As Disney launches a guide to help parents get the best from the internet, an online safety expert explains how to make learning fun for children, and Gaby Logan highlights how children can use the internet to learn about physical activity and get the inspiration to go out and exercise.

By Lisa Salmon


The internet is a wonderful learning tool for children - but it's so vast, and changes so quickly, that many don't use it as well as they could.

While there's plenty of internet safety advice available, it's not as easy for parents to access information about how their children can best use the web to capitalise on its educational potential.

Recent research by Disney's Club Penguin found that more than three in five parents would welcome more guidance on how to help their children get the best out of the web.

In response, Disney has launched the Club Penguin Guide to the Wonderful World of the Web, which aims to help parents show their kids how to use the internet to learn while having fun and keeping safe at the same time.

The guide looks at the internet from a parent's perspective, and features advice from other parents including TV presenter Gabby Logan, who's written the chapter on Play, and historian Neil Oliver, presenter of the recent BBC series The Vikings, who's author of the Explore chapter.

Dr Rachel O'Connell, internet safety expert and lead author of the guide, says: "We've had internet safety advice around for years, and often we focus on the risks and the negative aspects of the internet with a view to keeping kids safe online.

"But that can create difficulty in a parent's mind, for while they know the internet is critical for their child's education, they have to reconcile that with all the information they get about the risks.

"So while this new guide contains safety information, it's stressing the positives about the internet too.

"The aim is for it to provide a helping hand to mums like myself who are trying to keep up with the pace of digital change."

O'Connell points out that while children can sometimes struggle with formal education, there are so many incentives to use the internet that it can make learning easier.

An example of this, she says, might be the incentive a child has to learn to read so he/she can understand instructions how to play a game online.

And she points out that many internet games are educational, citing the example of the popular online game Mathletics (www.mathletics.co.uk), which teaches sums while children compete against others around the world.

"Every parent is worried about the notion that sitting in front of a computer is going to be damaging to them," she says, "but the fact that kids can be so excited about learning things like maths is an absolutely brilliant thing.

"I think you do need some level of control so kids aren't in front of the computer the whole time, but some use is not necessarily a bad thing."

And while many parents worry that sitting in front of a computer is preventing their child from exercising, O'Connell points out that the internet can encourage kids to learn more about sport and try it themselves.

"Contrary to the view that technology inhibits kids from getting out in the fresh air and doing sports, the reality is that it can inspire kids and parents to get engaged in sports and learn more about them," she explains.

To emphasise this in the guide's chapter about Play, Logan outlines how kids can use the internet to watch and find information about every sport imaginable, discover sporting facts, and locate the nearest sports clubs.

Logan, mother to seven-year-old twins, says: "The internet and the way children learn about the world around them is changing at such a fast pace, transforming the way kids find new passions and develop life skills.

"The web has also revolutionised the way kids are able to play and take part in sports, allowing them to connect with coaches and athletes, view and learn routines and locate their local sports club.

"The amazing Olympic Games we had this summer meant that my kids were constantly online, checking out new sports they'd seen on TV, and finding out quirky facts about all the different rules and athletes - it was a great learning experience."

Pointing out the value of children being able to use the internet to watch and learn about some of the more unusual sports, such as handball or archery, and then easily being able to find out where the local club is for that sport, she adds: "Your child might not be skilled in a main sport, they might be a different shape or size than field athletes for instance, but the internet helps them to find a sport that works for them."

In a similar way, the guide aims to show parents how the internet can bring history to life for children.

Historian Neil Oliver, author of the Explore chapter, explains: "The internet is the most powerful tool we have ever had to inspire children to learn in new ways and broaden their horizons.

"Researching new subjects online leads kids in new directions and encourages them to find out about different topics. This is great - but it's our role as parents to guide their learning, ensuring they stay focused and gather reliable information."

:: To download the Guide to the Wonderful World of the Web, which will have more chapters added in coming months, visit www.disney.co.uk/club-penguin


Ask the expert

Q: "I've just had a baby but I am struggling to breastfeed because it hurts so much, although my doctor says I haven't got mastitis. I feel like I'm a bad mother if I stop breastfeeding - should I persevere, despite the pain?"

A: Denise Linay, a midwife for the Royal College of Midwives, says: "In the first few days after birth it's not unusual to experience some discomfort while breastfeeding your baby, but this discomfort should only be experienced as the baby sucks the nipple and the surrounding area (the areola) into its mouth.

"Some mothers may experience this as more than discomfort, describing it as 'toe curling'. Using breathing techniques learned in your antenatal class should help you get through these first few seconds. As breastfeeding becomes established this initial discomfort will disappear.

"If the discomfort or pain persists during the feed, then it may be that the baby isn't latching on properly. Your midwife will be able to advise you and assist with positioning.

"If the pain continues despite the baby being correctly positioned, alternative causes of the pain will need to be considered. If you're not sure when the midwife will visit, use the contact information you've been given to request a visit from the midwife.

"Support for breastfeeding may also be provided by a maternity support worker who has received training in supporting mothers to breastfeed."


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This smart but spooky ghost costume includes a hat, top and trousers. For boys aged 10-12, it's available from www.amazon.co.uk, priced £13.38.

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