Portable facts for kids

Something that is portable means it can be easily carried or moved from one place to another. Think about your backpack or a water bottle – they are portable because you can take them with you! This idea applies to many different things, from buildings to computers.

What Does Portable Mean?

The word "portable" describes anything designed to be moved. This can be for a short trip or to a completely new location. The main idea is convenience and flexibility.

Buildings You Can Move

Some buildings are made to be portable! This means they are built somewhere else and then moved to where they are needed.

• A Portable building is a building made in a factory. It is then brought to a site after the ground and utilities are ready.
• A Portable classroom is a temporary building. Schools use them when they need more space for students. They are placed on school grounds to add extra classrooms.
• A Portable toilet is a modern, self-contained restroom. It is usually made of plastic and can be moved easily. You often see them at outdoor events or construction sites.

Portable Technology

Many of the gadgets we use every day are portable. This makes our lives much more flexible.

• A Portable communications device is a small electronic device. It can be carried or even worn, like a smartwatch. These devices let us talk or send messages on the go.
• A Portable audio player lets you listen to music or podcasts anywhere. These personal devices play recorded or broadcast sound while you are moving. Think of old MP3 players or modern smartphones.
• A Portable computer is a computer made to be moved. Early examples were quite big, but they were still designed to be carried.
  • The Compaq Portable was one of the first. It came out in 1982.
  • The Apricot Portable was another early model from 1984.
  • IBM also made the IBM Portable in 1984.
  • Apple Computer released the Macintosh Portable from 1989 to 1991.
• A Handheld game console is a small, light electronic machine. It is designed for playing video games. You can hold it in your hands and play anywhere.

Software You Can Carry

Even computer programs can be portable!

• Portable software means programs that can work easily on different computer systems. This is called "porting" software.
• Portable applications are programs that do not need to be installed on a computer. You can run them directly from a USB drive. They can also save your information right in the program's folder.

Related pages

• Portability