Setup for elementary age kids
Posted by Swede318201@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 21 comments
So I am looking to set up my kids first computer and looking for ideas or user experiences with kid-centric distros. My kid is in 1st grade and has used a Chromebook in school (though it sounds like he isn't really interacting with ChromeOS, and is usually in some application/platform that the school uses for a bunch of subjects). I run Debian with KDE on my desktop and laptop and a debian based server at home.
I want something relatively locked down or with decent parental controls. I've found a bunch of recommendation articles and videos but most are a decade old, recommending long abandoned distros, or are geared toward high school and college age.
Has anyone found a decent kid-centric distro that isn't abandoned or should I just manually set up a locked down Debian system myself? If you've used some, what was your experience?
DFS_0019287@reddit
Why does a Grade 1 kid need a computer?
My kids didn't really use a computer until they were in about Grade 6. Certainly never unsupervised.
When they did start using a computer, it was vanilla Debian.
KlePu@reddit
Oh yeah, let's tell other parents how to raise their kids! ^(grabs popcorn)
Constructive reply: I've used computers since I was ~9y, and a Gameboy and SNES before that. My parents were fine with that - as long as my "media time" was below half the "normal play time". In retrospect I really like that approach (though I'd discuss the 1:2 ratio nowadays).
DFS_0019287@reddit
I don't particularly have anything against very young kids using a computer, per se.
I certainly wouldn't let them on an Internet-connected device at that age, though.
Swede318201@reddit (OP)
Lol sorry to disappoint, they're entitled to their opinion and I respect it even if I ultimately disagree. I did ask for advice in a public space after all, and that's the advice they had to offer so its valid as far as I'm concerned, even if I don't go with it.
I'm in a pretty similar boat to you though. I started using a computer around 6 years old (1st grade ish) with windows 95, gameboy color, N64, etc. Still played baseball every summer, basketball every winter, took music lessons for a decade and performed in community youth symphony, rode bikes to the public pool, went camping at the lake every other week, etc. My parents didn't have any set rules for screen time but there was an unspoken understanding that if I was told it was time to be done or to do chores or to go to practice, all those things took priority and there was no room for arguing about it, otherwise I'd lose all screen time entirely. And I didn't WANT to be on a screen all the time. Playing basketball and going to the pool was just as fun as playing pokemon as a kid so I was totally fine putting down the gameboy to go do those.
My kid is the same. He likes to play nintendo games, but will easily exchange game time for going to the playground or going to play at his friends house that has a trampoline. I'm not concerned right now about his screen time and I think him learning to use and troubleshoot computers is an essential skill he will need when he gets older. I've seen recently how computer literacy and typing skills have drastically fallen due to tech being "too spimplified and streamlined" as well as kids learning to type on phone/tablet screens instead of physical keyboards and it worries me a bit.
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Fine_Section_172@reddit
you might want to check out these distros
https://fedoraproject.org/spins/soas/
https://www.edubuntu.org/
Electrical_Bad2253@reddit
I have CachyOS set up on an old computer for my child who is of similar age. Only thing he accesses on it is GCompris which your child may enjoy too.
Archsquire2020@reddit
I love how everyone judges a parent who cares enough to research how to create a safe virtual environment, asking "what would such a kid even need computer access at that age" while completely forgetting the age they first touched a computing device (either PC or gaming console).
Computer literacy is one of today's most important skills, starting early is useful.
Assuming the kid will want to game at some point and considering that immutable distros are a safe way for them to explore an OS (not necessarily at this age), i'd go Bazzite, tbh. And tinker to add the needed parental controls to it.
Swede318201@reddit (OP)
Exactly this. I responded to the "grabs popcorn" comment above about how learning basic computer literacy and typing skills is essential and that I was on a windows 95 computer, gameboy color, and N64 at his age. I have a good grasp on his current screen time usage and his tendancies for balancing outdoor/social play with screen time play and I'm not concerned right now with his usage. He is asking me about having one at home because he likes the reading game he plays at school and also wants to play Minecraft like his cousin and I'm perfectly fine encouraging both of those activities. He is a good kid who is multiple grades above his grade level in reading and math, and has earned student of the month 9 times in the last two years. I feel like he's earned it.
Lopsided-Month3278@reddit
As I know, GNOME is the best DE for family control, you can install Debian GNOME, Fedora Workstation, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, or any other distro with GNOME 48+ version.
Swede318201@reddit (OP)
Good to know, I'll look into it!
untrained9823@reddit
Check out EndlessOS. Or just Gnome with something immutable like Bluefin or VanillaOS.
waterslidelobbyist@reddit
I put bazzite on my 1st and 5th graders' mini pcs, but they are mostly used for minecraft, occasionally the boy will print out a photo he took with a digital point and shoot we got him, or the girl will look up drawing references for something. i use nextdns to lock them out of social media and videos online
okktoplol@reddit
Set up a locked down debian distro yourself (or if you fear the kid will tamper with something look into immutable distros)
Swede318201@reddit (OP)
That's what I was thinking, but the immutable distro is a decent suggestion I hadn't thought of
Main-Mountain-5747@reddit
Yeah I'd go with the locked down Debian route too. You already know the system well so debugging any weird kid-related chaos will be way easier than learning whole new distro just for this
Immutable distros are solid suggestion though - harder for little hands to accidentally break things when they're clicking everything in sight. Plus you can always rollback if something goes wrong during their "exploration phase"
GSDragoon@reddit
If you make it a little more difficult to use, they will be forced to figure thing out and learn. That's not a bad thing.
Swede318201@reddit (OP)
That's secretly a small reason I want him to get comfortablr in Linux over the long run lol
Grumpy_Ontarian_III@reddit
Create a separate admin account, with a different password. Should work in most distros.
Though in my opinion, elementary school kids shouldn’t be using computers a whole lot. Learning to type, and safely navigate the internet should be the only things elementary school kids need computers for. Maybe learning a bit of computer coding as well if the school district has the funding.
Swede318201@reddit (OP)
He won't be online at all at home and I'll only have educational games and such. The school uses it for reading comprehension and basic math games mostly at his age. I'll have some touch typing games too so he can start to learn that too. He also really wants to play Minecraft with me so probably set up a server just for us 2 with some time limits configured.
BranchLatter4294@reddit
You can set up Parental Controls. This should work on most distros.
https://help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubuntu-help/parental-controls.html.en