best linux distro for kids aged ~3-5

chess · 10-01-2005, 12:51 PM

Hey there everyone-

I'm thinking about putting linux on some old machines to be used by a couple of kids about 4-5 years old. I use Slackware so I can always put that on and set it up manually, but I was wondering if there was any young kids-specific distro, that has an easy DE/WM, all the games and educational stuff installed, easy to use widgets/backgrounds/panels/icons etc. Something that is tailor-made, I guess.

I've googled around a bit but have not found anything specific. I've looked through the distros at distrowatch, and there are several that are education-based, but they are more geared towards running linux in the school and seem focused more on older kids.

Anything out there?

Thanks.

slackhack · 10-01-2005, 12:59 PM

lfs?

any of the big gui distros would probably be good choices: suse, fc, mandrake, etc. i don't think there are any distros specifically tailored for kids, though it's an interesting idea for a distro.

ctkroeker · 10-01-2005, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slackhack
any of the big gui distros would probably be good choices: suse, fc, mandrake, etc. i don't think there are any distros specifically tailored for kids, though it's an interesting idea for a distro.

Yup.

reddazz · 10-01-2005, 01:33 PM

Any distro will do, you may just have to add educational apps and games.

Ahmed · 10-01-2005, 02:39 PM

.. and a nice cute icon theme and wallpaper to go along with it.

-A

Komakino · 10-01-2005, 03:41 PM

...and pingus!!

craigevil · 10-02-2005, 12:15 AM

Knoppix for kids Welcome to the Open Source Education Foundation Website

floppywhopper · 10-02-2005, 03:06 AM

The latest Debian 3.1 has tons of games and educational software for kids of all ages

floppy

Timothypir2 · 10-02-2005, 09:48 PM

have you heard of freeduck that's fun

slackhack · 10-03-2005, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by craigevil
Knoppix for kids Welcome to the Open Source Education Foundation Website

XavierP · 10-03-2005, 09:17 AM

There's not enough love for Debian Jr in this thread.

Lleb_KCir · 10-03-2005, 01:32 PM

my boy just turned 3 and i use KDE 3.3 on a Debian-testing systems at the house. he has zero problems getting to firefox and his book marks like http://www.pbskids.org and getting around that etc. same goes for any desktop ICON i put up for him like tuxtype or tuxracer etc. also this is with a trackball and not a mouse.

my daughter at about the same age was doing basicaly the same thing with win95 and every computer i have had since.

it is not the OS, but the GUI that matters to the kids. if they can figure out if i move the mouse/trackball this way that arrow moves. when i click 1 time this happens, when i click 2 times this happens, when i click the other button this happens, they a child can figure out how to do USER stuff with limited ease.

Debian has a set of "jr." games and education tools. most of them are not worth it to be blunt, but Cedega is working (or has promised to work) on getting Cedega and Point2Play to work with the Jump Start type of games for kids. That would be great.