Drones are often seen as toys for adults, especially the more expensive ones. These days, drones are also used by a range of different businesses to automate tasks or film marketing videos. However, drones can also be great for kids.
A lot of parents are apprehensive about buying a drone for their child because they can be expensive and, when not used properly, they can also be dangerous. It’s important to keep these things in mind, but you shouldn’t let that stop you from getting a drone for your child because they can actually be a great educational tool and they help with their overall development.
There are a lot of specific kid-friendly drones out there for young children, but as they get older, you should consider investing in a standard entry level drone.
These are some of the big benefits of buying a drone for your child.
It’s A Great Outdoor Activity
Drones can be a great way for your child to get out into the real world and stay active. Drones are often used for things like racing or aerial photography and filming which both require kids to travel around in order to find the best spots. This gets them active and lets them explore new places.
A lot of parents struggle to limit screen time and encourage their kids to get outside because they would rather be on their devices. But drones are a good middle ground because they’re still playing with a modern tech tool but they’re getting fresh air.
It’s An Opportunity For Socializing
Finding ways to encourage your child to socialize is very important, and drones offer a great opportunity. There are some welcoming drone communities out there and many clubs.
If your child is very young, a club may be out of the question, but trying to organize playdates with friends who also have kids into drones can be a great way to bond with them without having screen time together. As they get older, they can join local clubs and get into things like drone racing, for example. If you have a child that isn’t really interested in sports teams and that kind of thing, drones could be a good way for them to meet new people.
It Helps with Coordination Skills
Flying a drone takes a lot of coordination. It’s important to make sure that your child is in charge of the controls, but they should also be able to follow directions.
This can help with their reading as well because they’ll need to interpret instructions before getting started and once they’re in the air, it will be easier for them to pay attention when following more complex sets of instructions. Learning to fly a drone will massively improve their hand-eye coordination and this is a very important aspect of their development.
They Can Teach About Science
Getting kids interested in science can be difficult because it’s one of those subjects that they often think is boring. Practical hands-on activities that teach about science and technology are so useful for kids, and drones have great educational potential. Understanding aerodynamics and weight distribution is important when it comes to maneuvering a drone properly. During flight, drones are also exposed to a range of conditions like sunlight, wind speed, and GPS signals which can affect their performance. You can talk your child through these different concepts and they will find it easier to grasp because they can see them in action when flying their drone.
Some drones also have features that allow you to program them. This is a good introduction to coding and computer skills, which are an important part of a child’s education these days.
Drone Skills Will Be In Demand In The Future
Drones have a big role to play in a lot of industries and many businesses are starting to develop new uses for them. In the future, drone skills will be used in all sorts of companies and there will be a lot of jobs that are focused around using drones. Videographers and photographers are increasingly reliant on drones, a lot of construction companies are using them to manage health and safety too. They even have a lot of applications in the security industry.
There are so many different career paths that your child could go into and they might decide to do something that has nothing to do with drones. However, having basic skills in a technology that is likely to become integral to a lot of industries in the future will stand them in good stead and open up doors for them when they are older.
Choosing A Drone For Kids
The great thing about drones is that there are so many different options out there. There are compact drones for kids that are simple to fly and don’t have too many advanced controls. They’re also cheaper than some other kinds of drones.
There are larger models too, and these are very popular among both children and adults because you can fly them outside but they have big enough batteries to keep them in the air longer than smaller versions. The bigger drones also have better cameras on board so you can record video footage if you want to. Some even offer virtual reality, which can make the experience feel much more immersive.
When choosing a drone for your kids, you need to think about how old they are. If you are buying for a young child, look for specific kid-friendly drones that are safe and easy to use. However, if you are buying for a teenager, you can look for some great mini drones (click here to explore some of the options). You also need to think about the budget because some of them can get incredibly expensive.
It’s usually best to buy them a cheap drone to see whether they have any interest first. Then, if they pick up the hobby, you can start looking at more advanced models.
Buying a drone is a great way to get your kids outside, help them socialize, and teach them about science, so why not start looking for one today?