by As any iPhone or iPad owner with children will attest, touchscreen devices are clearly the future of kid-friendly computing—there’s no substitute for the direct interaction between on-screen items and fingertips. But a lot of great kid software is still available for the Mac, so until we replace all our Macs with tablets, we’ll have plenty of reasons to set up a computer for the young ones.
Most people worry about finding the right software and configuring the right settings for kid-safe computing. But what about the hardware? Chances are you often see a scene much like the one above—your child happily absconding with your laptop to the couch. But it’s not the best setup—ergonomically or logistically—for a child. Here are some tips for setting up a work-and-play-station your kids will love.
Choose a computer
AppleKids don’t typically need a powerful machine. A hand-me-down computer, or a Mac mini and any available display, will do.
Although you can share your Mac with your kids, doing so involves quite a bit of logistical maneuvering—and not just because of differences in preferred physical setups. For example, you’ll need to decide who gets to use the computer when, and you’ll have to share your Mac’s hard drive with applications and media you may never use.
If your budget allows, you’ll appreciate the flexibility of having a dedicated “kid computer.” And it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg: Given that many schools use older hardware, a lot of children’s software runs great on computers that are several years old. You can hand down an older Mac when you upgrade, or you can shop for a used or refurbished Mac. My family’s three-year-old Mac mini, equipped with an eight-year-old LCD display, has more than enough horsepower for the educational and creative software our kids enjoy.
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