Tech for the Kids’ Rooms

The wall-mounted TV in this kids’ room can access a satellite receiver with built-in DVR in the next room. FINDING NEMO © Disney/Pixar. All rights reserved. Photo by Michael Neveux.

Installing low-cost A/V in kids' rooms can help reclaim your living space.

It’s never been more fun to be a kid. With all the movies, music and video games being designed for the PG-13 crowd, there’s a slew of awesome entertainment options for every young person in your house—and for older folks, too. But as amazing as it is to battle it out with your 7-year-old on the family’s new video game console or to spend a Friday night watching movies with all the kids, there comes a point—somewhere around the 10th time Finding Nemo gets popped into the DVD player—when most parents wish they had set up the kids with their own entertainment systems.

Wall-Mounted TV
Every kid wants a TV in his or her room. And why not? The opportunity to watch Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network for hours on end away from nagging parents would be hard for anyone under the age of 16 to resist. While it’s entirely possible for your kids to turn into couch potatoes by having their own TVs, there’s a really good reason to spring for a set—just as long as you monitor the amount of time they spend in front of the tube: When your kids have their own TVs, you’re free to use the media room as you wish. You can watch your classic flicks or catch a new release without any complaining from the peanut gallery. You can send the little ones on up to their rooms, where they can settle in with a movie or show they like. No more arguments, no more fighting over the remote control and no more errant popcorn kernels under the cushions of the couch to clean up. Ah … heaven.

For the safety of your kids—and the TV—be sure to mount the set to the wall or ceiling where it will be out of the way of pillow fights and soda spills. Securely fastened to the mount, it’ll never topple over or smash little fingers. You have a number of options when it comes to wall and ceiling mounts: one that swivels, one that pulls out from the wall or one that keeps the TV in a stationary position. Just be sure to have a cable TV jack installed near the planned TV location.

Video Distribution System
What’s better than watching cable TV? Spinning your favorite flicks on a DVD player. A DVD player or VCR may seem like an obvious companion piece for a kids’ TV, but consider having a video distribution system installed instead. You’ll be able to control the movies they’re watching and when they’re watching them.

A video distribution system gives every TV in the house access to a single DVD player and VCR, such as the ones you already use in the family room. From there, you’ll be able to easily monitor what gets popped into the players. If you don’t like what’s playing, you can stop the show without ever stepping foot in your kids’ rooms.

To ensure that you don’t get stuck in Barbie dreamland on a Friday night, make sure that the distribution system offers access to other video devices, such as a VCR or a cable set-top box. As a bonus, you can also use the system to peek in on your kids. You’ll just need to install a small surveillance camera somewhere in their rooms. When it’s connected to the video distribution system, the camera can transmit images to any TV in the house.

Networked Computer
Sharing is always a good idea—especially when it comes to giving your kids their own computers. A computer network (either wired or wireless) lets everyone in the family surf the Internet at the same time and share a common set of peripherals. It’s a cleaner, more convenient setup than outfitting each child’s room with his or her own printer and modem. Plus, some networking systems come with high-level Internet filtering and monitoring tools.

Networked Telephone
If they haven’t already hit you up for them, your kids are eventually going to want their own telephones and yes, their own telephone lines. Fortunately, technology makes it possible to grant them their wish and still keep the phone bills under control. A business-style phone system will let you restrict what calls come in and go out. This certainly won’t make your kids happy, but the idea of having their own extension numbers will make up for it. Having an extension is not quite like having your own telephone line, but it’s close. Incoming calls will still come in on one line (saving you the expense of buying a phone line for each child) and can be answered from any telephone, including the phones in your kids’ rooms.

Structured Wiring System
There are a two ways to distribute video, computer data and telephone calls around your house: You can outfit your home with three separate systems, or you can use one structured wiring package. In most cases, the latter is more economical. A structured wiring system consists of high-speed cabling, a distribution hub and special wall outlets. Mounted to a wall in the basement or a utility room, the hub, which resembles an electrical breaker box, can route data from your modem, phone lines and DVD players over the wiring to the kids’ rooms. Any device—a TV, computer or telephone—that’s plugged into a special wall outlet can receive the signals.

Kid-Friendly Security System
A security keypad may not be something you’ll want to install into your kids’ rooms, but you’ll definitely want to put in a system that’ll help you protect your kids from harm. Given how many working parents must leave their kids alone at home for part of the day, manufacturers have developed systems that are simple for children to operate yet still sophisticated enough to keep them well protected. For example, instead of having to punch in a numeric code to enter the house, your kids can hold a key up to the security panel to gain access. When that happens, the system can call you at your office to let you know that the kids have arrived home from school. While they’re home alone, the system can ensure that they’re safe by keeping all the doors and windows armed.

With the help of a professional installer, you can have your security system protect your little ones in other ways. In the event of a fire or break-in, for example, the system could activate the hallway lights so that the kids can find their way to your room. Meanwhile, the system could be flashing a group of exterior lights to help the authorities find your house quickly.