Desktop or laptop for elementary/middle school student? (parent, child, 7 year old)
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I don't know details, but kids start using Word for homework at a pretty young age.
I don't know when a kid would need his or her own laptop though.
A child can get access to a computer for homework at a public library or a school library or school computer room. What is available depends on what the school and community provides.
I don't get this response. Why would I want to drive my kid to the library to do homework, and sit there with him, when I could buy a computer for him/her to use at home instead? The library is like 4 miles from my house.
I don't think students in K-8 have free time at school to do papers, etc.
I don't get this response. Why would I want to drive my kid to the library to do homework, and sit there with him, when I could buy a computer for him/her to use at home instead? The library is like 4 miles from my house.
I don't think students in K-8 have free time at school to do papers, etc.
Don't you own a computer? Is that not sufficient for your kid to use for their homework? We had one shared family computer until my oldest went to middle school.
I don't get this response. Why would I want to drive my kid to the library to do homework, and sit there with him, when I could buy a computer for him/her to use at home instead? The library is like 4 miles from my house.
I don't think students in K-8 have free time at school to do papers, etc.
Agreed. If they have computer time or a class it's to learn about computers, not to type their papers and I definitely wouldn't want to sit at a library for hours!
I would ask the teacher how often they will need to type a report. So far my 3rd grader has only had to type one, but she also needed it for research. However, all they kids in her class know how to type already as they have had computer class since Kindergarten, so my daughter is now behind since her old school didn't teach that. Laptops are really not that expensive unless you get one with all the bells and whistles. We got my 5th grader one during Black Friday for under $175. I didn't want her using my computer because you just don't know what a child might screw up and I use my computer for working at home. Even if your child doesn't need it for school that often, it's still a learning tool and will help her out in long run. As far as a desktop, that is also a good option, but I think a laptop is much cheaper. My daughter is not allowed to bring it anywhere. It must stay on her desk.
Check with folks at the school itself, they know the particulars of their curriculum, their resources, their student body. There is a very, very wide spectrum of need/use in k-8, even within a district. They should know best what to realistically recommend to meet *their* needs and expectations.
This.
My son used our home (desktop) computer in elementary. I think around 2nd grade, they started having some web based spelling and math work. And he had really messy handwriting so he would sometimes type assignments to hand in, even when it wasn't required.
His middle school issues a laptop to every student and they use them every day in the classroom and for homework. I know other schools that issue Chromebooks or iPads, and still others where the students are expected to have a laptop or Chromebook but the school doesn't provide them.
There is no right answer, it's going to be dependent on the school your kid attends.
Crazy how fast things change. I graduated HS in 2010 and all this online HW for k-12 is completely new to me. I think they had just started putting grades online the year after I graduated.
i would check with your district as like some mentioned, it really varies from district to district. My oldest son is currently in private school for kindergarten, but will be transferring into my public district this fall for 1st grade, and *i* assumed laptops wasn't neccesary until middle school like his current school, (5th grade) but found out from my neighbor it's really changing in our public district.
Starting in 1st grade, the students will use shared chrome books to do their spelling, math, reading assignments, and are expected to carry their chrome books from different specials. Then in 2nd grade, they get their own assigned chromebooks but now the dsitrict is pushing that back to 1st grade effective this fall 2017.
I'd go for the desktop at this age unless you do a laptop with a separate keyboard and monitor. The reason is, at least if it's like our school district, they will be doing so many papers and PowerPoints the larger screen size just makes it easier to get everything on one screen and see it better. Our local school issues Chromebooks and my son hates his; he'd much rather use the desktop. In fact he prefers the full keyboard with number pad.
Our local school system started them young. They were doing keyboarding in elementary along with basic Word and PowerPoint. The school was a showplace for technology in the classroom for our state and my son was so proud the day he got to demonstrate Excel for the visitors.
Our daughter saved up her money and bought an iPad to use in class when they first came out. She used it for notes but didn't find it very useful for actual school work, mainly because of the small screen and chintzy keyboard she had. She also preferred her laptop for daily work.
In our family we did wind up with three computers because they were doing so much on them that we had too many conflicts over the single family computer.
Sorry folks but I will not be checking with the school to think how I should spend our money. We decide how to spend our money (chrome book versus laptop versus desktop).
My feeling is that our child won't be taking their computer to school with them so no laptop.
Sorry folks but I will not be checking with the school to think how I should spend our money. We decide how to spend our money (chrome book versus laptop versus desktop).
My feeling is that our child won't be taking their computer to school with them so no laptop.
You're not listening. Some schools check lap tops out to students to use. Some don't. Some use google docs. Some don't. Some schools still use paper, and don't require a computer at all. You wouldn't be asking the school how to spend your money. You would be asking what kind of device would be the most useful.
I haven't seen where you told us how old your kid(s) are. Don't you have a kindergartner? Does the kindergartner really need a computer? Any reason she can't just use yours? Do you think what you buy now is going to last until middle school? Doubtful.
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You're not listening. Some schools check lap tops out to students to use. Some don't. Some use google docs. Some don't. Some schools still use paper, and don't require a computer at all. You wouldn't be asking the school how to spend your money. You would be asking what kind of device would be the most useful. 
Do you think what you buy now is going to last until middle school? Doubtful.
