More and more pre-schoolers have their own tablets or borrow their parents’ devices to play games, use apps and watch their favourite TV shows. See advice on simple things you can do to make sure they’re staying safe online.
fives
more and more preschoolers now have
their own devices
and if they don't they're probably using
shared devices
here's what you can do to make sure they
have a great time online
and don't stumble across things you
wouldn't want them to see or hear
whilst it's always best to supervise
young children online
there are lots of free tools that you
can use to help you set
up devices safely parental controls on
your home broadband are free and easy to
set up
they allow you to control the websites
your child can access
most popular devices and apps also have
inbuilt controls to help you decide
what your child can access and set rules
around when they should be using them
and for how long make sure to use secure
passwords when setting up any parental
controls
and even if your child is not using them
turn on safe search on google and
restricted mode on youtube to filter out
inappropriate content
our setup safe guides walk you through
the steps
so you can get set up in just a few
minutes
not all screen time is created equal so
it's important to ensure your child has
a balanced diet of activities
both online and offline that can help
them develop key skills and have fun
it's very important that screens are not
displacing or disrupting sleep
face-to-face friendships or physical
exercise
where possible their screen time is best
spent together with you
choose a variety of safe and educational
online games and apps to play with your
child
so that you'll feel more comfortable
with them exploring
make use of websites and platforms
designed specifically for preschoolers
like cbb's youtube kids nick jr
and use age ratings and reviews in the
app store to check app suitability
it's never too early to start setting
boundaries as a family
set some rules around how and when
devices should be used at home
and while you're out and about this will
encourage your child to develop
good digital habits and give you the
opportunity to make sure they are using
devices positively and with purpose
it's important to talk with your
children about what they enjoy doing
online
take the time to have regular chats
about their safety helping them
understand what they should watch out
for online
reassure them if they see or hear
anything online that upsets them
they will not be in trouble and they
should come and talk to you about it
because safety on the internet matters
Together with EE, we’ve created a 4-part series to help parents, carers and Early Years practitioners keep under-5s safe online. Learn how to build good habits, develop mindfulness, set devices up safely and have regular conversations with children at the beginning of their digital journey.
Talk to your child about what the internet is and explore it together so you can show them all the great fun and educational things they can do. Reassure them that if they see anything upsetting, they should come and talk to you.
Encourage them to use devices in the same room as you so you can keep and an eye on how they’re using the internet. Stay inquisitive about what they are doing and encourage them to share their enjoyment with you.
Activate parental controls on your home broadband. Most Internet-enabled devices also offer parental controls. For example, Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, and Google’s Android all offer ways to control the apps and sites your child can visit. These controls can also keep them from seeing inappropriate videos and other content.
Even at this age, have conversations about what personal information is and how it’s important to keep it to themselves. While they’re unlikely to speak with strangers online, it’s good to start these conversations early. That way, if something happens that asks for personal information, they know to get help from you.
Keep your devices out of reach and set passwords on all your internet-enabled devices and don’t share them. Then you’ll know when and where your child is accessing the internet. Also, use passwords to make sure they’re not making additional purchases when they’re playing games or using apps. Visit our how-to guides to find out how.
Choose safe, fun and educational sites and apps for your child. Use age ratings in the app stores to check suitability. Make use of video, learning and gaming platforms and services designed with children in mind like YouTube Kids, Sky Kids, BBC iPlayerKids, and Nick Jr. See our Top kids TV apps for safer viewing for more advice.
It’s never too early to start setting boundaries. Set some rules about how they use connected technology, including which apps and sites they can use and how long they can spend on them. We’ve created a family agreement template that you can use to get started.
On average 3 to 4-year-olds spend over 6 hours online a week
of 3-4-year-old have their own device
Fewer parents of 3 to 4 year-olds agree that ‘the benefits of the internet outweigh the risks’
See our parenting digital natives report to get more insights into parents’ concerns about their children’s digital lives.
Here are some of our favourite resources to help you learn more about digital wellbeing and online safety for the youngest of children. We’ve also highlighted some fun and educational apps to get them learning online. (Click the bar to expand to see the resources.)
Created by the Australian eSafety Commissioner this is a guide to support children under 5 online. It features simple advice on how to keep children safe, encourage them to be kind, and help them make good decisions online.
Set ground rules with Google Family Link and use a range of safety tools to help the whole family build good online safety habits.
From setting up parental controls to reporting online bullying, you can call the free helpline on 0808 800 5002, or visit an O2 Guru in store.
O2 and NSPCC’s Net Aware is a guide for parents of 50 of the most popular social networks, apps, and games with children. You can download it as an app or visit the site to stay informed.
Here’s what you need to consider before deciding to share your child’s location on their device and how to best use apps that offer location tracking.
Samsung Kids allows parents to set a PIN lock, create a child profile, and set daily time limits on the Samsung Kids. This is available for Samsung tablets and smartphones available from the Android 9.0 Operating System. It allows you to help shape a safe environment for your child to explore and connect with the world.
If you’re worried about something a child has experienced online you can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.
We’ve reviewed some of the most popular apps that allow you to manage your child’s online experience.
Use the AAP’s tool to create a family media plan to help you to think about media & create goals & rules that are in line with your family’s values.
We’ve scoured the best of the net to uncover popular wellbeing apps available to download.
Use the Good App Guide to get independent reviews of children’s apps, parenting and child development advice. It is run by Fundamentally Children an organisation dedicated to helping children develop skills through play
This is a simple guide on what to think about when managing young children’s screen time. It is created by Childnet and provides advice on key things to consider, how to set rules, choosing age-appropriate apps, and how to teach children to be responsible online.
Join in with Daddy Penguin’s song and follow the adventures of Smartie and Daddy Penguin as Smartie learns how to be safe on the internet.
Take a look at a curated list of online safety storybooks from the Kent Online Safety Blog that you can share with your child to help them understand a variety of online challenges to keep them safe.
Jessie & Friends is a series of three animations that follow the adventures of Jessie, Tia and Mo as they begin to navigate the online world, watching videos, sharing pictures and playing games.
Made for young kids, this child-friendly version filters out inappropriate content and hides comments on videos giving parents peace of mind and a child a safe online viewing experience. Download as an Android or iOS app.
The Sky Kids app offers a fun and safer way for pre-schoolers to nine-year-olds to enjoy a wide range of popular kids TV. Parents have been involved in the development of the Sky Kids app. The result is an app that kids will love, supported by safety features that parents need.
Lingokids offers educational games, picture dictionary, language learning videos, songs for children to teach English to children from 2 – 8 years of age, designed with Oxford University Press content
Duck Duck Moose Apps are Free educational apps that allow young children to explore and learn in a safe and fun environment. The range of apps covers; reading, emotions, maths, creative expression and play.
Designed for the way kids play today and can be used at home or on the go. All based on learning concepts and all free to download on iOS from Apple and Android via Google Play or Amazon.
BBC iPlayer Kids app gives children easier access to their favourite programs, while parents can be confident they’re watching shows appropriate for their age and free from adverts. Simply login to your BBC iPlayer account to set up a child’s account.
This app aims to make reading fun, with playful and imaginative stories designed to help support early years reading. All apps are free to download on Apple and Android, or Kindle Fire.
This is a digital wellbeing app using Sesame Street’s monster character to share with your child to help teach skills such as problem-solving, self-control, planning, and task persistence.
