I’m in an interesting place; for the past several months, I’ve enjoyed the benefit of having both boys at school during the day. It’s the first time in over 6 years that I’ve truly had some time to myself!
But…. summer vacation.
T-Minus 30 days or so until those two little bulls invade my workspace, siphon my productivity, and drive me positively batty. They’re two Tauruses, for crying out loud! It’s go-go-go and they don’t leave me alone-at-all.
So, I’ve already been looking into options for summer camp, sports clubs, and when they’re at home, things they can do to stay entertained and engaged in learning. Now answer me this: how many of y’all cringe at the thought of handing over your expensive laptop or tablet? Yeah, me too. But with a generation of tech-savvy children, my boys are constantly looking to my computer to play games, create kid-themed content, and of course, listen to music and watch their favourite shows online.
I’ve found an amazing alternative.
Introducing the HP Stream 11. It’s an incredibly light, authentically portable Windows-based laptop computer. And before I can list out the features and specifications, there’s really just one thing you simply MUST know: it starts at just $199.99. That’s right – the reputation and reliability of an HP computer for under $200 MSRP.
But that’s not all! Sure, it’s great for little ones because it won’t break the bank, but it’s also perfect for teens, university students, and commuters who want a light, cloud-based computer. 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage is included for one year, so you can easily store and share your favorite photos, videos, documents, files, and more. You’ll also receive Office 365 Personal, so you can continue to work on the go.
Have a tween at home for the summer? Step one – grab the HP Stream 11 in fuchsia or blue (LOVE the bold colours!). Step two – let them enjoy dynamic audio nuances and rich sounds with DTS Studio Sound and wireless synchronicity.
The system runs quietly with a design that eliminates the fan, and the HP Stream delivers the speed you need to get things done. And even though my boys get cut off from screen time long before they can use up the 8 hours and 15 minutes of battery life, I appreciate that I can take over and still have lots of juice left without having to recharge.
Of course, if you’re looking for a printer to pair with your new HP Stream 11 (once the kids get a hold of the apps, trust me, the little projects will start!), I recommend the HP ENVY 7640 e-All-in-One Printer. Printing low-cost, lab-quality photos, creative projects and laser-quality documents, with advanced mobile printing features that make it easy to print from your smartphone, tablet, and connected PCs at home or on the go.
So, what activities can you do with your HP laptop and printer with the kiddos this summer?
– Repurpose mason jars to store grains in your pantry. Print cute labels to identify them and never mistake quinoa for couscous again! You can even create your labels using Microsoft software (included in your one-year subscription to Office 360 which comes with your Stream 11!) and have fun with colours, fonts and design!
– Reuse old tin cans. Embroider them with printed designs and keep them on your counter to store kitchen utensils. No more looking through cluttered drawers to find the perfect spoon.
– Use the Windows app Do it (free on the Windows app store in your Stream 11) to engage your children in household chores and actually have them excited to help out! Do it is a task assignment application with a reward system to provide positive reinforcement and engage children in a positive way. You can enter and assign tasks and their due dates and how many points they are worth. When the tasks are completed, the points are assigned to the member who completed them. The points can then be turned into rewards – and who doesn’t love rewards?
– Create this awesome meal planner to give you inspiration for your weekly meals. You can also use the HP Printables’ 7-day menu planner to give you even more meal ideas.
– Print pictured labels to identify the content of your storage baskets and drawers in your child’s playroom.
– Rejuvenate a child’s bedroom with new frames on the wall – either by printing your favourite photos on HP Photo paper or your favourite quote on burlap using freezer paper. You can also create a recycled can organizer to organize craft supplies as well as adding a pop of color to your room.
– Use this great tutorial to give a new life to your drawer pulls! You can also check here for more inspiration on great DIY décor projects you can do using your HP Printer, or create this great mail and paperwork organizer to get this pile of unfiled documents out of your way.
Love what you see? Love the price? Check out the HP Stream 11.
I received the HP ENVY 7640 e-All-in-One Printer to help facilitate some of the household projects with the Stream 11. All opinions are my own.
How is this $200?? Amazing! Adding to my list for when my son is ready for his first laptop (soon). :-)
It is an amazing deal and I’m sure your son will love it whenever he’s ready.
What a great laptop for the kiddos! Thanks for all of the helpful info!
Anytime, Anne!
Awesome laptop with so many great features! Love the price too!
Thanks, Marissa.
This would be great for my nephews! Such a great price and sounds like it would be perfect for them.
I absolutely agree with you, Holly.
I just bought my first HP laptop this year and went for the biggest screen I could find lol! But this little item would be perfect for my son when he starts Jr High next fall. Easy to carry around in a book bag!
Thanks, Guppy! I couldn’t agree with you more.
This seems like a great little computer and I love the bright colours. I can’t believe the price!
It’s awesome Susan!
Thanks for the information, will have to check one of these out! Like the price point!
Anytime, Judy. You’ll love it!
the HP stream looks awesome. Love the bold colors
Appreciate it, Jaimee!
This sounds perfect for the kids for a first laptop.
I totally agree with you, Athena :)
Adding this to my tech wish list, one for me, one for my Son. Love the price point!!
It’s an awesome price!
That is super reasonable! I let my kids use my tablet and … scratch. My own fault I guess.
That picture of your boy and his eyes is great.
Thank you! :)
What an amazing deal!! I think my son might want one for his birthday as he has been saving up. I could definitely meet him half way. I think its important for our kids to appreciate the value of a dollar and this is a steal!
I completely agree with you.
This would make a great first computer for kids because of the price, I am loving the color of course blue is my favorite! Great review always great to hear an opinion about laptops, so hard to choose and not a small investment, thanks!
This is an amazing computer for kids! Reasonably priced, your kids will love it! :)
Wow what an awesome gizmo! I can’t get over the price!!
Me too!
This sounds like such a great laptop – I am floored at it’s steal of a deal price! Thanks for sharing (and I love the cute photos!)
Thank you so much! :)
Thank you for all the great information.This laptop is very reasonable for children.I will be keeping this in mind because we have grandchildren who are looking for their first computer.This would make an awesome gift to them.
This would definitely be the right choice for your grandkids.
Thanks Lena for sharing all this info,I hate saying no to the grandkids when they ask to use my computer but there always seems to be trouble when they use it ! lol
I will look into this because for this price I can have one available for when they come over.
Good thinking, Kathy! The deal on this computer is amazing! :)
What a great laptop for my granddaughter and it come with Office 365 Personal. Win, win!
I also like the idea of creating a meal planner.
Definitely a win, win situation!
Handsome boys but if you want to keep your sanity over the summer …..they need to be kept busy
Sounds and looks like an amazing laptop. That colour, it’s so bold and stunning :)
Ooo, this sounds like a great laptop!
Awesome laptop with so many great features and it was reasonably priced!
That’s a great price for a laptop with so many great programs and it works great for you and your kids
Just had to order a laptop for back to School….i can’t believe summer is over!