Advice please - children's laptop

[melbourne groover]

My daughter has decreed the thing she most wants in the world for her birthday is a computer, she is about to turn 5. Does anyone know of something reasonably priced that is suitable, I was thinking laptop type. Am floundering slightly and not sure if they are worth it.

Has anyone bought something like this they would recommend?

Thanks

Amy

[Rhubarb&Custard]

My 5 year old daughter was given one of these ...

http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Learning/Electronic-Learning/VTech-Disney-Princess-Magic-Wand-Laptop(0035119)?cm_mmc=Feed-_-Google%20Base-_-N%2FA-_-VTech%20Disney%20Princess%20Magic%20Wand%20Laptop

Looks hideous and might dent one's design sensibilities (hardly a Jonathan Ive / Apple classic) - but she loves it, as do all the other little girls that come around to play. Has various word, music and counting games - and makes her feel like she owns a real laptop (... heaven help us).

[nunheadmum]

My 4.5yr old daughter has one of the V-tech ones with the mouse and it hardly gets used. The screen (looks similar on the one above) is nothing like a proper computer screen - it's tiny. And the activities are really hard to navigate around, I find. I'm really not impressed with it - but maybe she'll get it more as she gets older.

I would probably tend towards getting a proper cheap laptop which probably doesn't need to be that whizzy to do basic games and try to teach her to treat it with respect - rather than getting the kiddie ones that can be thrown around more. I think she'll get more use from it, longer term.

[snss75]

I agree with nunheadmum, I'd go for a "real" computer/laptop as well. My son is 5 and he now competently uses our home PC/laptop to find his website like cbeebies etc. on the internet and plays the games there. He has some of the toy laptops etc. that every now and again get pulled out of the box but don't really hold his interest for long. Since starting reception he loves doing his phonics & numbers on the computer and there are so many good, educational websites for this purpose that I wouldn't spend money on the toys for this age group.

[Ondine]

My kids got quite a lot of use from one of those little Asus eee mini laptops. Ours is Linux which I find less intuitive than windows but they did fine with it. Big advantage is it's super tough and can withstand some banging around.