Prepare the PC for your kids
Tips to help make your computer useful and safe for kids
By Meredith Williams
The PC is a prominent fixture in the lives of today's tech-savvy kids, which leaves them exposed and sometimes vulnerable to an abundance of resources and information. Many children are turning to technology for entertainment instead of traditional toys. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education found that a majority of nursery school children use computers before they reach kindergarten. By following these tips for properly equipping the PC, you can enhance the safety and fun of your child's computer playground.
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Enhance the safety of your computer
It's easy to come across uncensored information on the Internet that leaves children unprotected. The Web does not provide boundaries for what people can post online, so online stalkers, pornography, and inappropriate material are just some of the things of which you should be aware. For more information about helping to protect kids online, Security At Home
has several good resources and articles to help you protect your children.
The right parental controls are essential when your kids have access to a PC. For example, with MSN Premium parents can set up separate parental controls for each child with age-based customizable content settings. You can also review sites visited, total time spent online, and to whom your child is sending MSN e-mail or MSN Messenger instant messages. If you don't use MSN, check with your Internet Service Provider for similar services available.
With MSN Premium you can set up separate parental controls for each of your children with age-based customizable content settings.
Customize your Web browser
There are a number of easy ways to personalize the computer for youngsters. The Internet Explorer Web browser is easily customizable for your family's Internet needs. You can create a user profile for each member of the family and set the home page to each person's favorite Web site. With these tools, kids will not have to go hunting all over the Internet and you can help minimize their risk of viewing something inappropriate.
For example, if you would like to customize your kids' home page to their school's Web site, start by going to the desired page.
| • | Click the Tools menu and select Internet Options. |
| • | Under Home page, click Use Current, and then click OK to implement the new personalized home page.  Customize the home page to personalize the computer for a young user. |
Add parent-approved sites to the Favorites category so your kids can easily access the Internet sites most important to them, like their favorite sports team's home page and DiscoveryChannel.com. Start by going to the site you wish to enter into Favorites, then select the Favorites menu. Click Add to Favorites and then click OK. The site will automatically be added.
By adding approved sites to the Favorites category, your kids can easily access them while on the Internet.
It's also easy to view your child's recent online activity using the History tool to go back to previously viewed sites. Click the History icon (next to Favorites) on the tool bar, and previously viewed pages will be listed in a sidebar on the screen. They'll come categorized by week and day, so all the pages visited can be viewed.
Install enriching software
PCs can be a great outlet to learn about anything, from historical events to interesting locations around the world. Reference software like Microsoft Encarta Premium can enhance a PC and offer your children a plethora of useful resources. The wide range of interactive features and multimedia takes kids to new places and grants them access to a wealth of reliable educational information.
In addition to valuable articles, Microsoft Encarta's features provide children with a PC pastime that's both educational and fun. A library of Discovery Channel videos provides engaging clips about cool things like volcanoes, sharks, or life on Mars.
A library of Discovery Channel videos provides engaging clips about everything from fungus to the life and death of a star.
MindMaze is a trivia game in which players make their way through a medieval castle by answering a series of trivia questions on a wide range of subjects, from geography to sports and hobbies. Players are awarded points, and for each question answered correctly, a door toward their destination in the castle opens.
Microsoft Encarta even includes virtual tours of historical monuments like Pompeii and ancient sites like the Acropolis in 400 BC.
Children can explore the world from home by taking virtual tours of everything from ancient sites to natural wonders.
All these activities can be easily accessed by clicking the Explore tab at the top of the Encarta user interface.
Communicate through the PC
If you're tired of your kids tying up the phone lines for hours every evening, set up the PC with instant messaging so they can communicate with their friends. A cable Internet connection can also free up the family phone line for you to make and receive important phone calls. Install Windows Live Messenger by visiting the Web site and clicking Download Now.
With Windows Live Messenger kids can create their own login and friend lists to chat with pals about the latest gossip or even consult their friends about tough homework questions. The correspondence can also help improve their typing skills so they use the PC more effectively and efficiently.
Set limits on computer use
As with everything, moderation is necessary when it comes to using the PC. It's a good idea to set limits on the amount of time your child can spend on the computer. This may become more difficult as they get older and use the computer more frequently, so setting up the ground rules when they are young will go a long way.
Using a computer has become an integral part of kids' everyday tasks. With the proper computer tools, children can safely find information using Internet Explorer, chat with friends on Windows Live Messenger, or discover and learn with Microsoft Encarta. Simple additions can help children safely take advantage of the computer to have fun and even learn something along the way.
