NEWS$show=/search/label/news

Here's where you'll find all the latest news about technology for children. We love to follow cool new inventions on Kickstarter and we hunt out all the latest announcements about tech toys and gadgets for the coming Christmas holidays. You'll also get our take on children's technology stories in the media.

REVIEWS$show=/search/label/review

Our kids technology product reviews are intended to help you work out whether a toy, gadget or kit is a good fit for your child or family. There's lots of cool stuff available, but is it the right choice for the child or teenager that you are buying for? We'll help you make the right choices and get the best value for money.

GIFT GUIDES$show=/search/label/gift%20guide

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends assemble. We create gift lists to help you make good choices for kids technology which helps them develop the right skills for the future. We research the best in Coding Toys and Games, Making / Craft Tools and Kits, STEM/STEAM related gifts, Programmable Robots, Electronics Kits and Gadgets for Tech Age Kids and Teens.

PROJECTS$show=/search/label/project

Get crafty with technology. Here we'll post all our ideas and projects using technology to get creative and making with kids. You'll find anything from making a lemon battery to a glow-in-the-dark Minecraft sword. Our projects are tried and tested on our own kids or at events we run, so we are sure you can have a go at home with your kids. Some of our projects use specific tech gadgets which we provide links for you to purchase.

STEM$show=/search/label/stem

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In recent years there is an increased focus in these areas of study. We like to include Art and Design too, so we often talk about STEAM (A stands for Art). At Tech Age Kids we believe Coding is a new literacy and children need to understand how technology works, practice making skills and grow in their curiosity to make a better future for us all.

CODING$show=/search/label/coding

Coding is increasingly being recognised as an important skill for children to learn. Some will learn to code at school or at a coding club, but it's brilliant if they get support at home too.

ELECTRONICS$show=/search/label/electronics

We think it's really important for kids to get hands-on with electronics and learn how to make circuits and write code to control hardware. Younger kids can start with conductive playdough. For kids who like to combine craft and tech, littleBits are fab. And we love SAM Labs wireless electronics components for making it easy for kids to make Internet of Things inventions. Lots of electronics kits for kids have support for the Arduino microprocessor environment. The DuinoKit Jr is one of our favourites. Arduino is a fab skill for older kids and teens to develop.

ROBOTICS$show=/search/label/robotics

We love robots at Tech Age Kids, especially programmable ones. We've got lots of them and write reviews and projects that use them. Our programmable robots for kids buying guide is a good place to start if you're not sure what's available. Roby the mBot Meccano robot dog is one of our popular projects and has been with us to lots of events. Our Ozobot LEGO trailer is fab for kids who love LEGO and robots.

MAKING AND CRAFT$show=/search/label/making

We're advocates of the creative use of technology, but this needs to be balanced with developing physical skills such as papercraft, woodwork, clay modelling, technical drawing and soldering. If children don't develop these skills as they grow up then physical making projects can become frustrating rather than fun. The Maker Community uses the term 'making' as a broad term to include all sorts of artisan skills or craft activities. Being able to make things can lead to life-long hobbies or even careers. It's a great feeling to be able to take a project from an idea in your head to a real object that does something. We're particularly interested to explore products that combine maker skills with tech skills such as electronics but others focus purely on the physical making skills that are still important to modern making.

VR Headsets for Kids and Teens - Age Recommendations


Virtual reality (VR) is getting really popular and of course children and teens want to get in on the action. However, popular VR headsets have age restrictions that mean that they are not recommended for use by pre-teens.

We thought it would be useful to go through the current age recommendations for the market-leading and kid-targetted VR headsets. Note that guidance from companies has changed in the past and is likely to change again. Do check the current recommendations before purchasing.

2022 Update: See our guide to the Meta (Oculus) Quest 2 VR headset for teens, our current recommendation for families.

Why the Age Recommendations?

It's a combination of factors. Children's eyes and brains are still developing and so far there's insufficient research to show that extensive use of VR is safe for children. That's not to suggest that VR is known to cause problems, just that the industry is understandably cautious at this point. Adults and teens are big enough business, they don't need to target children and putting an age limit on their devices means that they don't have to get answers to the hard questions. We'd love to see more independent research to help us understand potential issues.

