Keyboard Kid
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Modern computers can offer a wonderful way for children of all ages to explore the universe, to learn, and to take steps toward succeeding in the high-tech world into which they were born. What that in mind, there are special computers and computer equipment being newly designed with the keyboard kid in mind.
From “My First Keyboard” a colorful, color coded keyboard to the washable, water resistant, child-sized “Little Fingers Keyboard” computer keyboard for kids are rugged, wear well and are designed to help kids learn to type, spell and operate a computer. They are made for age-specific groups from pre-schoolers to high school students.
Keyboards for kids have features such as color-coding to help early spelling development, enabling the child to easily locate and distinguish consonants and vowels, as well as numbers. They often offer a covering of rugged plastic, or silicone that will stand up to the eager fingers and the possibility of spills that go along with keyboard kids. In the standard QWERTY format, the keyboards prepare kids for the computers that they will likely be using for the rest of their lives. Some kid’s computer keyboards offer a warranty that enables them to use the keyboard in school environments. They can be colorful or plain, oversized, standard sized or made smaller to fit smaller hands. Geared toward fitting kid’s bodies, the keyboard kids will find these offer easier and more productive use than an adult keyboard.
There are keyboards available for the keyboard kid of any age. For instance, the myPC Stage One Keyboard and mouse set is designed particularly for the toddler and is reportedly ideal for two year olds to preschoolers offering them a great beginning to their beginning use of technology. Samsung, among many other companies, offers a computer keyboard for kids that has an ergonomic key layout and includes seven function keys that is more appropriate for school age children. The Califone Kids keyboard comes with both USB and PS2 connectors. G-Cube offers kids keyboards that are gender specific with their little princess keyboard being very popular among little girls.
Crayola offers a version of kid’s keyboard with a matching Crayola Optical Water mouse that is inexpensive, colorful, and has oversized keys. Kinderboard makes a more expensive model that boasts small oval shaped function keys and large keys with oversized lettering for ease of use. Chester Creek makes a LearningBoard keyboard geared toward elementary-aged students. It teaches them to master not only keyboarding and computer skills, but phonics as well. The LearningBoard uses a color-based system to teach and reinforce keyboarding, reading and spelling skills. A separate bright color is assigned to all consonants, vowels, numbers, punctuation keys, and function keys to assist the child in understanding their various roles in learning language and reading.
With kids safety and comfort in mind many of these kids keyboard and mouse sets are ergonomically made and have features such as A shaped keys that allow a child’s fingers to move naturally and gel padding to reduce stress on little fingers, hands and wrists. Most of these kids computer keyboards are both PC and Mac compatible. Some come with software to teach the child how to type by using a fun and interesting game. Built-in software in some of the kids keyboards only send one character per key press to help kids avoid unintentionally getting run-on letters when they are hunting for a particular key, as per requests from teachers. On some keyboard kids equipment, the Function keys pause/break and number lock keys have all been eliminated to assure that a child does not get more confused.
Keyboard kids have many options to help them to use a keyboard and learn computer skills on their own level. From early childhood through grade school, there is a kids keyboard and mouse system that will help a youngster to learn to use, and then maximize their keyboarding skills. In the age of technology, many parents feel that it is imperative that their children master the use of computers and children are using computers at a younger and younger age. Due to this, computer keyboard manufacturers have filled this niche market with any number of creative, bright, functional, hardy keyboards for the average or the not so average computer keyboard kid.
