PC Gifts For Kids

Who likes sharing a computer their PC with the kids? There are plenty of reasons why you might not want to let a child play with your computer. So why not give them their own portable computer to use? Netbooks are a great option for children. They are smaller than a traditional laptop computer that make them excellent for kids who need to carry them around and use them with their smaller hands. They are much more affordable than a traditional computer systems as well. Prices start around $250.

Netbooks have lost much of their luster because of tablet PCs. Tablets are extremely easy to use such that very young kids can intuitively use them much faster than trying to deal with a netbook. Now, this isn't really a gift that should be strictly for a child as they aren't necessarily the most rugged of devices. The screens are particularly vulnerable to drops. Still, tablets are great learning tools thanks to the wide range of applications available. They are also great for entertainment and communications. There are a wide range of tablets with the average price around $500 with a 10-inch screen but many more options are available for under $400 also with smaller screens.

How about a budding movie director? The introduction of inexpensive flash based camcorders has opened the world of video recording to just about anyone. While there are children specific models with bright plastic available, kids really want to have items that look like something their parents would use. Kodak is a huge name in cameras that has struggled over the years but they have a huge hit with their Playsport ZX5 camcorder. This flash based camcorder is rugged, waterproof and simple to use. This makes it a great option for kids interested in video. The pricing is also quite good with prices as low as $120 up to around $170.

While motion video is great, sometimes the ability to take a still picture can be just as fun and more rewarding. With the ease of printing out digital photos and the size and performance of digital cameras, they can make a great gift. While there are child specific cameras, they tend to have poor performance and not very sturdy. Instead, I like to recommend the water and shock resistant cameras. The Olympus TG-310 is a nice option thanks to 3m water proof and 1.5m shock resistance ratings. It is relatively compact yet packs a surprisingly high 14.2 megapixel resolution. It even manages to fit a 3.6x zoom inside the body. All this in a price between $150 and $200.

MP3 players are pretty much the norm for kids these days. After all, more and more music is being sold in digital form that traditional physical formats. So why not consider giving a MP3 player to your favorite child. The Apple iPod shuffle is an inexpensive, easy to use and colorful MP3 player that is great for small kids. Since it uses flash memory, the small clip based MP3 player is extremely durable. Apple's iTunes music store also has some great parental controls to prevent your kids from buying music you might find objectionable. Priced around $50.

If you want to encourage a young child's interest in art, then a product like the Genius Kids Designer may be something to consider. This is a combination of hardware and software that allow children to use their creativity. The tablet works just like a mouse or any other drawing tablet but also comes with some built in games and educational pieces that help kids to draw. The stylus is also attached to the tablet which helps prevent it from getting lost. Priced around $55.

While a drawing tablet like the Kids Designer may be great for younger kids, it lacks the flexibility for art that an older child might want. A more traditional approach to arts is really needed rather than a system that is locked into a set of arts and crafts projects. Instead, older children would be better served by a low cost standard drawing tablet for the computer. The Wacom Bamboo connect which is low cost and compact. The smaller surface area may be a bit more difficult to use but it offers the same performance and flexibility of the larger Bamboo when it comes to the pen input. It does lack multitouch capability though. Priced under $100.

Got a child who is into science? Would you like to get a child interested in science? The Celestron digital and optical handheld microscope is a great option for use with a computer and out and about. It features an handheld optical microscope that features a 4x to 50x magnification. Hook up the 2 megapixel USB camera from the computer to the microscope and use the supplied software to capture images or increase the magnification digitally to 200x. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac based computers. Priced around $100.

Let's face it, smaller kids have trouble using standard keyboards and mice. The reason is that the keys are not laid out in any alphabetical order to make it easy for them to find the proper key. They also tend to be too big to use with their smaller hands. The FunKeyBoard and FunMouse combo from Chester Creek Technologies is designed specifically with kids in mind. The mouse is smaller to fit in their smaller hands and the keyboard has color coded keys to make it easier for them to distinguish between consonants, vowels, symbols, numbers and function keys. Priced around $35.