Kids and the 'Little Computer'

[MarkA]

My daughter is five years old, she has used computers at school and occasionally my laptop, but I discourage that as I like my laptop to be moderately clean and in one piece. We have played with Scratch in the past and she loves it.

The other day she asked to play on the computer. "Not your computer Dad, the little one!" We booted up the Pi and she was happy as larry for nearly an hour. We don't have a modern TV, so 'Scratchy' was painful on the eyes through the composite connection, but she had great fun playing around typing in a text editor. She typed her name, my name, stories only she could understand. She 'practised her letters'. She didn't know she was learning.

None of this is very much or significant on the grand scheme of things, but she had real joy computing and this must be what Raspberry Pi is all about. We have already had £30's worth of enjoyment out of this little machine, the rest of the 'playing' is now free.

[bigsi111]

You Sir have hit the nail on the head. And other older children are leaning Python and Linux.

The revolution has started

[mxcum167]

Fantastic !!!!! I couldn't agree more, this IS what it is all about.

[Jim Manley]

It sounds like she's been accomplishing more on the Pi than those posting (mostly theoretical) complaints. I find it interesting that, as boards are actually being received, plugged in, and turned on, the complaints have been increasingly outnumbered by observations of wonder and excitement.

It will only be a matter of time before millions of other kids will have the same opportunity

[Reider]

Nice one, be proud of your daughter as you already seem to be by posting it. That's really cool and thanks for posting! I hope to see more of people doing this with their family too. My lad is 32 and already into puters thankfully but I love to know other youngsters are using it to learn on. Thanks again,

Steve

[grumpyoldgit]

But what happens when they take over and send us to the Sleepshop at the age of 21?

[Montala]

I think that Mark might have hit on something, when his five year old daughter described the RasPi as 'the little one'.

Younger children do see to have an attraction to smaller items I think, and perhaps a neatly cased Raspberry Pi could hold more of an initial fascination than dads big 'proper' computer!

... and of course, as he found out, once they have started 'playing', and have enjoyed the experience, and will be learning, without really realising that they are doing so, and will hopefully want to come back again later, and 'play' with it some more.

[Tracer]

Great post! Makes me wish I had somebody around who knew something about technology when I was growing up. It's good to see kids getting interested in computing!


Tracer

[Robert_M]

But what happens when they take over and send us to the Sleepshop at the age of 21?

Like all the rest of us, you go to Carousel and hope to Renew.

[mxcum167]

But what happens when they take over and send us to the Sleepshop at the age of 21?

Like all the rest of us, you go to Carousel and hope to Renew.

Or you can 'run'.!!!

[Robert_M]

But what happens when they take over and send us to the Sleepshop at the age of 21?

Like all the rest of us, you go to Carousel and hope to Renew.

Or you can 'run'.!!!

"There. Is. No. Sanctuary!"

[rurwin]

Did someone call for the Sandman?

[art san]

Thanks Mark...this was a real cool post.
Enjoyed the sentiments it conveyed.

[rurwin]

Sorry for messing around there.

This is a good indication that the foundation have got it right. In the hour-long talk that's up on the main page at the moment, Ebon says that the first few prototypes did not have the attraction to children that he was looking for. I think your story shows that he found it.