6 Simple Ways to Keep Your Under 5 Safe Online

The use of technology across our society has increased dramatically, and young children are using devices at an increasingly early age.

As parents and carers, the big question on our minds is:

“How do we keep our children safe when they’re online?” 

Recent UK research suggests screen use is rising and can start very early – in some cases from around six months – which means it’s worth thinking about simple, age-appropriate habits now to set children up well for an online world.

Online Learning

There are many apps that claim to support early learning – letters, numbers, shapes and more. Some are helpful, but not all are backed by strong evidence.

A good rule of thumb is to choose carefully, avoid anything that auto-plays endlessly, and explore together where you can. Co-viewing helps you talk about what your child is seeing and doing, and turns screen time into shared time.

Screen Time and Wellbeing

There has been a lot of discussion about the impact of screen time on young children’s development.

Evidence suggests (including guidance from the World Health Organisation) that children under 2 should not have access to any screen time. The possible impacts include:

• Delayed language development
• Difficulties with social skills
• Sleep disruptions
• Attention and learning difficulties

Even for children over 2, it’s sensible to place limits on screen time. Prioritise active play, conversation and good sleep routines; keep screens purposeful and short; and where possible, watch together.

The image below shows guidelines for screen time by age (Health for Under 5s):

Do It Safely

If you do choose to let your under-5 use screens, it’s worth considering the following to help them do so safely. These 6 trips draw on advice from the NSPCC:

1. Supervise use. Under-5s should use technology with close support from a parent or carer, and ideally in shared family spaces.
2. Use family devices, accounts and services. Stick to child-friendly devices and profiles, and use children’s versions of popular platforms (e.g. YouTube Kids).
3. Check content first (and turn off autoplay). Preview apps and videos each time, and disable features like ‘autoplay’ so you stay in control of what plays next.
4. Set up parental controls. Make use of safety settings on your home Wi-Fi, devices and accounts. These help, but they don’t replace supervision.
5. Start safety conversations early. Short, everyday chats help children learn to ask for help if something pops up that worries them. The NSPCC’s ‘Techosaurus’ is a lovely starting point for little ones: Techosaurus (Learn more).
6. Establish healthy habits. Keep technology purposeful from a young age – for example, choosing a short video together and chatting about it afterwards – and switch screens off well before bedtime.

A Final Thought

Above all, remember that screens are just one small part of a very big childhood.

Keep them short, shared and purposeful, with plenty of play, chat and sleep around them, and you’re doing the right things. If you’d like a hand setting up controls or choosing age-appropriate apps, speak to your nursery team — we’re always happy to help.

Together, we can keep your little one safe, curious and confident — online and off.