Safe web sites for your children

The Internet is an uncensored source of information that has not been designed specifically for children. Exploring the Internet without adult supervision or a filtering program can expose a child to a whole range of sites that are harmful.
There are many sites on the Internet that advocate violence, that are sexually explicit, and that encourage activities that are dangerous or illegal. There are sites that encourage the use of bad language, sites that encourage destructive behavior such as anorexia, and sites that promote racial and religious intolerance and hate.
Some web sites and newsgroups contain information that advocates the use of drugs, tobacco or alcohol. It’s even possible to find places on the Internet where you can learn to make bombs or obtain weapons. With a resource as vast and as uncontrolled as the Internet, your child can find almost information that he or she may want.

Nowadays more and more sites are been written especially for children. These sites come in all shapes and sizes, cover a wide variety of topics, and do not contain any pictures, information or language that you would not want your children to be exposed to. Such sites can be a godsend for parents as they enable children to reap the benefits of the Internet, whist not exposing them to harm.
It is important to remember that the Internet can offer children a whole new a world of exciting opportunities and educational possibilities. It is a vast library of information that you can bring into your home and is very easy to use. It can be used by children to help with homework, and also for all kinds of fun and constructive interactive games. It can be used to research information for school projects, to communicate with people from all around the world, and to share resources and ideas with people that have the same interests.

The list below gives an example of some sites that are suitable for children, and teenagers. Below the list is written a description of a couple of the sites, outlining how they can be of benefit to children and/or teenagers.

Safe Web Sites for Children:

The Arthur Page. For Arthur fans everywhere. This site from PBS offers games, stories, and children’s art.
Author/illustrator Wood and her husband Don have created an interactive look into the many books they’ve created. A great site for the Woods’ many fans.
http://www.audreywood.com
The Boomerwolf.
Join the Boomerwolf Detective Agency and help solve a case. Designed for children, this site offers both amusing characters and sound science.
http://www.boomerwolf.com

Build-a-Monster.
Mix up creatures into a creature of your own!
http://www.rahul.net/renoir/monster/
TheCase.com for Kids.
Mysteries to solve, scary stories, magic tricks and contests.
http://kids.mysterynet.com/

Children’s Television Workshop.
Sesame Street in cyberspace, home of the Cookie Monster and other characters of the popular CTW program.
http://www.ctw.org/
Crayola Home Page.
Activities from the Crayon company.
http://www.crayola.com/
Funbrain.
This award winning site offers educational games for pre-schoolers through elementary school kids.
http://www.funbrain.com/

QuizHub.
Games, spelling lessons, learning activities and more.
http://quizhub.com/quiz/quizhub.cfm
Learning Planet Kids Page.
Games and much more!
http://www.learningplanet.com/kids.htm
MagicSchool Bus Page.
Find out what Ms. Frizzle and her class are up to now.
http://scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/
Nick Online.
Nick at Nite, Rugrats, Nick Jr., and lots of fun for all Nick fans!
http://www.nick.com/
PBS Kids.
Explore the pages for Mr. Rogers, Arthur, Barney, Sesame Street, and more!
http://pbskids.org/
Safe Web Sites for Teenagers:

About.com Homework Help.
History, grammar, news and more.
http://homeworktips.about.com/
Access America.

Information on colleges, student loans, careers and community service http://www.students.gov/
CyberTeens.
Links to books, games, news, homework help and more.
http://www.cyberteens.com/
TeenHoopla.
Sports, comics, books, homework help and more.
http://www.ala.org/teenhoopla/
Favorite Teenage Angst Books.
The fantastic place for teenagers to go to who have an interest in reading. Here, teens can learn about great books that young people enjoy. There are book reviews, interviews with authors and a monitored message board for teens to share their impressions about books. Such a site is a great compliment to a teens reading career, and can help them develop their interest to a greater level.
http://www.grouchy.com/angst/
Guide to Grammar and Writing.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

QuizHub.
Provides fun user-friendly quality online learning activities. Quiz Hub members have access to hundreds of online interactive learning quizzes that help enhance their knowledge of English language arts, foreign languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish), maths, science, and social studies.
Children can use the Quiz Hub to:
- have fun while learning stuff
- review for class and state exams
- score higher on the verbal SAT
- prepare for academic competitions
http://quizhub.com/quiz/quizhub.cfm

Traditional Grammar.
An Interactive Book
http://textant.engl.unr.edu/grammarbook/title.html
High School Hub.
Everything on one Website – news, history, English, biology, math and much more!
http://highschoolace.com/ace/ace.cfm