Internet safety tips for parents of pre-school children
More and more children in early years have their own tablets or borrow their parents’ devices to play games, use apps and watch their favourite TV shows. Here is some advice on simple things you can do to make sure they’re staying safe online.
ABC online safety checklist for under 5s
Set up child accounts on shared devices
Password protect on streaming services (e.g. Netflix)
Set parental controls on smart TVs
Create child profiles on platforms your child uses
Set timers to take regular breaks
Play, watch and discover together online
Focus on face-to-face interactions or apps that promote active play
Are apps right for the age and maturity level of your child?
Talk about how your child feels when they are watching things online
Talk about what to do if they see something they don't understand or that
worries them - like talk to you or another adult
Put yourself in control
Make use of parental controls available on your home broadband and any internet-enabled devices.
Check your broadband providers website or visit internet matters.org
Search safely
Use safe search engines like swiggle.org.uk or kids-search.com.
Safe search settings can also be activated on Google and other search engines, as well as YouTube.
You can lock theses settings so that they cannot be removed. Find out more by visiting the Google Safety Centre.
Set boundaries
It's never too early to start setting rules about when and for how long you child can use devices.
Encourage your child to use devices in shared spaces like the lounge or kitchen.
Explore together
Set your homepage to something child-friendly like CBeebies.
Give your child a user account which only allows access to sites and apps you have chosen.
Help them learn through games
Choose a variety of safe and educational online games and apps to play with your child.
Tips to share children's milestone moments safely
Review privacy settings on social account
Get control of who can see your photos by applying the right privacy settings.
Check your network of friends
Make sure you are happy that all your 'friends' on social media are actual friends. If not, consider only sharing with a select group of people.
Remember profile pictures are public
Make sure your picture doesn't reveal any personal details like your road, house number or school name.
PEGI Ratings
Check the suitability of any computer game your child plays. PEGI ratings are there to help you decide.
Look for games rated as these are suitable for children aged 3+.
