Kids have always been very receptive to new information, and it’s our job as parents and guardians to help our kids grow by exposing them to quality resources of information.  Of course, it’s a challenge to provide a healthy dose of online freedom to explore, with sufficient online safety measures in place.

When striking a balance between entertainment and learning, or a combination of both, there are a number resources available.  In the streaming world Netflix is great, at times. There is also the Netflix Kids option. Social media platforms are far more vast and difficult to keep track of.  You may even wonder if TikTok is safe.

However, after doing extensive research, we’ve narrowed it down to five of the best online resources created especially to help your child grow.  You can Google these resources in the search bar at the top of our website.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a free online learning platform. It provides free programs for children aged four to 18, as well as tools for instructors working from home and parents who choose to educate their children during this period. They even have a timetable to keep kids on track when they’re at home.

Apart from education, safety is also a top priority, especially when kids and teens have access to a wide variety of information. By following a few safety tips for students, you’ll be able to help them navigate the resources better.

CK-12

CK-12 is another excellent education site, with courses ranging from math, English, and science to philosophy and astronomy, among other topics. Run by an NGO, CK-12 uses digital textbooks or “Flexbooks” to diversify K-12 education across the world.

Even teachers and subject matter experts can contribute and use CK-12 resources to create holistic workbooks and models. It also includes some information for university students, but the site is primarily for individuals under the age of 18.

The Adventures of Mo

 As a free, online resource, The Adventures of Mo helps parents, teachers, and homeschoolers engage kids in US geography. Read fun state blogs, trivia or an adventure eBook that can be played as a game. Kids earn $10 if they submit geography trivia that’s posted online. The website also features brief videos of kids sharing information about US states. Guided imagery presentations via zoom are available for a fee. www.adventuresofmo.com

Kanopy

Kanopy is a service that works with libraries to provide online access to movies and TV episodes. For older kids, there are documentaries, docuseries, and film festival selections, as well as a Kanopy Kids area with animated storybooks, Sesame Street, and more.

Kanopy has a monthly limit on how many videos you can watch. You’ll need to sign up for their services with your library card to access their catalog.

Sesame Street

SesameStreet.org is a website dedicated to Sesame Street, the popular children’s television show. It’s ideal for little children at home. The parental controls are extensive, allowing you to lock the user onto the site to prevent your children from exploring the internet, as well as track what your child has been viewing. You may also build activity playlists and let your child loose on them.

DIY.org

DIY.org is devoted to assisting children in learning how to do something by themselves. The DIY sessions develop a holistic understanding of physical objects and improve the logical reasoning of children. The website offers a variety of lessons, including photography, painting, science, and cuisine

Adult and child sign-ins are distinct, and parents can follow their children’s progress through email notifications. It offers a 14-day free trial before switching to a monthly subscription.

Online Guidance

Due to the wide availability of information these days, it’s important to guide our kids through it, point them in the right direction, and keep them safe. These five online resources should help them cultivate a learning mentality and understand the world in a better way.

Teachers, explore these online class productivity tips.

Our safe Google search tools are always free and that is one very important facet of internet safety. Still, we also provide guidance on software solutions that families and schools may be looking for to ensure complete protection online. Cyber discounts are now in effect to get the best prices on to full protection.

This page is your complete resource guide to access and review the various deals available. After you have researched what you need to protect your family members and personal devices, you will be able to explore our cyber discounts on software solutions.

A Review of Online Safety Solutions

Here is a rundown of the various parental controls, internet filtering and security solutions that can be explore according to your family needs.

1. Anti-Virus Software:

This is essential basic software that filters your email to protect your computer from becoming infected with a virus. No computer should be without this recommend anti-virus software. Many operating systems come with enough security to screen your email, such as on a Mac computer or Windows 10.

2. Virtual Private Networks:

Read how a VPN can protect your family at home and while out in public places, such as when using public WiFi.

3. Anti-Malware:

Includes the removal and full protection from malware infecting your computer.  It blocks a variety of viruses and subversive malware from infecting your computer due to a cyber attack or in the event you accidentally visit an infected website.

4. Internet Filtering with Parental Controls:

This is one of the main reasons parents find themselves on our website. Protecting your kids from harmful online content can only be achieved with internet filtering that also blocks access to the internet according to the age of each child in your home.

5. Safe Search for Kids:

The filtering tool on our website is enhanced by by Google to ensure safe search results for all keywords entered. It is a FREE solution when searching Google. While it will block search results for inappropriate search terms entered, it does not block access to other areas of the internet when kids leave our site.

Now, let’s explore how to access the protections you are seeking.  The first links take you directly to the price options for each software program, followed by links to the related articles.

Software Solutions

Here is a breakdown of the four parts for complete cyber security and computer safety.

Parental Control Software:

• Get the latest pricing on parental controls.
• What does this software do for your family?  Read our article on parental control options that give you complete control of the internet in your home.

