Every parent wants to do everything they can to enhance their child’s chances in the education system. So this good intent usually means spending extra time mentoring your child through their spelling, grammar, reading or maths learning curves. And it can also mean making sure your child has the right bits of school tech to make sure that learning curve is a smooth ride. Well, as smooth as possible anyway.
So what technology is the right technology to help a school age child? We’ve put together a list of high value Back To School tech which will help spend your child’s time well, and without too much stress on your purse or wallet.
School tech essential: Laptop
Your child will almost certainly need a laptop. Perhaps not at a very young age, but certainly as their studies become that bit little bit more focused and more academic. Many schools use laptops (or desktop PCs) as routine parts of way the curriculum is taught, and it’s good for your child to have a device of their own on which to continue their studies, do their homework, and become completely au fait with the digital realm.
We suggest: This HP laptop. With 256GB of SSD storage and a 15.6″ screen, plus Windows 10, it should cover everything your child needs and more. Also, the Asus C425 Chromebook is light, compact, capable and easy to use.
Interestingly, for slightly younger children – primary through junior age – there is a great educational laptop available. The Kano device is a two-in-one tablet and laptop for the next generation of computing, which is designed to inspire your child’s interest in the possibilities of technology. Ebuyer is proud to be the first UK seller of this revolutionary new laptop from Microsoft and Kano.
Laptop Bag
The great thing about laptops is their portability – but, of course, that means you’ll need to provide your child with something to carry their laptop around in! We’d suggest opting for something which has strength and a bit of style, and is very easy for your child to carry. Bear in mind they’ll probably also be using the bag for other school items as well as their laptop.
We recommend: Read this more thorough appraisal of the merits of laptop bags… and then go for something like the Targus Newport laptop backpack. It’s brill!
Printer
Even though your child is more integrated into the digital world than you are (or were in your school days), you’ll find that there’s still no substitute for printed items. Whether it be ‘hand outs’ delivered digitally by a teacher, or whether it be homework assignments your child has completed, there’s nothing quite like holding a printed copy in your hand. You can check through the work and make notes by hand, if needs be. So you’ll definitely need a printer. There are many different models available to suit any budget. And don’t forget to stock up on ink and paper, too!
We recommend: The HP OfficeJet Pro 9012 is a professional-level printer which is a real quality addition to any home set-up. You’ll find that if you get one you’ll be shoving your kids out of the way to print your own stuff!
USB stick (aka flash drive)
Sometimes a USB stick is useful as a storage device for keeping all of those important documents in one handy digital location. It’s also useful because your child will be able to take it with them wherever they go. A quality USB stick can be a very useful tool for your child to make sure their data is always safe.
We recommend: The Kingston DataTraveler Kyson has a whopping 32GB of storage – so your child will probably be able to keep documents from their entire school-life on this!
School tech essential: Smartphone
Okay, so this one might seem an odd choice. It’s definitely contentious. There’s a whole area of discussion around the idea of kids having mobile phones anyway because they spend way too much time on them and there is the potential that they offer access to things outside of a parent’s control.
But it’s worth balancing this against remembering that some phones have parental locking capability (through apps), and that it’s a good idea if your child has even a cheap phone with them in case of emergency situations.
Ebuyer stocks quite a range of mobile phones, including some which are perfect value-for-money models for those emergencies. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on something that a celebrity would use! Just something durable, easy on your wallet, and with an extra-long battery life.
We recommend: Have a look at our extensive range.
Okay, so this has been a bit of a ‘back to school’ exercise in listing five items of school tech which will make your child’s days in the education system just that bit easier, and have them travelling that learning curve like they’re surfing a big wave! They say school days are the best days of your life – but they can definitely be significantly improved with a few bits of the right kit. Check Ebuyer for plenty of other tech suitable for your child’s school adventure.