So how did the decision to make of those interactive kiosks at home, came about?
Well, as anyone with a touchscreen device and a baby/toddler can attest, young ones just take to touch interfaces a lot more naturally than with keyboards or mice. Mice are too cumbersome, and the link between mouse and pointer movement is not immediately apparent.
I've watched my and many other toddlers, become glued to the screen and pay no attention to the vast colourful playground around them. Understandably, sceptics would say the classic "Do we want our children glued to the screen?" Certainly not! But on the other hand, I'd rather what time they do spend glued to a screen was not fiddling around with things they could break or play angry birds ad infinitum. (Or worse, watch TV like couch potatoes)
Another reason I wanted to publish this series, is that there's precious little on the net on how to go about making such a platform.
So here's my shortlist of priorities in no particular order (thank my ADHD for this!):
- A reasonable budget (somewhere south of $500 should do it)
- A completely locked up user environment, i.e.
- Keeping everything necessary locked and/or restricted (ideal for a kiosk application)
- Minimise the grown-up's intervention (I don't want to have to intervene every few seconds, interrupting the toddler's play time, to return them to the proper screen or close inadvertently opened windows)
- Touch input solely ( at below 2 years old, a keyboard and mouse are not needed)
- A variety of instructive and developmental games (one can only play the same game for so long)
- Physical safety (sturdy, stable enclosure, elimination of wires, electrical safety, grounding, splash resistance etc )
- Easily monitored (The control-freak dad in me will elaborate on this later)
I think this just about covers all important considerations. Although if you think I've missed something, please comment.
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