Teachers, education professionals and pupils are all looking forward to a welcome break. As classes wind down, it would be a great time to introduce some online safety activities to your pupils.
There is also plenty of activities and resources for parents, carers, and families as well.
A lot of young people will find that more time spent at home and without the routine of school, device usage and online gaming will most likely rise.
That’s why it’s so important that parents, carers and educators equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate the online world safely.
Moving on Up
Did you know that we have a resource to help young people with the transition for primary to secondary school?
Our primary lesson plan is the perfect send-off for your Year 6 class, featuring fun activities and thought-provoking topics.
Complete with colourful and engaging lesson slides, your pupils will not only have fun, but think about how they would act in scenarios around staying safe online.
For parents and carers, the Moving on Up resource contains a “First phone checklist”. This checklist provides a helpful guide to giving your child their first mobile phone.
There is also a general guide for parents and carers in our Moving on Up resource, with important advice like “Helping your child with an expanding circle of friends” when moving from primary to secondary school.
All Fun and Games, Safer Internet Day
Do you remember this year’s Safer Internet Day topic?
“All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online” is especially important at this time of year.
As young people start to spend more time conversing with friends and communities on their favourite social media, apps and games, our “All fun and games?” educational resources have been specifically designed to support educators in delivering messages around respect and relationships in online gaming.
Just like the Moving on Up resource, this would make for a fitting send off to your pupils, refreshing them with the importance of ensuring respect when conversing in online spaces.
For families, we have a separate resource with fun activities to incorporate these messages in your household.
This includes a “Fortune Teller” template for you to cut out, fill using the pointers provided, and play as a family!
Looking for more “All fun and games?” content? Head to the UK Safer Internet Centre’s website and discover the huge array of Safer Internet Day resources, including quizzes, films, Top Tips and more.
Family Templates
Another way of incorporating online safety into the household in a fun and approachable way is to use our printable templates.
Firstly, our brand new My Life Online template is part of our Thrive Online resources, created to help an adult and child have a conversation together about life online.
Sentences to finish include: “The worries I have about life online are…” and “I can do these things to keep myself safe and happy online include…”
The pointers are for both the adult and young person to complete.
Secondly, our Family Agreement is a broader template for the whole family to use.
A family agreement is a great way to start a conversation with your whole family about how you all use the internet, and to start discussions together around how to behave in a positive way when online.
Further reading
Help & Advice section for parents and carers
Featuring all the key information you need to support your child stay safe online.
Supporting your child if they see upsetting content online about what is happening in Ukraine
Along with the many positive things which young people may see or experience online, they may also encounter things which may worry or upset them.
What is Discord? A guide for parents and carers
Whether you’ve heard about Discord from a friend, pupil or your child – here’s some key things you need to know about the increasingly popular app, as well as any important safety features to be aware of.
TikTok launch new screen time tools
TikTok is a social networking app that users of age 13 and above use to share short videos of a huge array of topics, as well as like and comment on other users’ uploads.
Top tips for talking to teenagers about online safety
Talking to young people about their online lives is a key part of protecting them.
How to advise your child about cryptocurrency
Whether you’re a parent, carer, or educator, you can find out the basics of cryptocurrency here in case your child or pupil approaches you about the subject.
