Digital and media literacy games for 5-8 year olds

HOW DOES THE INTERNET AFFECT OUR MOOD?

The aim is to discuss children’s online experiences and emotions.

1. Form a circle on the floor with the children.
2. Find out which smart devices and apps they use.
3. Ask the children to recall their last internet experience, how they used it to surf the internet, and the emotions associated with it.
4. Then, point to the emoticons on the ground and ask each of them to each child to choose one that relates to their last internet experience.
5. Allow the children to explain their choices.
   
   Next step
   Emoticons can be used in the “Password Game”.

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

In this game, children learn to think critically about sharing personal information and with whom it’s appropriate to share.

The leader says a sentence and throws a ball to a student while the others quickly crouch down. The student with the ball decides if, in that situation (e.g., “a stranger in a game asks which school you attend” or “your best friend’s mother asks for your phone number and home address”), sharing personal information is allowed. After answering, a discussion follows on whether the response was correct. The student then returns the ball, and the leader reads the next sentence, repeating the process.

Game authors: Karoliina Kolts, Karmen Mõts, Hanna Paal, Eliis Rajaveer, Anete Värno

DIGITAL SAFETY PARTY
with three teachers

This game teaches children to analyze online risks.

When the music plays, children dance freely. When the music stops, they freeze like statues. The game leader reads a statement (e.g., “I ask my parents for permission before playing a new game” or “I click on an ad promising free prizes”). Children decide whether the action is appropriate or not by running to the teacher holding a happy face or sad face sign. Once they’ve divided into groups, each teacher leads a discussion with their group about why the children made that choice.

Authors: Henri Sinivee, Sandra-Ly Öebius, Lisette Vildak, Marianne Kivimets

PASSWORDS GAME

The goal is to introduce the purpose of passwords.

1. “Ask questions related to passwords, such as: ‘What is a password?’, ‘Why do we need a password?’, ‘Who thinks the password 0-0-0-0 is very good?’, ‘Who believes you can tell your password to a friend?’, etc.
2. If the child knows the answer, they should immediately switch places with someone. If they don’t know, they remain seated. No one is eliminated.
3. After each change of place, allow the children to answer the question and express their opinions.
4. The children sit on the emoticons selected in the previous activity.
5. Don’t forget to play along!
   
   Next step..
   “…you can move on to the topic of digital footprints, saying: ‘What you or someone using your account does on the internet leaves a trace in the internet!’”
   

CREATE A SECURE PASSWORD!

The goal is to show what makes a strong password.

Divide children into two teams and place them in opposite corners of the room. Each team has a pile of papers with numbers, letters, or symbols.

Game process: Children run to collect papers from the opposite side, gathering elements for a strong password. They all run back and forth simultaneously. When they’re tired, say “Stop!” and have them return to their corners.

Children use the collected elements to create complex passwords. The game leader shows a simple example like “0-0-0-0” and asks which is more secure.

Discuss how to safely store passwords and the option of using fingerprint recognition on phones.

LOCKS AND KEYS

The goal is to remind why passwords are important.

Start with a 10-minute discussion to remind children:

• Why do you need a password?
• What does a password protect you from?
• What makes a password secure?

Then, give half the children locks with the questions written on them and the other half keys with the answers.

Game process: Children walk around the classroom. Those with locks search for the matching keys, and those with keys look for the matching locks. The aim is to pair the locks with the correct keys.

Once all locks and keys are matched, the children with the locks read out their answers, followed by a group discussion.

Game author: Triin Sooäär

DO YOU AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT?

The goal is to test the knowledge learned.

1. Attach red, orange, and green papers around the room or outside.
2. Read out statements one by one that were discussed in previous games.
3. If a child agrees, they run to the green paper. If they think “it depends,” they run to the orange paper. If they disagree, they run to the red paper.

After the teacher reads the statements, children can also try to recall and share statements from previous sessions to keep the game going.

DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

The aim is to teach what a digital footprint is and how it is created.

