Quality Computer/Screen Time Options

Our ds10 enjoys creating stop-motion animation short movies (2-3 minutes long). For now, he needs Daddy’s help with the editing part, but it is good screen time for him and gives him a way to learn about video editing, which might pay off in the future. Both children also learn and practice typing and typing games on the computer two days a week. Ds enjoys the Lego website immensely. The other day he was playing a game where he had to put gears and pulleys together in a system to make a machine work. I usually frown upon Lego games, but I was very impressed by this one’s ability to make ds really think logically. During the school year, they use the Online Drill Application on Math-U-See’s website for extra math fact practice.

Ds also does his dictation in a Word doc instead of writing. His complaining about dictation lessened considerably when I started letting him type it.

We also allowed our children to have their own e-mail accounts this year. They have a small handful of friends and relatives that they e-mail a few times per month. Now that we’ve moved, it’s a great way for them to stay in touch, plus it gives them exposure to a skill they’ll use for the rest of their lives.

Some ideas that we have for the future that may help you:

My husband has a lot of experience with recording and editing music, so we would like for one of our children, at some point, to learn at least some of that in ProTools and Final Cut Pro. 

I have been a blogger for 6 years, and think blogging is a wonderful creative outlet for people of all ages. One of your children could do a nature photography blog, whereby the blog becomes their nature journal. Or a cooking blog where they make new recipes and write about them, including photos if desired. Or if you have a budding writer on your hands, they could write a collection of original short stories, a play, or even a novel online or in a Word doc.

Photoshop and InDesign are excellent programs for anyone to learn. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve wanted to create a cute flyer, cutesy scripture to frame in my home, birthday banners, and more, wishing so much that I didn’t have to get my husband to do it for me! 

My husband is a self-taught programmer. At some point, I would like to see one or both of our children learn about building a website or creating a software program from Daddy. I have zero interest in that, so I won’t be disappointed if my kids aren’t interested, but it’s been a valuable skill for my husband and has brought in extra income for us many times.

Online scrapbooks are becoming popular, so one of your children might enjoy taking photos or scanning old photos of your family and putting together a digital scrapbook or even creating a photobook on a website like snapfish.com or shutterfly.com. Those are lots of FUN!

Hope that helps you get started!

Khan Academy is good for practicing/learning math – and they also have a computer programming section.  My son has been teaching himself some programming there….

the main problem I have with the programming area is he is mostly modifying games etc that are there, and that involves playing them… so sometimes I’m not sure how much is him playing and how much is him learning….  I know that he has earned some programming ‘badges’ so I assume there is some programming….