No matter what age a student is, there are gadgets, gizmos, electronics and tech products to help ease the way. From a toy that teaches young learners the basics of coding to a charging station that keeps numerous devices ready to use, these items can make kindergarten to college easier and more fun.
LG GizmoGadget
WHY: If a youngster is old enough for school but too young for a cellphone, find peace of mind keeping in contact with this interactive waterproof wristwatch-phone that has a 1.3-inch touch screen and allows young ones to call up to 10 parent-approved contacts. GizmoGadget sends and receives text messages to or from designated caregivers and can be tracked on a caregiver’s phone through its app and the device’s GPS locator. There’s also a compass, stopwatch, timer and activity tracker. Available in red or blue, only through Verizon.
BUY: $149.99 (with a two-year contract); verizonwireless.com
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Kinkoo Six Port USB Charger
WHY: Students need all their devices all of the time, but how do you keep them charged? One way is with this 40-watt desktop charger that has six high-speed ports and an intelligent chip to detect each device and select the optimal charging speed for it, making it 85 percent faster than conventional chargers. A blue LED indicates when the gadget is ready for use. Compatible with all 5-Volt USB-charged devices. Available in white or yellow.
BUY: $39.90; ikinkoo.com
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i-ScreenClean Touch Screen Cleaner
WHY: This hypoallergenic, chemical-free, eco-friendly two-sided ball provides streak-free cleaning on phone, tablet, laptop and PC touch screens and monitors. The microfiber side removes stubborn marks and the terry-cloth side removes dust, fingerprints and smudges. Just wipe it across the screen — no scrubbing or pressure is needed to remove marks and debris.
BUY: $13.99 (three-pack); i-screenclean.com
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WD My Passport Ultra Portable Hard Drive
WHY: When you require a lot of backup, portability and a small price, it’s hard to beat My Passport Ultra. Packed within its small, sleek case that’s available in four colors, are up to 4 terabytes of storage. It has password protection and 256-bit hardware encryption, plus automatic, local and cloud backup.
BUY: $59.99-$139.99; wdc.com
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iSkelter Slate 2.0 Mobile Lapdesk
WHY: The improvements to the second iteration of this lap desk include an underside hand bevel and protective mousepad border. Perfect for laptops, the desk is cut from strong-but-lightweight bamboo. A thick, heavy-duty mousepad is built in, flush with the surface. Its heat ventilation openings cool down laptops, with any remaining heat absorbed by the bamboo. Functional, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing, Slate 2.0 also includes a dock to hold a phone or small tablet.
BUY: $79.99; iskelter.com
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LeapFrog LeapStart Interactive Activity Book Systems
WHY: These learning systems — one for preschool-prekindergarten, the other for kindergarten-first grade — teach children life skills and challenge them intellectually. A library of 16 replayable activity books focus on more than 50 skills, including ABCs, numbers, shapes, colors, creativity, music, science, technology, engineering, math, counting, critical thinking, geography, logic, reasoning, global awareness, vocabulary, fractions, health, social skills, reading comprehension, communication, phonics, problem solving, space science and coding. The preschool-prekindergarten system (ages 2-4) comes with an ergonomically designed stylus for smaller hands, while kindergarten-first grade (ages 5-7) has a sleeker design to help children practice finer pen control.
BUY: $39.99 each; leapfrog.com
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Asus Chromebook C202
WHY: Designed with schoolkids in mind, the C202 is lightweight, durable, easy to repair and affordable. All exterior edges and corners have a reinforced guard, which protects it if dropped. The keyboard is spill-proof and repels liquid. The cover hinge opens to 180 degrees, which keeps it intact and allows for easier viewing by a group. The 11.6-inch display is anti-glare, the battery runs up to 10 hours and its 360-degree Wi-Fi antenna minimizes poor signal connection. It has an HDMI and two USB 3.0 ports, a headphone-microphone combo jack, an SD card slot and a security lock slot. It uses the Chrome OS, contains a 1.6-GHz Intel Celeron N3060 processor and has up to 4 gigabytes of RAM.
BUY: $199 (2 GB RAM) and $229 (4 GB); asus.com
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Kensington SmartSockets Surge Protector
WHY: With the various sizes and shapes that plugs come in, a vertical power strip/surge protector is usually not practical. Kensington makes cord management easy with SmartSockets, which has six color-coded AC plug receptacles arranged in circular design and matching color-coded cord labels. Its 1,500 joules of surge dissipation protects devices from damaging spikes, and the 16-foot power cord gives extended reach for almost anywhere in the room.
BUY: $68.99; kensington.com
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Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-pillar
WHY: Preschoolers can start learning the basics of coding with this toy that encourages experimentation while developing problem solving, planning and sequencing, and critical thinking skills. Kids arrange — and rearrange — the toy’s segments, which each have a command icon and connect easily via a USB port. Depending on the order the child selects, Code-a-Pillar is taken on a different path — with sounds and lights — each time. Suggested for ages 3-6.
BUY: $50; fisher-price.com
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LeapFrog LeapStart Interactive Activity Book Systems
WHY: These learning systems — one for preschool-prekindergarten, the other for kindergarten-first grade — teach children life skills and challenge them intellectually. A library of 16 replayable activity books focus on more than 50 skills, including ABCs, numbers, shapes, colors, creativity, music, science, technology, engineering, math, counting, critical thinking, geography, logic, reasoning, global awareness, vocabulary, fractions, health, social skills, reading comprehension, communication, phonics, problem solving, space science and coding. The preschool-prekindergarten system (ages 2-4) comes with an ergonomically designed stylus for smaller hands, while kindergarten-first grade (ages 5-7) has a sleeker design to help children practice finer pen control.
BUY: $39.99 each; leapfrog.com
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Groovies kids’ headphones
WHY: Protect young ears, whether they’re listening to lessons, music, games or movies. With its adjustable headband, ear pads made from hypoallergenic memory foam and sound pressure limited to 85 decibels, Groovies are as comfortable as they are safe. Friends can share sound without a splitter by plugging into one of the two auxiliary ports on either side of the headset. Up to four people can Sharelink together. Available in pink, blue and black. Recommended for ages 3 and older.
BUY: 24.95, kenu.com
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1 Voice Mapmaker FYL Backpack
WHY: 1 Voice has got students’ backs with this backpack that comes with a built-in 11,000mAh lithium-ion charger that can keep your devices up and running. The pack, made of 100 percent cotton canvas, is available in navy blue, black, brown and cream, and features a padded laptop compartment and the main compartment. The side zipper allows quick access to your laptop.
BUY: $159, 1voicenyc.com
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