For kids, digital life is real life. It's where they build friendships, take a stand on issues, and do so much more. Schools and educators with a commitment to digital citizenship can use the following toolkit to find valuable tips and tools to share with families. With research-backed resources covering a range of topics -- from online safety and cyberbullying to media balance and learning with technology -- you can easily find and share articles, videos, printable handouts, ready-made presentations, and more here.

Tech Tools for Learning at Home

Families often look to teachers for recommendations on how to support learning at home. While drills and targeted interventions can be tempting, it isn’t easy to get everyone on the same page. Try encouraging kids’ passions and promote learning through discovery and play. Lots of apps, games, and websites don’t feel like homework and can still help students build essential skills. Feel confident recommending the following tools to parents and caregivers to unleash their kids’ inner writer, artist, scientist, and more.

How can I manage my kid's screen time?

This is a big one. Managing kids' screen time is one of the biggest challenges families face when holidays arrive. Besides offering up some great app and website recommendations (see question above), you can also point them to concrete advice on setting screen-time rules. 

Helping kids make good media choices isn't just about the number of hours in front of a screen -- it's also about what media they choose to consume or create with their time.  

Best resource to share: Family Media Agreement

How can I support learning over the break?

Lots of parents worry about the "summer slide," when students may forget some of what they learned during the school year. Others want to make sure kids continue building new skills throughout the break. Here's a list of recommended media for learning for students' and your whanau. 

Best lists to share: 15 Online "Camps" Fill Kids' Summer with Learning Adventures and Tech Tools for Learning at Home.