Lenovo CG Slate – When Technology Makes Learning Fun for Kids

It has been countless number of times when I had a discussion with fellow mothers about educational tablets. To tell you frankly, I always had concerns about whether we really need a tablet to teach certain things to kids. I accept that the complex concepts older kids learn in schools are better understood by them when they use an audio- visual medium. I have seen kids grasping Pythagoras’ theorem quicker when it is explained using graphics, animation and alike.

However, when it comes to kids which are around my daughter’s age (i.e. 5 years old), I had my doubts. First being, I felt that whatever kids of this age are required to learn, is already present around them. All a parent has to do is to point it out to them, a tablet isn’t really necessary. For example, if you want to teach kids about fruits, just show it to them. Second concern being, majority of the existing products in the market are focused more on fancy animations and less on “learning” per se.

So that is what my state of mind was when I was requested to review recently launched CG Slate. I immediately said yes to the request because I was curious. See CG Slate is collaboration between ConveGenius and Lenovo. I have been reading a lot of positive reports about ConveGenius and the “educational entertainment” it strives to deliver to its clients. I wanted to see what these guys and guys from Lenovo have come up with.

Lenovo CG Slate for School Kids Review

First Impressions of CG Slate

Because the learning tablet was age appropriate for my daughter, I decided to team up with her in experiencing and reviewing the tablet. We opened the Flipkart’s delivery box together and it was at the very first sight that my daughter was hooked. The tablet came in a colorful sling bag with bits and bobs of all sorts of things kids like. The CG Slate came with a detailed instructional sheet. Though setting up the tablet took time, it was easy.

Tablet With Learning Modules Mapped Per NCERT

As I entered the age of my daughter, the tablet took us to her age-appropriate content. Did I mention it earlier that the tablet has learning modules which follow NCERT-mapped curriculum?! I would say that is the USP of the tablet. Following NCERT curriculum for me means that the content is truly in line with the cognitive development of the child using the tablet.

Exploring and using CG Slate is child’s play, literally! The interface was neat and comes with CG Slate’s mascot Titu to guide the child through the tablet.

When Technology Makes Learning Fun

There are three zones to explore – Learn Zone, Play Zone and Shop Zone. “Learn Zone” sounds like a zone that kid’s might want to stay away from but for Little B, it was the opposite. She stay glued to the Learn Zone for a long while and only after a week, she explored Play Zone. I guess it was because even the Learn Zone is designed as such that even “learning” seems more like “fun.”

There are books, videos, games, worksheets and more curated content to discover. My daughter’s favorite was the “General Knowledge” section. In fact it was my favorite as well.  The security features, e.g. separate password codes for parent and child, SMS alert for child using the child, etc. are in place.

CG Slate works in two different modes and therefore it can be used both as an educational tablet (for kids) as well as a regular Android tablet (for grownups).

Advisory for Parents

My daughter and I had positive experience with the tablet. The product is good however I would like to point that nothing can substitute parental involvement. Therefore, I made sure that I don’t just give tablet to my daughter and forget about her altogether. I ensured that she was using the tablet with me being in the same room. I also, time and again, kept asking her experiences.

Audio-visual learning opens up vast opportunities; however, I would request parents to also pay attention to experiential learning of the children. Follow what your children are learning on the tablet and help them to relate the topics in their real life. If the children are learning about living and non-living things, go to a park with them and discuss whether the things around you are living or non-living. Show your kids what they are watching in tablet and help them correlate it with their real lives.

Room for Improvement

There is something that I noticed in the tablet that I didn’t like. In a chapter titled “My Family,” all male and female members of the family are shown in their age-old stereotypes, i.e. father doing office work and mother cooking, uncle watering the plant and aunt setting table. Not only these stereotypes are old and redundant, they do not add any value to the concept of “family” being taught. I would request ConveGenius for revisiting the chapter and making it more contemporary. Being the excellent team that they are, I am sure ConveGenius will take a look at my suggestion.

Explore More about Lenovo CG Slate Here

Wondering if CG Slate can meet the educational and development requirements of your kid? Explore more about the tablet at CG Slate’s website by clicking here.

Flipkart is offering a heavy early-bird discount on CG Slate. You can grab that discount by clicking here.

Here’s CG Slate in a gist –