1. Show the children a picture of a toddler and an adult and ask which one can take photos of themselves and post them on the internet.
2. Ask which boot would fit each one.
3. Explain that a child’s footprint on the internet can be large, and an adult’s can be small. Ask the children if they want to know how this is possible.
4. Illustrate with the child’s picture and a boot how posting photos of a child on the internet leaves traces called digital footprints.
5. Ask the children how a man can have a small digital footprint on the internet.
6. Explain to all the children how a digital footprint is created and grows.

PASSWORD AND DIGITAL FOOTPRINT PLAY

The goal is to reinforce the concept of digital footprint and the importance of passwords.

“Jaak and Pille are [children’s age]; they go to the same [kindergarten/school] and always play together even when they are in their own homes. But how?” Children answer: “They play on the phone!”

“Usually, after Pille gets home, she sends Jaak an SMS to let him know she’s in the game and invites him to join. Oh! Pille has sent Jaak an SMS. Kids, shall we see what Pille wrote to Jaak?” Children answer: “Yes!” “Pille sent Jaak a message saying she never wants to be Jaak’s friend again. Jaak is just a boring banana head. Plus, Pille sent all Jaak’s friends pictures of the boy the kids took together on the playground, but Jaak had asked to be deleted. On top of that, Pille sent very silly messages to Jaak’s grandparents.

Pille and Jaak met at [school/kindergarten] the next day. Jaak was disappointed in Pille. Suddenly, Pille started crying and told how she discovered the previous night that her phone wasn’t in her jacket pocket anymore when she got home. When she got her phone back from the police, all the passwords were changed, and the phone was full of scary pictures.” Ask the children for their opinion on what happened.

ONLINE GAME TREASURE HUNT

The goal is to teach why online games can be addictive and how they manipulate children.

Hide four pictures around the room (click here!). Each picture has a hint on the back about where to find the next one and instructions on where to hide it (e.g., window, door, under a chair, with the teacher).

The teacher has a printable guide (click here!) that explains different manipulative tactics used in games, which will be discussed with the children.

Start the treasure hunt with the children, and as each picture is found, discuss the manipulative tactic it illustrates. Let the children share their own experiences with each scenario.

INTERNET RISKS ‘HOT POTATO’

The goal is to discuss various internet risks.

1. Children sit in a circle and pass the dice around like in ‘Hot Potato’.
2. The teacher says: ‘Stop!’
3. The child who received the dice looks at the picture on it.
4. The teacher asks if the child can interpret or guess from the picture what topic will be discussed next.
5. The teacher shows the group the same picture in A3 size so that everyone can see it.
6. Children share thoughts and experiences on each internet risk topic.
7. The teacher guides the discussion toward safer internet behavior.

WHO WOULD YOU SEND THE PICTURE TO?

The goal is to review which types of pictures are safe to share online and which are not.

RUNNING GAME VERSION:

• Divide the children into two teams, giving each team an equal number of different pictures (click here!).
• In a relay race, children bring one picture at a time to A3-sized phone cutouts placed at the other side of the room (click here!) until all pictures are placed. On the phone, the child quickly decides whether they would share the picture with everyone, friends, or only family.
• After the relay, gather the children around the phones to review the pictures and discuss if they would make different choices after having more time to think.

SIT DOWN GAME VERSION:

Children work in pairs with A4-sized phones and a stack of pictures. They discuss which pictures they would share with strangers, friends, or family and place them accordingly on the phones. The pairs then compare their decisions with other pairs, followed by a group discussion led by the teacher.

AD DETECTIVES

The goal is to learn how to spot hidden advertisements.

1. Start with a discussion about what “advertisement” means, its features, goals, and where we might encounter ads.
2. Lay out advertisement samples on the floor in a row, with each child standing in front of one picture. Give each child a traffic light sign with green on one side and red on the other.
3. Game process: If a child sees an ad in the picture, they direct the green light to the picture; otherwise, they show the red light. At the signal, children move one picture forward. Once they’ve completed the round, the children sit in a circle with their traffic lights.
4. Discuss which ads are easy to spot and how to differentiate them from other digital content. Introduce the concept of hidden advertising and show examples from the pictures.
5. Talk about how ads in games and YouTube videos can influence us. Encourage the children to share their own examples.

Game author: Triin Sooäär