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Best back to school tech deals & gadgets 2020: Cheap laptops for kids & wearable tech for children
This September will see many students returning to school after a six-month absence. Technology has helped many continue learning over this difficult period and it can also help them transition back into the classroom. Whether it’s an educational app that helps a five-year-old to read and count, an affordable refurbished laptop for a teenager or wearable tech that allows them to smash their cross country personal best, don’t dismiss technology when it comes to improving your children’s school grades. Check out our guide to the best Back To School gadgets to see what’s on offer.
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Affordable laptops for students
Laptops are pretty crucial when it comes to learning, especially for older children, but don’t think you have to spend a small fortune on the latest models. Lenovo have special Back to School deals with 25% off some pretty impressive laptops for students (and teachers too!) Our favourite is the very sleek-looking Yoga C740, which comes with long-lasting battery life (handy for an epic stint in the library), a touchscreen display and state-of-the-art speaker and webcam system, for those moments when they just HAVE TO speak to their school friends.
Yoga C740 laptop, £799.99, Lenovo
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Alternatively, a little-known fact is that eBay sell refurbished laptops from well-known brands at enormous discounts. Think up to 50%. All come with a 12-month warranty so you have the peace of mind that they will work as good as new when they arrive. For more information visit ebay.co.uk.
READ: The best school shoes for kids: A buying guide for back to school prep
iPads for students
An iPad is a great alternative to an iPad. They're lighter to carry around, they're easy to use, and there are lots of note-taking apps that will benefit learning. But if you're looking for an iPad on a budget, Amazon it is! The shopping site is home to plenty of tech deals for school and right now you can buy an iPad Mini for £349 (was £399).
iPad Mini, £349, Amazon
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If you need further convincing about an iPad. As well as note-taking apps, there are apps for converting handwriting to text, apps for recording lessons, timetable management, and video calls - ideal for university students who can call home between lectures.
There's a great Fire 7 tablet deal on right now. As a bundle, you can get the Fire 7 tablet, a screen protector, and a cover with £10 off.
Fire 7 tablet, price starts at £49.99, Amazon
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A transportable keyboard and mouse combo for students
Whether you're using an iPad or you're carrying your kit from class to class, you'll need a streamlined keyboard and mouse combo. The slim, lightweight K380 Multi-Device keyboard and M350 Pebble are easy to carry and outfitted with Bluetooth so you can multitask at home, in the classroom or at the local Starbucks. You can even track your Pebble mouse on bed covers. Type and click on a laptop or tablet and own your space wherever you go.
K380 Multi-Device keyboard and M350 Pebble, £47.99 (was £54.99) Logitech
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SHOP: 16 cool backpacks for kids
Printers and paper deals for students
Canon has a pretty epic Back to School deal. You can get 15% off select PIXMA printers including the G-series; as well as 20% off all photo and A4 paper. Ideal for students who need to print off study papers at home.
Canon Back to School promotion, Canon
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Headphones and earphones for students
Now kids and teens can listen for up to 13 hours of Bluetooth playtime with these super cool JBuddies headphones. Perfect for homework, travelling, or in class. They come in pink, blue or purple.
Purple JBuddies headphones, £29.99, Argos
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Sim-only mobiles for students
Most children start to make very loud noises about getting a mobile phone when they start secondary school but, instead of buying a new, expensive model that comes with every distraction going, why not start with a more-reasonable sim-only mobile? You can give them an old phone and not worry too much when it inevitably gets broken, lost or stolen. EE has some great deals that won’t break the bank. For more information visit shop.ee.co.uk.
Affordable mobile phones for students
If you're opting for a new mobile phone for your kid, how about a more reasonable device? Apple recently launched the iPhone SE, which is the most budget-friendly Apple phone you can buy, and Google's new Pixel 4a (set for release at the beginning of October) will make them the envy of their class.
iPhone SE, starting from £469, Mobile Phones Direct
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Pixel 4a (released 1 October 2020), £349, Google
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Wearable tech for students
If your child has been using lockdown to stay active, perhaps it’s time to keep encouraging this trend with some wearable tech. This VTech Kidizoom Smart Watch features a motion sensor, pedometer and stopwatch so they can keep track of their daily activity. But that’s not all, it also has the Time Master app which helps kids tell the time and an augmented reality adventure game that encourages kids to explore.
VTech Kidizoom DX2 Children's Smart Watch, £39.99, John Lewis
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A power bank & other accessories for students
There are lots of accessories for all kids to pack in their school bags. From power banks to USBs, Amazon is the perfect go-to destination for back to school accessories.
Energizer Power Bank, £25.99, Amazon
Stylus pen
Stylus pen, £6.79, Amazon
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Useful learning apps for students
Since lockdown, parents and teachers alike have discovered the benefits of learning on a screen. Just because teaching is returning to face-to-face now doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to take advantage of this. For school starters, Teach Your Monster To Read is an award-winning app that is designed to let kids create their own monster and simultaneously understand phonics and word blends. It covers the first two years of reading and is available on iTunes.
DOWNLOAD TEACH YOUR MONSTER TO READ
A million miles away from the dry, dusty learning usually associated with mathematics, Endless Numbers offers a colourful, playful way for young children to discover the basics of numbers before they start school – or during their first year there. With interactive sequences and equation puzzles, this fun app encourages a love of numbers that will hopefully stick.
For older children struggling to learn a language, take a look at Duolingo, the world’s most downloaded educational app. With at least 35 languages to choose from, it breaks down learning into daily, bitesize amounts, making it less daunting and much more manageable. The app covers speaking, reading, listening and writing, plus, it’s completely free! Music to every parent’s ears.
DOWNLOAD DUOLINGO
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