Children, from preschoolers to teens, use computers for homework help, as entertainment, or to connect with friends. Finding kid friendly content on the web can sometimes be challenging. This article presents several different search engines that are geared towards children.
Children and Student Computer Use
The U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics looked at the rates of computer use for children in preschool and up in a 2003 study. This survey found that most students regularly use computers and the internet. This study found that 91% of children in preschool through twelfth grade used computers, and 59% used the internet.
With an increasing number of children regularly logging on to the internet, parents may find themselves in need of appropriate content for their children to visit and view. This need has resulted in the creation of child friendly search engines.
Kid Friendly Search Engines
There are a number of search engines that are specifically focused on finding and presenting child friendly websites. These include:
- Ask Kids: The younger version of Ask includes multiple sections such as Schoolhouse (homework help tools that can be filtered by academic subjects, age, or learning resources), movies (look for names, reviews, or filter by age), games, videos, or images.
- KOL: From AOL, this search engine has categories that include cartoons and videos, games, homework help, movies, music, pets, sports, and a KOL Jr. Version for the preschool and under set.
- Yahoo Kids: Yahoo’s junior search engine features games, music, movies, sports, e-cards, and a joke of the day.
Kids and Internet Safety
Parents should be aware of their child’s computer usage. This includes what the child is using the compute for, what websites and content is being viewed, social networking, and time spent online.
It is always best for parents to closely monitor any online activity. Parental controls and software can be used to restrict access to certain sites. For more tips on keeping kids safe online visit an internet safety website such as SafeKids.com or the FBI’s Parents Guide to Internet Safety.
Whether it is homework help or a movie review, more and more children are using the internet for information. Child friendly search engines can help kids to find useful websites. Although these search engines are intended for kids, parents should always closely monitor all computer use for appropriate content and activity.
Source:
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Rates of Computer and Internet Use by Children in Nursery School and Students In Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade:2003 (2005).
Erica Loop - I am a mother and a professional Arts Educator, teaching visual arts programs to children ages three and up in both museum and school ...
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