VR headsets are also physically designed for adults, they're big and often heavy and when you add the weight of a phone it's a lot for a child's neck to support. The distance between your eyes (pupils) is also important for a good VR experience. Adult VR systems may just not be physically suitable for children (rather than VR technology per se being unsuitable.)

Additionally there are potential side-effects such as dizziness, nausea and walking into things ... The leading high-end VR headsets are designed for immersive play and children may find it hard to know when to stop.  Again, more research is needed.

There's some concern about psychological issues resulting from use of VR but again, I haven't seen any conclusive evidence and I would expect that there would need to be other risk factors.

You could make the counter argument that if VR is becoming pervasive then kids should get access to it and learn how to use it safely while they are young enough for parents to have control over the situation.

There are some options for pre-teens though - these are smaller, lighter devices that are intended to be used in short sessions with parental supervision.

Types of VR Headset

Some VR headsets require a compatible smart phone. You place the phone in the headset and a different image is shown to each eye to create a VR effect. You're limited to the graphics power of the phone so don't expect high resolution. 

Other VR headsets work with a high-spec PC. You'll get a much superior immersive experience but you'll pay for it! 

And others are tied to a specific games console such as the Playstation VR. 


Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard is a low cost VR platform that allows you to view Cardboard VR apps using a cardboard-compatible headset. Some of the headsets are actually mostly made from cardboard which keeps the cost down but it's also possible to have compatible headsets made from other materials like the View-master VR headset.

Google's advice is that "Cardboard should not be used by children without adult supervision." source

Basic Google cardboard headsets aren't specifically designed for children but are at least light weight. Check for additional age restrictions for specific headsets.

Google has Google expeditions VR content which is designed to be used by children in schools.

View-master VR Headset

The View-master VR Headset (and new Deluxe version) is designed specifically for children from age 7+, with parental supervision. It's based on Google cardboard and works with selected iPhones and Android phones.

We think this is a great starter option for younger children and tweens. The View-master Into the Labyrinth game is excellent and you can access lots of Google Cardboard content with the viewer, you're not just stuck with the View-master content.

The headset itself doesn't look childish and is nicely packaged. It's a great option for big kids and tweens who are too young for an adult VR headset but want a taste of the latest technology.

The headset is designed for physically smaller users and doesn't have a strap which discourages overly long playing sessions.

If even younger kids want to get in on the VR action then you can still get a classic View-master 3D reel viewer which is recommended for children from age 3 and up.

Maze by Seedling DIY Virtual Reality Viewer

Maze - Virtual Reality Maze by Seedling is a physical maze that you build and then use with a cardboard VR viewer that kids can decorate themselves.

The Seedling DIY Virtual Reality Viewer is recommended for children from age 8+.

The Maze app is only available for iOS at the moment.

If you're an iOS household that likes to encourage creativity combined with modern tech then take a look at Seedling's offering.

Merge VR

The Merge VR is a lightweight headset designed for age 10+, it works with compatible iOS and Android phones. The headset is made from foam and designed to be comfortable to wear and to protect the phone that you place inside it. The headset has lenses that can adjust to suit different distances between eyes - this is really important for VR to work well and obviously kids have smaller distances between their eyes.

The company announced their companion Holo Cube (now renamed Merge Cube) at CES 2017 which is a physical box that works with the Merge VR headset to create augmented reality holograms that you can hold and interact with.

Update: We've reviewed the Merge VR Googles and they're a great solution for older kids. We like the direction the company is taking too.

Playstation VR

The Playstation VR headset is a new product for 2016 and is likely to appeal to young people who enjoy console games and already have a Playstation 4. It has a slightly lower starting age than other options.

The product description states "This VR headset is not for use by children under age 12."

The lower age limit may mean that families are more likely to adopt this solution as their kids will reach its lower age limit first.
Note that you'll need a PlayStation 4 camera as well as the console itself and some titles make use of the Move controllers too.

