Looking for keyboard and mouse for toddler

[egoldber]

My 19 month old DD has suddenly developed an interest in the computer. We want to get her a mouse and keyboard. In the past I have seen a "baby" keyboard that attaches on top of a regular keyboard, but for the life of me I can't remember where or when. I did find a mouse at kidzmouse.com, but I am wondering if there are more options.

TIA!

[brubeck]

I think the thing you are talking about is made by Fisher Price. I remember it being part of the Pampers Perks program.

I suspect that's overkill though, Sarah is old enough to use a real keyboard. If you're afraid she will damage yours you can get a spare one at any computer store for about $10.

What software are you going to use? My daughter loves Reader Rabbit Toddler and Sesame Street Baby. She also likes to type letters on the word processor.

[egoldber]

Thanks! She probably is old enough for the regular keyboard (and she certainly knows how to use it!). I think DH wants it for the cute factor though. :)

I picked up a couple of Disney programs at Marshalls, a Pooh Toddler and Mickey Toddler. They had some Reader Rabbit ones, but only Preschool and higher, no Toddler. I was afraid she wouldn't be able to really use the Preschool program, so I skipped it.

Would you recommend buying the RR Toddler?

[brubeck]

Yes, we love Reader Rabbit Toddler. One nice thing is that the child can use BOTH the mouse and the keyboard and still be in the program. The Sesame Street one we have the child only uses the mouse OR the keyboard and the parent uses the other. My daughter gets all frustrated if I try to prevent her from using one or the other.

RRT has a number of good games including coloring, bubble popping, shape matching, letters, music and animal noises. In all of these games all that is required is that the child move the mouse, there isn't even any clicking required. Of course you CAN use the keyboard and mouse buttons, but you don't have to.

The best price I've seen on RRT is 'free'. You do have to pay $6 shipping. This is a no-frills-we-just-send-the-CD-with-no-box-or-instructions deal:

http://www.smart-estore.com/default.asp?storeid=463280

Let me know how the other ones work out for you!

[egoldber]

Thanks! She liked the 2 Disney programs pretty well. They require mouse clicks or a keyboard stroke to navugate through the activities. At this point she can really only use the keyboard, since she can't click the mouse yet. But she knows how the mouse is supposed to work and gets a little frustrated that it doesn't do anything. So RRT may be a good one to get.

FYI, I didn't pay much more than the "free" price at Marshalls. The Disney programs were $7.99 each. ;)

[brubeck]

Yeah the 'free' price has been upped. I paid $3 for shipping when I got it for 'free' for Christmas 2001. Still, I can't find it cheaper elsewhere and there's no tax.

My daughter has the opposite problem: she can click the mouse but doesn't quite know how to aim it properly so she always ends up in segments of the program she didn't intend. Then I hear the plaintive cries of, "Mama, want the shapes!" or "Mama, want the trains!", etc. etc. But she does love the programs. She has actually booted my husband and myself off the computer to play her 'computer game'. This is when you realize that your 'free' software has actually cost you the price of another computer. :-) LOL, have you seen those Barbie and Hot Wheels computers for $500? We may have to end up getting one!!!!! Fortunately I haven't seen that any of this kids software requires large amounts of memory, hard disc space, graphic cards, etc.

I'm just cringing at the thought that one day she will surf the internet. She is already talking about 'doing me-mail' when she randomly pounds away at the keyboard.

On RRT Sarah will especially like the coloring. When you move the mouse the picture colors in, and if you press the keys blotches of color appear. This was the first part of the program my daughter really took to, with popping bubbles being second. After that it took her until about 22 months when she started using the other parts. Now at 28 months she does all of it.

[Thatchermom]

Amazon sells a keyboard made by Little Tikes called the KidBoard. They used to make a cute mouse shaped like their Cozy Coupe, but I think it was recalled. There are other products available. I've only seen the Little Tikes in person, and it was pretty cute.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00002NDQY/103-6866141-5526211
http://www.primoproducts.com/secret7.html

HTH-

Susan
Mom to Thatcher Bennett 9/10/01

[elf]

You don't really need to BUY a computer for your toddler. DD got an old laptop that is so old that not even Goodwill wants it. It runs Windows 95 and so can run most of the classic baby games.

If you don't have one of those, maybe your company or a friend does, and is just looking for someplace to get rid of it.

DD's first keyboard was one from the office that broke, and thus was just taking up space in the back room. Our IT guy cut off the cable and delivered it to our beaming toddler. :)

[Alicia]

Auctually there are several different website addresses for esmart store, and they all offer different shipping costs. Go to
http://www.smart-estore.com/default.asp?storeid=250989&c=WINF004 and the shipping rate is $3.95 (the game is still free). We have used them three times and are very pleased with all our games. I have seen the same games in the store for between $7.95 and $19.99. They are a great value!!

Alicia

[Roni]

If you (or anyone else) still is interested in the add-on keyboard, it's called the Baby Smartronics Computer Learning System by Fisher Price. (I had trouble finding it & think I ended up buying it through the company.) It's for 9-months & up. I would definitely recommend it for that age-group, but my DD did enjoy it at about age 2, I believe. At almost 3, she still has trouble w/ the "grown-up" mouse. W/ her own keyboard, she was able to use the computer independently. Another plus is that the CD that comes with it is very educational, working on numbers, letters, shapes, etc. On the down side, there's only 1 CD that can be used w/ it (although it contains 3 levels). Another negative is that it can be a pain to get it adjusted just right over the adult keyboard. (Also, one of the buttons didn't work properly, but my DH fixed the problem.)Lately I've been too lazy to deal with it, but you've motivated me to give it another try! My DD really does enjoy it, & it is cute! Bottom line--I would have gotten more use out of it if I had bought it earlier, but I don't regret the purchase.

I hope this helps someone!

[lums123]

The friend who loaned us Jumpstart Toddlers classic software (highly recommend) said they tried various kids stuff and eventually settled on a laptop mouse for their 3-year-old as easiest for him to handle. (I haven't gotten one myself yet, and our son is having trouble with my logitech optical mouse.)