Anti-Virus Software:

• Explore anti-virus software for email protection, read our article on how anti-virus compares with other security solutions.
• A secondary article delves into anti-virus for gamers that also increases online game speed. This prevents users from turning anti-virus off.

Malware Protection:

• Get the latest pricing on Anti-Malware.
• Learn more about how anti-malware software can remove malware from your computer and provide continued protection against ransomware.

Free Filtering Tools

If you are buying a new phone, tablet or computer for your child this year, at the very least we recommend using our website free safe search options.  Bookmark our home page for safe searching of Google, images, Wikipedia for kids and videos.

Before you buy a tablet, read about security options for Apple or Android tablets such as Samsung.

Parental Controls for Google, iPads, Samsung and Kids Tablets

Learning how to write cursive is a fantastic skill you can teach your children! In the age of computers, handwriting seems like a thing of the past. However, there are still many benefits as to why your kid should learn to write in cursive. In this blog, we’ll help you teach your kids cursive and know more about its perks.

Why should you teach your kids how to write cursive?

Cursive writing is more than a life skill of being able to form beautiful letters across the paper. It allows your child to express his uniqueness and creativity through writing. This type of writing can help your kid in the long run. Here are some benefits of cursive writing that your kids can enjoy:

Cursive helps improve your kid’s motor skills

Writing in cursive uses a lot of hand-eye coordination. Like sports, the writing movements cause your kid’s brain to create new connections, allowing them to hone their motor skills and overall developmental growth.

Cursive writing is good for your child’s brain

This form of writing engages the brain of your child more than we know. Research shows that cursive activates regions of the brain responsible for thinking, language, and memory.

This form of brain exercise improves cognitive health and development. Studies also show that kids who know cursive perform better on reading and spelling tests. You can also try activities such as literacy crafts to complement all the brain activity your kid is experiencing due to cursive writing.

Cursive forms discipline and helps with your kid’s self-esteem

Learning how to write in cursive takes time and effort. With constant practice, your kid takes the lead in improving their writing skills and instills self-discipline. As your child gets closer to mastering cursive, giving them praise for their progress boosts their self-esteem.

How to teach your child cursive writing?

Teaching your child how to write cursive may seem like a daunting task. With these steps, we’ll help you teach your kid to learn cursive.

Start from scratch

Remember that cursive writing may seem completely different and new to your kid. Your child has to learn to read and write the whole alphabet once again using his alphabet recognition skills. It is essential to guide them every step of the way.

Teach proper form of writing

Depending on what type of cursive you are teaching, it is important to have an appropriate posture for writing. Make sure that your kid’s hand, paper, and pen are all placed appropriately.

The standard angle to slant paper when writing cursive is somewhere between 30-40 degrees. Right-handed children slant their paper to the left, while left-handed kids have theirs tilted to the right.

Neatness is not the priority

Don’t focus too much on making sure that your kid’s handwriting is prim and proper. Let your child get the hang of the hand movements needed in cursive writing. It is more important for your child to develop proper muscle memory in writing cursive. Their neatness can always be improved later on.

Practice leads to better cursive writing

Learning cursive can be very hard work! Don’t expect your kid to master cursive all of a sudden. It takes a lot of mental and motor skills to develop handwriting. Set up regular practice sessions for writing cursive and celebrate his steady improvements instead.

Teach the letters individually and together

Start with lowercase letters before your progress into uppercase. Your child will find connecting lowercase letters easier and helps him get used to connecting letters together in a flowing way. It also helps to teach your kid cursive letters grouped by similar hand motions.

Write with your child

Show your child how to write each letter when teaching him cursive. It is easier for him to learn and remember how to form the letters if you guide him through it. Try explaining to him each step needed to form the letters. Remember to use a calm voice when doing so.

Don’t be afraid to write long words

Once your kid can write each alphabet letter, teach him how to write words together. Over time, move on to sentences and even paragraphs in cursive.

Read how you can help your kids with their book reports.

In recent years, preschool educational system trying to introduce progressive innovative methods of improving the health of children. It allows to effectively perform the tasks that are facing the teaching staff today. One of the most popular areas is the art therapy technique.

Art therapy is one of the most effective methods of psychotherapy, which involves creativity and various artistic techniques. Correction with art therapy is the gentlest and productive. It allows to solve various problems, ranging from the problems of social adaptation and ending with the development of children’s potential. The leading goal of art therapy is to master the process of self-knowledge in a child and develop his ability to express himself.

