during stressful times like those that force us to stay home.

How should a children's laptop be

Durability

Adults, gamers aside and for other reasons, know how to treat laptops. We know that technological devices are designed to withstand a certain amount of force; we shouldn't treat them roughly, and we generally have more control over them. Children are different; they're more careless and, like gamers, might give the device a rough shake that could damage it. Therefore, a laptop for children needs to be built to be more durable.

While it's not common, it's also a good idea to check if the laptop is resistant to dirt , or more specifically, moisture. We adults experience this too (just ask a friend), but it's more likely that children will be drinking their hot chocolate while using the computer and making a mess. But generally speaking, durability is more important than good design when choosing a computer for children.

Price

The price of a laptop for children will depend on its intended use, and this also applies to adults. Logically, if we're buying a laptop for a child and we have one of the laptops in this article in mind, it's because we're not thinking about a regular or adult-sized computer, so the price should be lower.

How much less will it cost? It's hard to say. If we opt for one that can handle the most basic tasks, we can find some for just over €200 , but if we think they need more, see that the child has potential, or simply want something that can do everything, there are also some that can cost over €600, although we're probably talking about a regular laptop, not one for children.

Parental controls

This is an important point. Everything is on the internet, and that means we can find both good and bad things. Adults know what to do about whatever we come across, but children are children. Furthermore, they themselves can search for things that could end up harming them, so it's essential that the laptop, or the operating system it comes with, has parental controls.

With parental controls, parents can set certain limits , such as usage time, restricting applications or websites, and that is very important when we talk about children moving around on the internet.

Technical Specifications

The technical specifications of a laptop for children also need to be somewhat more limited than those of an adult laptop, simply because it's assumed that what they'll be doing with them is less demanding. However, it's important to keep in mind that they must be powerful enough to run the operating system included with the laptop, an important point that we'll also discuss in the next section.

Just like for us adults, the internal components of a laptop need to allow us to do what we need without any problems. If we assume the child will only be doing the bare minimum—browsing the internet, using office applications, and Paint, for example—they'll need a laptop with an i3 processor or equivalent and 4GB of RAM , at a minimum. The computer won't be the fastest in the world, but that's more than enough.

Logically, the more we can spend, the better the computer will be and the more our child will be able to do, but here I'd like to offer my opinion: when we move up to, for example, an Intel i5 or equivalent, 8GB of RAM, and an SSD, which can raise the price to €600 or more, is what we have in front of us really a computer for children? It's not impossible, but the only way it could be is if it were marketed as such (marketing) and the design were more robust. But I think we'd already be looking at an adult laptop that a child would use.

Operating System

When we talk about operating systems, most people start by thinking of Windows , but it's not the only one. There are hundreds based on Linux, as well as those based on BSD and Apple's macOS, but here we're going to focus on two because they're the most common, starting with Microsoft's Windows operating system.

• Windows: The most used desktop operating system in the world is Windows, and it is most likely that the laptop that we buy for our little one will arrive with that operating system installed by default. It is available in different editions, but all of them allow us to run desktop apps with which our little one can do everything.
• Chrome OS- Google's desktop operating system is designed to provide a different experience, and is widely used in some schools. Almost everything works in your web browser, Chrome, and many other things are web applications or webapps. In its latest versions, it is also receiving features that make it compatible with Linux apps, and this could be interesting for the little ones, to use a different operating system and get these things to work.

Personally, I would recommend one with Windows , partly because it's easier to install Linux on it if we wanted to, and partly because it has more applications available.

Advantages of buying a laptop for your child

Do homework

When I was in school, everything was handwritten in notebooks. That hasn't been the case for a long time, and I remember a funny recent incident where I had to write a document by hand to sign it, and... I had a terrible time, you know? I'm out of practice. Children in class still write things by hand, but they can also do certain tasks using technology, like homework.

If our children have to write their homework by hand, then naturally they'll have to write it by hand, but they can probably find the necessary information online, something we'll also explain in the next section. On the other hand, if they aren't required to do their homework by hand, they can do it on the computer and print it out , which will always look better than a handwritten sheet with smudges or crossed-out words.

Learn online

It used to be said that "everything is in books," but since all books are on the internet, now we ask "Saint Google" for everything. The best way to learn is by reading and practicing what we've read , and we can do that with any computer. When our little one needs to learn something new, it will surely be on the internet.

On the other hand, what they'll also learn with a laptop is how to navigate the internet , which I don't consider any less important, especially given that it can also be dangerous. When we navigate the web, we learn its "language"—that is, what interests us, what we can ignore, what constitutes advertising, how to use the reader to focus only on what's important… When children start browsing, they'll learn all of this, just as adults have already learned it.

But be careful: as we explained in a previous point, you have to tread carefully, and it's worth keeping an eye on where they are going, if possible using the parental controls of the laptop's operating system.

Get started with computing

I remember getting started with computers in high school, with MS-DOS and Windows 3.11. They taught us a few things there, but I really started learning with my brother's PC, which already had Windows 95. That's where I learned to install programs (games, I won't lie) and tinker with music programs, among other things.

The moment we buy a child a computer with a desktop operating system is when they truly begin to understand computing . They'll see a desktop browser, complete office applications, image editors—and that's just the beginning. If they're interested, or if we encourage them to be, they can also learn to program, as well as try out different operating systems and a whole host of other software. None of this is possible with a tablet.

At what age is it good to buy a children's laptop?

Well, I tend to be someone who considers many possibilities, and as such, I don't usually give clear answers, but rather options so that the person interested can decide. So, the first thing I'll say is the most commonly discussed theoretical age, but then I'll explain a few more things. The age at which children should start using computers, according to the most widespread opinion, is 13. They're still children at that age, but they've already left 12 behind, and 13 is when they start to grow more and the courses become a bit more demanding, so that's the age recommended by most.

Now, I think this is also a decision for the parents. I know of a case where the father is introducing his daughter to computers when she's six years old . His intention is for her to learn how to navigate them, to become familiar with operating systems, and to start experimenting with code. This man also wants her to use Windows and Linux, but this is his decision. Is it a bad idea? No, if she's guided along the learning process and, of course, not pressured too much. My acquaintance's intention, which I don't see as a bad thing, is for the girl to learn from a young age while having fun.

But let's not forget what I have explained at this point, which are two points of view: most say that the best would be at 13 years old, but a father who knows what he does can try it sooner.

Tablet or laptop for a child?

To answer this question, we should define what each device is and what it's used for . A tablet is primarily designed for consuming content. Its size makes it perfect for watching YouTube videos (which kids love), playing some games, and using some learning apps. On the other hand, unless you buy one separately, they lack a keyboard, so you can't work on them, or at least not comfortably. Then we have laptops, which do include a keyboard, and the operating system is usually more powerful, so children can do more than on a tablet, unless they're looking for touchscreen apps.

Therefore, I would say that:

• Tablet to consume content, play games and use some apps to learn, as well as to take it anywhere with comfort, including trips.
• Portable if what you are looking for is already studying, doing work or even playing somewhat more powerful titles, but already on PC. I also think it is important to mention that the best way to get started in computing is through a computer, and this includes programming or testing different operating systems.