How can you help your child’s online safety? Lots of the advice out there is all about rules. But when they’re faced with a list of dos and don’ts, many kids (and plenty of parents) will switch off. Every family is different anyway – so rules can’t possibly work for everyone.
Instead, Google and Parent Zone have decided to turn online safety into an epic adventure – and help families to have fun while they learn the skills they need to become Internet Legends together.
The Legends Family Adventure is an exciting new series of short films from Google and Parent Zone, animated by Aardman – the people who made Shaun The Sheep and Wallace & Gromit.
It follows the Legends Family on their quest to recover a lost teddy bear, learning how to deal with phishers, cyberbullies and hackers along the way.
Each episode focuses on different things that are important for children to remember when they go online – and finishes with a free creative activity that you can download and do together.
If your child is likely to spend a bit more time on tech over the break – or lucky enough to be receiving a new device from Santa – these films and activities are a great way to get prepared together.
Online Safety – Spreading kindness and spotting scams
The first episode is about spreading kindness and spotting scams.
A lonely Internaut called Switch is pressured by two Internaughties – Cyberbully and Phisher – into helping with their plans to steal Lumen’s teddy bear.
The activity that follows challenges your family to make kindness cards for anyone who might appreciate them – like Switch. Or maybe a busy teacher!
Sharing carefully
In the second episode, Lumen and the family say a little too much and Oversharer – another Internaughty – spreads their info around Interland, delaying their attempts to find the teddy bear. Luckily, Legend steps in to help them.
Remember these paper fortune tellers from your childhood? Now you can make one together – and use it to help your child decide what to share with who when they go online.
Making mega strong passwords
In the third and final episode, Lumen and the Legends Family join Legend on a mission to Hacker HQ where they track down the teddy bear – and learn about the importance of building mega strong passwords.
The last craft idea might get a bit messy – but it’ll help you all to protect your personal info whenever you go online. All you’ll need is a pair of scissors and a bunch of old newspapers and magazines.
There’s lots more info about all of this – and extra activities to help you become even more legendary – on Parent Zone’s hub. Happy adventuring!
Why not share this article on Pinterest – lots of great ideas within it, including this mega-picker and the Kindness cards as well?
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!