Digital safety for children

Safety and well-being online

Inspired by our partner UNICEF, we want to share 5 ways you can let your children go online safely during this corona crisis.

Keep children safe using open communication

Have an honest and open conversation with your children about who they talk to and how. Make sure they value friendly and understanding understand interactions and that mean, discriminatory or inappropriate contact is never acceptable. If your children encounter this, tell them to discuss it with you or another trusted adult immediately. Monitor if your child is scared, sad or secretive about their online activities or if they are being bullied online.

Set rules with your child about how, when and where they can use devices.

Use technology to protect them

Make sure your child's device has the latest software and antivirus programs, and that privacy settings are turned on. Cover webcams when you are not using them. For younger children, use tools like parental controls and SafeSearch for a positive online experience.

Be careful with free online educational resources. Your child should never have to provide a photo or his or her full name to use them. Review the privacy settings to minimize data collection. Teach your child to keep his or her personal information private and not to share it with strangers.

Spend time together online

Think about how your child can have safe and positive online interactions with friends, family and yourself. It is now more important than ever to connect with others. This is an excellent opportunity to incorporate kindness and empathy into your 'virtual interactions'.

Help your child identify 'fake news' and age-inappropriate content that may make them more anxious about the COVID-19 virus. You and your child can learn a lot about the virus together thanks to the many digital resources available from reliable organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.

Together, look for apps, games and other online entertainment that suit your child's age.


Encourage healthy online behavior

Encourage good behavior online and in video calls and monitor this. Encourage your children to be kind and respectful to classmates, not to say anything mean about what others are wearing, and not to have video calls in their bedroom.

Read the school policy and find out who you can contact to report cyberbullying or inappropriate online content.

As children spend more time online, they are more likely to see advertisements that promote unhealthy foods, gender stereotypes or age-inappropriate material. Help them learn to recognize online advertisements and take this opportunity to look together at what is wrong with some of the negative messages you see.


Children should have fun and express themselves

Now that children are at home so much, it is a wonderful opportunity to express their own opinions online and support others during this crisis.

Encourage your child to to take advantage of digital tools that they can actively engage in, such as videos with exercises for children and games that also require them to move physically.

Make sure they alternate their time online with offline activities, outdoors if possible.

On LEGO.nl you will find even more advice about digital safety and well-being

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