Playing it safe: developing young children’s understanding of digital networks

Teaching tech through play-based learning can help children to start exploring the digital environment and develop their skills and competence from a very young age. For www.parenting.digital, Dan Donahoo, Senior Advisor at the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, talks about the development of the programme Playing IT Safe – a tool which aims to help parents, carers and educators teach pre-school children how to stay safe online through activities and play. It encourages and supports parents to model safe practices by co-viewing and co-playing with their children and helps educators to scaffold children’s learning by adapting the activities to children’s needs. So how is Playing IT Safe teaching children the skills they need for a digital future and what is the right age to start educating children about digital technology use?