Online safety tips for kids ages 5 to 6
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Children who are 5-6 years old generally have a positive outlook and an open nature. They take pride in their new reading and counting skills, and they love to converse and share ideas. Not only are they eager to behave well, but they also are trusting and rarely question authority.
What 5-6 year olds can do online
Kids at this age might capably follow commands on the computer, use the mouse, and play computer games. They are, however, highly dependent on adults or older siblings to help them find Web sites, interpret online information, or send e-mail.
Safety tips
Here are some safety tips to consider when you go online with your 5-6 year old:
| • | Add acceptable sites to your Favorites list to create a personalized online environment for your kids. |
| • | Use kid-friendly search engines (such as MSN Kids Search) or search engines with parental controls. |
| • | Keep Internet-connected computers in an open area where you can easily supervise your kids' activities. |
| • | Investigate Internet-filtering tools (such as MSN Premium's Parental Controls) as a complement—not a replacement—for parental supervision. |
| • | Use software that blocks pop-ups to protect your children from offensive pop-up windows. This software comes with the most updated version of Windows XP and the MSN Toolbar. |
| • | Start to teach your children about privacy. Tell them never to give out information about themselves or their family when online. |
| • | Don't let your kids use instant messaging (IM), e-mail, chat rooms, or message boards at this age. |
| • | Encourage your children to tell you if something or someone online makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened. Stay calm and remind your kids they are not in trouble if they bring something to your attention. Praise their behavior and encourage them to come to you again if the same thing happens. Read more about how to deal with online predators and cyberbullies. |
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