Computer Lessons for Children

The Basics

• For the first lesson, just teach your child the basic parts of the computer, and which do what. Tell him that the hardware is the physical part, and comes in different configurations, like desktop and laptop machines. The software is the non-physical part that tells the computer what to do. It includes the operating system, which runs everything, and various programs that you install.

  Let him know that even though computers are found everywhere these days--in cash registers, gas pumps, phones, refrigerators and more--they all do the same fundamental things. They take information from an input device, process it, store it and output it.

  Input on your home computer can come from a keyboard or mouse, just like your child takes in information with his eyes, ears and fingers. Output devices can be the screen, which outputs a soft copy, or the printer, which outputs a hard copy. Similarly, your child outputs information orally or writes it down. Processing and storage happen in the computer's "brain" and memory, just like your child has. So essentially, a computer is a lot like a person.

  This will help him relate to the computer more and understand why it does what it does. Then let him practice a bit with the input devices, but tell him that he'll use them more in upcoming lessons. When he's ready to learn more, you can start with some specific files and programs.

Navigating the Computer

• For the second lesson, show your child how to access the computer directories and folders--maybe even set up a directory named for her. To get to your files on a Windows computer, you can click on "Computer" on the Start Menu, or a desktop shortcut if you have one. This brings up Windows Explorer. Then demonstrate how you move to different folders and directories by clicking on them.

  In your child's folder, show her how to create new files, such as a new document or spreadsheet, by either right-clicking and selecting "New," or by using File> New at the top of that directory. Also show her how to rename the file by clicking the name so that it's selected, and typing the new name.

  You can create another folder inside her main folder, and show her how to drag and drop files into a folder. Demonstrate another two ways to move files around: "copy and paste" if you want a duplicate, or "cut and paste" if you want to just move it. Then let her try each of the ways while you watch and give pointers if required.

Word Processing

• For the next lesson, create a new document, and name it something appropriate; perhaps your child's name followed by "practice." Then show him how to open it by double clicking, maximize it to full screen by clicking the rectangle icon at the top, and minimize it to the toolbar by clicking the minus sign. Next, demonstrate how he can close it by clicking the X, or by choosing File> Close. Now let him try.

  After he opens it again, let him type some words in the document, and then show him how he can make a copy, call it something else, and edit just the copy by choosing File> Save As. Have him open the first document and see that it's still the same as it was, even though he edited the copy.

  Show him how to select some of his text with the mouse, or all of it by choosing "Select All," and let him change the font and font size. Then let him pick a different font color, highlight some words, and experiment with bold, italics and underlining. Next, he can move the text from the left to the right, and then center it.

  Finally, show him how to insert a picture of himself or some clip art. If he wants to create a greeting card or a sign for his room, show him how he can move the picture and text around, and then print it when it's the way he wants it.

Graphics

• For the final lesson, your child will work with a graphics program. First, demonstrate how to find and open Paint by typing the name of the program into the search box. Show her how to choose the pencil and paintbrush functions, and draw and paint in different colors. Then have her make some circles and squares with the shape drawing tools, and fill them with the paint bucket. Once she's made a design, show her how to save it.

  Now close Paint, and show your child another way to open it. Right-click on an image that's stored on your computer, and choose Open With> Paint. If it's a picture you only have one copy of, have her Save As to her own personal folder with a new name so she can work with it. Then she can crop it, flip it or turn it by choosing Image> Flip/Rotate, and draw on the picture with the paintbrush or pencil. Next, show her how she can pick up a color from the photo with the eyedropper, and use that color to draw on another part of the picture.

  When she's finished creating her artwork, let her print it so she can see how it goes from a soft copy on the screen to a hard copy on paper.

  Once you've gone through these lessons with your child, she'll be able to work with these programs on her own. Make sure she knows to always save her work to one special place, and not to delete or save over anything that belongs to someone else.