Guidance for parents of 5-7-year-olds
At 5 years old, children starting primary school start to use digital more. As they grow and progress through this first stage of education, they face more potential risks and benefits.
See digital safety tips for 5-7-year-olds below.
According to 2023 Ofcom research, 93% of children in this age group watch videos on video-sharing platforms (VSPs) like YouTube and TikTok.
59% of children at this age send messages to others or make video or voice calls. Although WhatsApp’s minimum age requirement is 16, 20% of 4-5-year-olds and 30% of 6-10-year-olds use the app. This is how they might send those messages or make those calls.
Research from Ofcom shows that 89% of children at this age use YouTube. Our own research shows 64% of children using YouTube at this age as well. In both studies, YouTube is the most-used app at this age.
More than half of parents we surveyed worry about their child experiencing too much screen time and how it could impact their wellbeing. When asked about their experiences online, this was also what children reported experiencing most.
Setting time limits and giving children a range of ways to spend their time online can help.
In-game spending is one of the most common harms 5-7-year-olds report experiencing online. Without parental controls or safety settings in place, children at this age might make purchases without understanding what it means.
Set purchase limits where spending might happen, and talk to your child about why they’re important.
Another top concern for parents of 5-7-year-olds is online bullying. This is also a common harm children at this age say they experience. It is harder to get away from than offline bullying because it takes place on devices children can access from anywhere.
Talk about what it looks like to help your child understand when it’s time to take action. These talks can also show them what that action looks like and where they can find support.
Children at this age would benefit from YouTube Kids to reduce chance of seeing inappropriate content. YouTube Kids also supports with screen time management through timers. You can also turn off Watch History to make sure kids see a range of content.
Roblox features a host of parental controls to help keep young children safe on its platform. You can limit who they talk to, and Account Restrictions make it easy to set up account safety.
Streaming platforms like Disney+ let you create separate user accounts. Doing this can help make sure your child only streams content appropriate for their age, maturity and development.
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See related advice and practical tips to support children online.