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What better way to teach kids internet safety than using fun as a tool?
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has new, fun resources aimed at keeping kids safer online. The free Internet safety site www.NSTeens.org uses animated videos, games and web comics to tackle topics like cyberbullying, online security, digital ethics and online enticement for tweens (8-12 year olds)
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The new releases include:
- Password Plunder, a game that teaches tweens about building strong passwords. Players must save their villages from Viking raiders by gathering enough blocks to build a strong “password” wall. Each block has a letter, number or symbol on it which must be retrieved with a grappling hook in order to build a strong password. The game will be available on NSTeens.org, iTunes and Google Play.
- Choices & Cheaters, an interactive webcomic that engages tweens through a “choose-your-own-adventure” style story. Their decisions help shape the comic’s outcome. The comic addresses the topic of digital ethics. Tweens must decide whether or not to engage in digital cheating to get ahead in school. The webcomic will be available on NSTeens.org and can be played on mobile devices.
- NSTeens Challenge, an interactive quiz that tests how much tweens have learned about online safety. Tweens will watch a series of five videos and complete an activity after each to test their knowledge of digital literacy, inappropriate content, online privacy, online predators and cyberbullying. When tweens successfully complete all five activities, they will receive a certificate of completion that they can print and/or email to their teacher. We recommend teachers use this interactive quiz as a wrap-up to their Internet safety lessons. The NSTeens Challenge will be available on NSTeens.org and can be played on mobile devices.