HTC Vive

Vive is a VR headset and accessories that is designed to be used with high performance PCs. It's developed by HTC and Valve, the developers of the popular Steam games platform. 

The HTC Vive doesn't provide a specific age restriction, just recommendations for what to do if 'older children' are permitted to use the device. 

"Use by Children
The product was not designed to be used by children. Do not leave the product within the reach of young children or allow them to use or play with it. They could hurt themselves or others, or could accidentally damage the product.

The product may contain small parts with sharp edges that may cause an injury or which could become detached and create a choking hazard for young children. Consult your doctor immediately if any parts of the product or accessories are swallowed. 

If older children are permitted to use the product, then adults should monitor them closely for any negative effects during and after their use of the product.
Do not allow older children to use the product if negative effects are observed. Adults should also ensure that older children avoid prolonged use of the product." source

Google Daydream VR Headset

Google have recently announced their Daydream VR headset which is designed to be lightweight and comfortable and has an accompanying controller. Like Cardboard, it's designed to be used with a phone.

This time Google have added an age restriction to the product specification: "Daydream View should not be used by children under the age of 13."

Samsung Gear VR

The Samsung Gear VR is another popular phone-based VR headset. It's usage manual is quite clear that it is only for age 13+ and even then younger users should be supervised. An upper age limit isn't specified for children who need to be supervised.

The Gear VR is powered by Oculus (who make the Oculus Rift headset) and their advice is similar.

It is made clear that adults should supervise young people during use of the Gear VR and afterwards.

"The Gear VR should not be used by children under the age of 13. Adults should monitor children (age 13 and older) who are using or have used the Gear VR for any of the symptoms described below, and should limit the time children spend using the Gear VR and ensure they take breaks during use. Prolonged use should be avoided, as this could negatively impact hand-eye coordination, balance, and multi-tasking ability. Adults should monitor children closely during and after use of the Gear VR for any decrease in these abilities." source

Oculus Rift


Oculus are one of the key innovators in the VR space and their Oculus Rift headset is their full-featured offering for use with a high spec PC.

I've tried an Oculus Rift and it's a fantastic experience. My son has also tried it. He's under the current age recommendation, but this has changed in the past and he met the age limit for the demo we attended.

"This  product  should  not  be  used  by  children under the age of 13. Adults should monitor children (age 13 and  older)  who  are  using  or  have  used  the Headset  for  any  of  the symptoms  described  below,  and  should  limit the time children  spend using the Headset and ensure they take breaks during use. Prolonged use  should  be  avoided,  as  this  could  negatively  impact  hand-eye coordination,  balance,  and  multi-tasking  ability.   Adults should  monitor children closely during and after use of the headset for any decrease in these abilities." source

There's a new Touch Controller for the Oculus Rift coming out in December and it's available to pre-order as part of a bundle with a headset.

Summary

For under 10s, it's a pretty easy decision to stick to the headsets and VR experiences that are recommended for them. We've been pretty impressed with the View-master VR headset. My 10 year old will be happy with this experience for a bit longer (especially now he has discovered Mineforge!) 

We definitely recommend supervision at all time - kids will forget where they are and walk into things and may get dizzy. Teach them to recognise any adverse symptoms and take a break from playing, though you'll also need to watch and enforce this.

For the 10+ age range the Merge VR is looking interesting as they are bringing out the companion Holo Cube and developing content for a younger audience. 

Once children reach 12 you've got PlayStation VR as an option and at 13 the full range of adult options opens up. Teens will still need supervision though. VR games and experiences can be very immersive and not all teens are prone to good decision making! Honestly, I would want someone else around when using a VR headset so that I don't accidentally walk into something or knock something breakable off a shelf. 

We expect the guidelines to change as the technology improves and there's more research to understand the effect of VR technology on children. We don't think VR is going away though, this definitely feels like the start of something big. Of course kids will want to be involved and there are age-appropriate ways to do this.


24 days of Scratch coding book cover and cute penguin
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Tech Age Kids | Technology for Children: VR Headsets for Kids and Teens - Age Recommendations
VR Headsets for Kids and Teens - Age Recommendations
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