Are able to use a mouse with basic comfort.

Will need longer chunks of computer time to complete age-appropriate activities and school work.

Require an adult present, but should retain control of the mouse and keyboard.

They are able to start coding with simple tools like Scratch. Preschool kids are still too young to use a computer independently, so don't consider buying them one.Īt this point, kids are able to use a computer with some independence and to enjoy complex and time-based games and activities. “If they haven't used a computer before, they will likely require a demonstration and possibly some hand-over-hand assistance.” “By the age of 4/5 most children have the fine motor skills to manipulate a mouse,” says Dawn Cunningham, a licensed pre-school educator in Somervile, MA. Need to be taught to keep snacks and drinks away from the computer.Will continue to work on using gentle hands.May use computers in school in limited ways.Can use a word processor for learning letters and spelling their name.Should still have time limited to just a few games or activities a day.Will still co-use with an adult, but increasingly enjoy taking control of the mouse/keyboard.Preschool (3-4)īy now, kids are more likely to start engaging with software and will enjoy games and activities like puzzles, drawing, matching, etc. Should learn “gentle hands” – no banging, hitting, dropping, throwing the keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.ĭon't consider buying a child this age their own computer.Enjoy simple cause & effect games (ex: press a button and something happens).May or may not start to show interest in using the mouse – follow their lead in terms of skills.Are able to start recognizing letters and numbers on a keyboard.Should have minimal computer time overall, limited to a few minutes a day.

Should always co-use with adult, meaning that adults will need to be hands-on or use guiding hands with the keyboard and/or mouse, especially when navigating menus.This is when kids typically start to show more curiosity about the computer and when many children head into the “button-pushing” stage where any button or switch is fair game.

Best computer software for pre k