How to make screen time useful for kids?

[drArret8]

Hello, everyone. I hope you're doing well.
I'm a father of two amazing children, aged 5 and 7, and I'm seeking advice and insights from those who may have been in a similar situation. I want to introduce my kids to the computer in a way that's educational and safe, but I'm struggling to strike the right balance between beneficial screen time and potentially wasted hours on the computer. Could you please recommend any programs or resources that you've found valuable and enjoyable for kids in this age group?

[bjcheung77]

Oh, your kids are in K and grade 2? Hmm, I remember those ages, my kids are roughly 5 years older than yours, both of them! My son turns 10 this month, daughter turns 12 in April next year. My kids are kind of spoiled, they've got their own Chromebook for school work instead of us borrowing the school laptops. What I got them to do is subscribe to some 'cheap/free' homeschool online programs, an example is a RPG math game, Prodigy. See what interests them with trials...

There are so many things we did with their education, from going to Eye Level, Kumon, all these extra summer camps, spring/winter break camps, etc. Only one thing you need to do is limit their time on the devices, you can let them do anything as their are 'parental controls' for all of these subscriptions, such as Youtube Kids freebies. It also really depends on what your targeting for teaching them... My kids, both, do not like learning to type, but they like math games...

[gulshan212]

Well, It's exciting to introduce your children to the computer in a balanced and educational way. You can also utilize resources such as Kodable, Tynker, and ScratchJr to teach programming concepts via hands-on activities. Platforms such as ABCmouse, PBS Kids Games, and National Geographic Kids offer a well-rounded educational experience covering various subjects.
Thanks