Kiddie Computers

Picture an 11-month old boy, delightfully banging on the keys of a special computer keyboard that's made just for kids like him.

"Brandon got it as a Christmas gift," says his mother, Lynette Blaszak. "I thought it was an excellent idea because when I'm on the computer, he always wants to bang on the keyboard while i'm trying to do my work."

This family is part of a growing trend of people introducing their tots to technology. That's why it's no surprise you can now find laptops, desktops, and other related gear designed with younger kids in mind. These include Digital Dimensions, the X-O laptop, and the Internet Launch Pad by Fisher-Price.

"There's a lot of opportunities out there to find the right product for the child," says Tim Herbert of the Consumer Electronics Association.

And they're often at a price that's nice relative to other high-tech products. Kid-friendly computers cost anywhere from less than $100 to just under $600.

"Often times they're more durable because, let's face it, kids are going to drop products," says Herbert. "Oftentimes they are in appealing colors."

Some models feature things like big, bold icons and come pre-loaded with educational software. Others use special programs that make web browsing and word processing easier to understand.

This little laptop, the Triple EPC, is not made specifically for children, but it's wildly popular with parents.

"It's smaller, is more portable, and i felt that because of the size that it would be easier for his fingers to type, " says Ellen Hage, whose son using this kind of computer.

If you'd like to make your own system more child friendly, you can buy a mouse that's smaller than the other ones. This makes it easier for your children to click.

But if you're hoping to use the technology to teach toddlers, the kid-friendly machines don't compute with everyone. Dr. Michael Rich is with the Center on Media and Child Research, and says studies show that children under 2 ½ are incapable of learning anything of value from a screen.

"Even if they are old enough to perceive what most of this material is, there's not a lot of evidence that that is retained more than short term," says Dr. Rich.

He also says computers can't deliver three key things for brain development.

"And that is interaction with other human beings, manipulating the physical environment, and open-ended problem solving," he says.

But some parents say there are benefits.

"I think that it depends on the child and whether or not they're ready to be on the computer, and I think that's an individual parent choice," says Hage.

"Whether he's learning or not, it's still quality time we're spending together," says Blaszak, the mother of 11-month-old Brandon.

Safety is a very important issue too. If you do let your child go online, make sure you've set site restrictions or parental controls so they don't accidentally click on something inappropriate.