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”.

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!’”
   

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.
   
   …you can then move on to a skit that reinforces the recently learned concept of a digital footprint.

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.

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.