UTS is a great place to be, especially if you're four years old - you get to play on your own computer.

Every Wednesday morning at 10:30, five lucky rostered four-year-olds from the UTS Childcare Centre, the Magic Pudding, go up to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences lab in the Bon Marche Building, where they each use a computer until noon.

This idea, dreamed up by mother and head of the computer lab, Jeanette Greenfield, is a big hit with the kids, parents and teachers.

Until he went to the computer room, one four-year-old boy was thought to be right-handed and to have under-developed fine motor skills.

"But in the lab, he uses the computer expertly, with his left hand," said teacher Donna Breen. "I was really surprised to see him using the mouse so well."

The children can use any of the room's 20 computers, including a major one with rear projection for movies. They tap into websites such as the ABC, and play games.

"It's good to get away with just five children and spend quality time with them in an intensive situation, said Ms Breen.

"It's been really interesting to see the children in a different environment. They know where to go on the computer, what to click onto. They are getting better all the time."

Computer use develops the children's fine motor skills, as well as eye/hand co-ordination, pre-writing, recall, recognition and social skills.

"It's great because you can play games like racing cars, playschool, and go on the ABC," said four-year-old Damian.