| We all know kids love to play whenever they get | | | | entire class wash their hands before computer |
| the chance. Even some adults take time to play | | | | work, inevitably for every twenty kids at least |
| now and then. With touchpad keyboards, kids are | | | | three manage to get dirt or crumbs stuck in their |
| discovering a new way to play. Here are some | | | | computer mouse. With the touchpad keyboard, |
| benefits for kids and their caretakers who use | | | | those crumbs are easily visible and simply cleaned. |
| touchpad keyboards: | | | | With the traditional rolling ball mouse, crumbs get |
| "It's like my fingers are dancing!" said Charla, age | | | | stuck up inside and are difficult, if not impossible, |
| eight. On her first day of class at Mountain View | | | | to remove. Teachers are saving hours of cleaning |
| Elementary school, she gravitated towards the | | | | time with touchpad keyboards. |
| computer at her desk place. She had never seen | | | | Whenever school funding is cut, classrooms get |
| a computer with a touchpad keyboard before, | | | | fuller. With thirty kids to watch over, Charla's |
| but she jumped right in and began to experiment | | | | teacher must get creative about making space |
| with how to use it. Before her teacher had a | | | | for all of thirty kids within a compact room. Desks |
| chance to explain how the touchpad keyboard | | | | are crammed in and make for only a 1.5-foot |
| functions, Charla had already grasped the concept | | | | aisle. The kids' elbows are hitting each other. |
| and was adeptly using the touchpad keyboard to | | | | Luckily, the touchpad keyboards save some |
| download music on to her iPod. So quick is the | | | | space. Eliminating the traditional mouse means that |
| learning curve of the touchpad keyboard for kids. | | | | each child has an additional ten inches of space. |
| While Charla felt her fingers were dancing, she did | | | | This efficiency is helping little Charla and other kids |
| not know that her brain was also stretching into | | | | to concentrate better and understand the |
| new vistas of creativity. Studies have shown that | | | | concept of "personal space." |
| children who use touchpad keyboards have higher | | | | Well-informed adults are taking advantage of |
| levels of creative expression, due to the dancing | | | | touchpad keyboards in the home, too. American |
| drawing motion of the fingers. The fluid | | | | kids typically spend one to two hours on the |
| movement is similar to painting, which encourages | | | | computer after school, and sometimes more. |
| the brain to think in non-linear, abstract formation. | | | | Parents with touchpad keyboards are noticing that |
| Children who use touchpad keyboards are more | | | | they are saving much time by not digging out dirt |
| flexible by nature, more creative, and more | | | | stuck inside a traditional mouse. With a quick |
| spontaneous than their classmate counterparts | | | | swipe of the touchpad keyboard, all the grime is |
| who use traditional keyboards. | | | | gone. |
| Little Charla may think touchpad keyboards are all | | | | Studies linking touchpad keyboards to creativity |
| about fun, as the school hours speed away, but | | | | are just beginning to make waves in the parent |
| her teacher knows something else about them. | | | | community. Parents and teachers are taking |
| They are easier to clean than a traditional mouse. | | | | advantage of the cleanliness, efficiency, and |
| Kids are notoriously messy. Crumbs seem to | | | | creative effect that touchpad keyboards have. |
| travel with them in a trail that could reach around | | | | Let your kids join the dance of touchpad |
| the world. Teachers know that despite having the | | | | keyboards. It is good for them and you. |