Briefly, my son Foolieboy has recently become enamoured with computers, particularly hardware. We have a desktop that is nominally “his” not currently hooked to the internet. He plays solitaire, mah-jong goes into PAINT, and Word to pracice his letters. He is 5 and going into first grade. He isn’t reading quite yet, close, and can read a few words and with prompting can sound out letters and figure out words. We’ve taken books about computers from the library, and he eats them up.
But his fascination for the last three months has been computers. He wants to know how hardware is assembled, how all the parts fit into laptops, and tells me he “dreams of making 6 computers all hooked together”. I am able to hook up my computer a router, and do simple stuff. I am not mechanically inclined, neither is my SO, or are my parents, nor are any close friends. I have looked through the local listings of inerest courses, lessons, etc and don’t see ANY computer courses for kids?
Does anyone have ideas about how to nurture and encourage this hobby in a pre-literate child, without ME learning it along with him. (And I will do that if need be, just very busy and don’t have a lot of spare parts etc around)?
Tell him that he is never to touch any computer or any electronic devices at all, let alone understand their workings. This will get his imagination racing like nothing else. Leave bits of computer hardware lying around in places where he can easily mess with them, like a storage room; he’ll work with them, and be even more thrilled by it because he’s not supposed to be doing so.
Heh, heh, Argent Towers, but I was thinking about something more guided. Or, a particularly good illustrated book… or how to find computer enthusiasts who would be willing to work with a five year old…
His current favourite tv show is “How its Made”, and he does pretend to make systems out of boxes, rope, a Non working CPU, and lego.
If you look on Craigslist.org, lots of people give away old computers for free or almost nothing. If you want to take apart some computers and show him what’s inside, or something like that, that would be a good source.
Do not disassemble CRT monitors, or computers than contain them such as the original Imac. They can hold lethal voltages even after they’re unplugged.
Other then that AFAIK there is nothing especially toxic or dangerous inside the computer (5 year olds are past sticking everything in their mouths, right?) so getting him a free or very cheap one to play with might not be bad idea.
As far as a book or class goes, I can’t really recommend anything in particular sorry. It’s all fairly straightforward for the most part though and you should be able to find pictures of everything and guides on how to assemble a computer without too much trouble on the internet. You could at least learn enough to point out the major parts and what they do without spending a whole lot of time studying things.
Thanks for the input folks. I guess its not “have fun taking apart computer innards” that I want as an answer (alhough I certainly will set up a table where he can do just that) but this leads to more questions.
Will he (read: Mom) need to know any software stuff/DOS etc to make stuff work? (Excuse my ignorance, if it isn’t “plug and play” I don t do/install it). Or is this putting the cart before the horse?
Do I need any special tools other than a screwdriver, and/or pliers?
I really don’t know this stuff, AT ALL, and I am trying to foster and support all his interests and curiosity. He is like a sponge right now, completely absorbing any and all information he gets on his pet subjects (computers, swimming, ventilation systems, electricity, theology, Sponge Bob, Corporate Logos and weather) I just wish he was this interested in learning to read.
You might check around for a local computer repair shop (individually owned one, not Geek Squad or anything like that) and see if he could spend a morning there, watching what they do. You could sit out in the lobby and read a book meanwhile, then take the owner out to lunch with you & your son.
He is interested in knowledge. That should be enough. He will learn to read in time. I mean, if he’s really interested in theology, of all things, I suspect eventually he will learn to read when he feels like learning to read. At this point he is interested in picking up knowledge through non-written means, which is as valuable if not more valuable than being able to read, so be glad your son is not being a willfully ignorant little bastard like so many children.
Yes, theology of all things. Well probably more like Ontology. Its been a long time since I read Plato, but a week or so ago he wakes me up at 6 am asking " Mom why are things, things, and not nothing?" Also questions about God, nature, the afterlife, and stuff bordering on quantum physics. And when do we eat next, and can he get a slurpee today?
He’s five. Not even in first grade yet, so Im not worried about the not reading. He loves books, but he’s not much into fiction. I know it will come fast, he just has to divert attention from all his other passions.
This is a great idea. I have a computer shop that I do all my business with, and I will approach them see if anyone there will take the boy under his/her wing. PLUS there is a gourmet coffee shop in the front of the store. Thank you for this idea.
Have you tried giving him some non-fiction that deals with some of his interests? I know there are books for kids about weather, at least. He might be more motivated to learn to read if he knew that he could get information that he is interested in that way. I don’t remember it, but I suspect I learned to read so I could read books about the planets (which were what I was obsessed with at that age). I know I was reading non-fiction books about astronomy at age 5 or 6.
Oh, he loves his non fiction books! Anatomy, maps, (he can spend hours at a time looking at atlases) computers, we are regular patrons of the library. When he got stitches I had to pull out some of my nursing texts and show him “what his skin looks like underneath” and how his blood clots. His reading will come when it comes. Nothing wrong with his intellect, or his curiosity…its just outpacing his literacy. (I’m mostly half boasting/half complaining…the amount of reading I do to provide explanations for his questions… good thing Im a reader and like to research various topics. He’s a treat.)
Something like a Snap Circuits kit might be a good start - though it won’t give the instant gratification of higher-level computer functions, it would be a good start to explain that stuff like this forms the guts of all computers, and it’s practically Lego in fun- and form-factor.
In about three or four years, I’d then introduce him to Alice and something like this.
Tetranz…My parents and I have been calling him “future engineer” since the Boy and I were living in rent-to-ncome housing and my neighbours thought that meant “driving trains”…
Transistor Rythm…THANK YOU, pefect! I will let you know how it goes.
