Kids are hitting cyber space at younger ages than ever before. Of the children under five who do use the World Wide Web, 80 percent of them log on at least once each week. With everything from inappropriate content to online bullying scattering the web, the Internet has become a risky place for little ones. That’s why it’s more important than ever to monitor what kids are searching, where they’re clicking and make sure they know how to keep themselves safe online.
To kick off National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we want to introduce our friends at Savvy Cyber Kids. This wonderful non-profit works to teach children how to be safe online before they sit down in front of the screen.
Savvy Cyber Kids produces books and lesson plans for teaching online safety for kids. Their curriculum covers a wide range of online risks; from cyber bullying to privacy to online ethics.
Online downloads for teachers include both lesson plans and activity sheets, such as “Create Two Trusted Adults” and “Coloring Cyber Princess.” Books focus on a family buying their first computer, strangers online, privacy and defeating a bully, at school, at the playground, and online.
The internet is a wonderful learning tool for kids…just don’t forget to teach your children to stop and think before they connect!
Join Savvy Cyber Kids in helping kids stay save online here: Facebook and Twitter.
Sources:
-National Cyber Security Month: http://www.dhs.gov/national-cyber-security-awareness-month
-Savvy Cyber Kids: http://savvycyberkids.org/
-“How are online issues affecting children?” National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: http://www.netsmartz.org/safety/statistics
-“Statistics on Online Safety” NSPCC: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforprofessionals/onlinesafety/statistics-online-safety_wda93975.html
-Photo courtesy of Clare Bloomfield/freedigital photos.net
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