By: Meghan Mathias 

The internet can be a scary place sometimes, even for adults. You can never be too careful with what you allow your kid to do online. Even websites that seem to be completely designed for kids with games targeted toward young children can occasionally have pop-up ads that advertise things most parents would rather their kid not see while trying to enjoy their technology time.

One of the best examples of a cross-platform game that is educational and fun for all ages is Minecraft. Minecraft is an open-world game that gives your child the free reign to build as they choose, alone or with friends, without any chance of unsavory pop-ups or themes arising. Minecraft can teach teamwork, problem-solving, project management, and fosters endless creativity. In fact, a study done by Glasgow University in 2017 even linked playing video games like Minecraft to future university success.

If you are looking for websites that you can always trust to provide online games of the same safe and fun nature as Minecraft, here is a short list:

PBS Kids—Recommended for kids ages 2-3, the popular broadcasting channel’s website has sing-alongs, sorting games, counting games, and more.

National Geographic Kids—Another popular broadcasting channel’s website (so you know you can trust it), has activities that explore the animal kingdom, countries, continents, and other fun facts about the world. Recommended for ages 3-6.

FunBrain—Recommended for all ages, FunBrain is a winner on all fronts, with fun and educational videos, games, stories, and more, all searchable by grade. This is the website that the popular book series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, was first published on!

Discussion Questions

  1. What is your favorite type of online game to play and what do you like about it?
  2. Do you prefer to play games on apps, on websites, or on platforms like Xbox and Playstation so that you can play with your school friends?
  3. Do you enjoy learning while playing games online or would you prefer to play games that are just for fun?
  4. Have you ever seen anything uncomfortable or scary while playing games online? What are some things you can do when you see something that you don’t want to on the internet?

Sources

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