As a mom, you want your kids to have access to all of the tools they need to help them learn and be successful in school. You also know that being comfortable with and knowing how to use different types of technology is an important part of your child’s learning.
This is why, when your young son or daughter expresses — probably for the millionth time — that he or she really wants a smartphone, tablet or laptop, you are tempted to buy one. You have researched the different educational apps that are available and you are impressed with what you found, and you like the idea of your child being able to reach you in an emergency.
Of course, you are also well-aware that you will be handing over a pricey electronic device to a small human who has a knack for spilling apple juice at any time, over everything — and who is prone to the “dropsies.” Fear not, mom of small technophiles: there are a number of extra rugged tech devices that can withstand the power of little hands and come out virtually unscathed. Check out the following examples:
iPhone 8
If you have an older tween, you might be considering investing in the new iPhone 8 for him for an extra-special holiday gift. In addition to its variety of impressive technological bells and whistles, the iPhone 8 is quite rugged. The smartphone was designed with the most durable glass ever used, and a stronger “aerospace grade” aluminium band. This means that the phone should be able to withstand reasonably short drops without the screen cracking into a spider web pattern. The iPhone 8 is also water and dust resistant, which means it may handle being kept in a pocket as well as surviving splashes from a number of kid-beverages.
Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet
Kids who want to have their very own tablet like mom or dad are sure to love the Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet from Amazon. Every Fire Kids Edition tablet comes with a Kid-Proof Case and also a 2-year worry-free guarantee that will allow your kiddos to use and enjoy the tablet while giving you valuable peace of mind. As it notes on Amazon, if the tablet is broken, return it and it will be replaced for free — no questions asked. As a side note, the tablet features a number of amazing features that your kids will love, including one year of FreeTime Unlimited that allows access to 15,000 popular apps and games, videos, educational content from PBS Kids and more.
Apple MacBook Air with a Rugged Case
There is not really a true need to invest in the newest MacBook Pro laptop for your kiddo — especially since you can find much more budget-friendly laptops at big box stores — but if you are a huge fan of Apple and want your kids to experience the joys of having one of their user-friendly laptops, the MacBook Air is a great option. The MacBook Air is lightweight and easy for kids to tote around and it has a decent-sized processor to use for researching and writing papers for school or watching movies on Netflix. One caveat: to make the MacBook Air as rugged and kid-safe as possible, invest in a tough protective case. For example, Amazon sells a number of cases that are designed exclusively for the MacBook Air; for instance, the rubberized hard case cover is a two-piece snap-on case that is made from tough materials designed to protect the laptop from scratches, scrapes, dirt and spills.