Types of Art Therapy

Isotherapy. A productive type of therapy with the introduction of all kinds of art means: modeling, application, drawing. During the drawing therapy, classes are conducted aimed at improving perception and children’s imagination. Creativity helps a child to open up while having fun, improve sensually-motor coordination and specifically imaginative thinking;

Bibliotherapy. The main tool is a literary work. It allows to solve the internal problems of the child. Novels, fairy tales, and stories can be used as literary sources. Bibliotherapy helps to overcome psychological problems, including shyness, insecurity;

Music therapy. An effective therapy that helps to improve the health of the child. The teacher selects in advance the appropriate melodies and sounds, with the help of which you can have a positive impact on the psycho-emotional state of the child. In practice, both individual and group music therapy are distinguished. The first is necessary to restore a trusting relationship between the teacher and the child, the second for the development of communication skills with other children;

Kinesitherapy. Modern therapy, which includes choreotherapy, dance therapy, corrective rhythm. In this case, the child moves as he wants, without subordinating all actions to the coach. Dancing helps children to throw out all the negative energy and get a lot of positive emotions.

The most effective methods of art therapy also include phototherapy, color therapy, play therapy and sand therapy. All of them help to overcome feelings of rejection and allow you to increase self-esteem in your own eyes.

Art therapy methods

Active. In this case, the whole procedure is aimed at designing a new creative composition. The child learns to embody his own creation into reality without evaluating quality and beauty;

Passive. The main purpose of this technique is the use of pre-prepared types of art, for example, listening to a musical composition, watching exciting videos;

Mixed. The child uses the available artwork to design their own personal creativity products.

The use of art therapy is the most productive way of social adaptation. Its introduction into the field of preschool education allows children to take full part in the life of society, develop creativity of thinking and integrity of the personality.

Art therapy in working with children

The main task of modern art therapy technique is the transition from negative experiences to positive emotions. Progressive methods used in preschool educational institutions make it possible to reveal the child’s inner potential and maximize his efficiency.

The main means of art therapy are various materials that are used in art: pencils, markers, pens, 3D pens, paper, brushes, coloring pages, 3D printers, video materials, melodic music and much more. The increasing popularity among children and adolescents is acquired by 3D devices that allow you to create three-dimensional objects. They help children develop their own imagination and volumetric thinking skills, realize their own dreams and relieve psycho-emotional stress.

Why art therapy is useful

The complex development of a child is based on many factors. This is both the intellectual development of the child and physical exercises (for example, choreography for children). The moral and ethical base, the development of leadership qualities is important. But the framework for everything is a harmonious mental state and a child’s self-confidence. Through creativity, the child not only achieves this inner balance, but also acquires many other useful skills:

• Knows himself, forms the concept of himself as a person, individuality;
• Safely and harmoniously living complex and destructive feelings;
• Learns to express oneself;
• Develops a sense of self-worth, significance;
• Improves academic performance and socialization in the team;
• Learns to look for answers to his questions;
• Develops emotional intelligence, learns to feel their emotions and needs;
• Improves the speed of thinking;
• Develops fine motor skills by working with clay, brush, finger paints.

Five DIY Techniques of Art Therapy

The best results can be achieved in developmental sessions with a psychologist or art therapist, but some of the techniques can be applied at home. To practice children’s art therapy at home, you will need creative supplies: wax crayons, gouache, watercolors, crayons, oil pastels. The more variety of colors and materials you offer your child, the more productive the lessons will be.

Technique “Drawing in a circle”

A circle is a closed shape that is psychologically perceived as safe and reliable. The circle often acts as a container for our experiences, anger, resentment, sadness. At the moment when the child is angry or upset, invite him to throw out all the emotions by coloring the circle drawn on a white sheet. You can draw with any paints, pastels, brushes or even your hands.

Technique “Masks”

The art therapy courses offer classes on masks. In part, they resemble exercises related to acting, but the emphasis here is not on acting and creative self-expression, but on the opportunity to look deep into oneself and explore oneself. Prepare some paper blanks of masks and invite your child to draw one mask as he usually is, and another as he would like to be. Discuss the work.

Technique “I am in the form of an animal”

Working with animal images is very resourceful for both children and adults, so it is often used in art therapy centers. It is better to perform this task in the company, it will be more interesting to discuss the results, but it is possible to carry it out individually with the child. Ask your child to paint himself as an animal, bird, or insect. Discuss the drawing? Ask why he chose this look. What strengths does this animal have that the child would like to have?

Technique “Aquatipia”

In art therapy classes glasses of different sizes are used for this technique, but you can take a plastic bag or file. The main thing is that the surface is flat and clean. Invite your child to choose 2–4 colors that best suit his feelings or mood. Better to use gouache. Then, for several minutes, the child can draw his mood on glass or a file – it is better if it is an abstraction. When the drawing is ready, take a blank sheet of paper and print the drawing on it. Take more and more sheets until the print is completely faded.

Invite your child to look for familiar objects and associations in the resulting images. This technique is often used by art therapists to show children how fast and transient negative experiences are, and how to get rid of them quickly.

Technique “My Planet”

Invite your child to dream up and come up with their own planet. What is she like? What is it called? Who inhabits it? Offer to draw to the child and come up with the story together.

Do you know a child who is interested in art?  Explore how they can Doodle for Google.