Keep Kids Safe with KidZui

By Sarah Klein

Too busy to monitor every click your child makes online? KidZui, an ad-free web browser for kids, may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Launched in March of 2008, this web browser, search engine, and social network gives children a way to freely roam their own kid-friendly corner of the web.

Prior to launch, a team of educators and parents scoured the Internet for age appropriate sites, videos, and photos and added them to a unique database. At launch time, KidZui had approved around 500,000 sites. Only a year later, the Kidzui universe has over a million web sites and new finds are added daily. Kids can safely sift through this approved content without parents having to worry about what else they may stumble upon.

When a child logs in, they first create an avatar called a Zui. Then they can begin searching – a task made as easy as possible for the 3 to 12 year-old target audience. Results appear as thumbnail images, so kids can see what they are looking for. Then all they have to do is click on the images to zoom in and browse the content.

Kids can add other Zuis as friends and gain points by exploring the web. If you decide to become a paid member, your child can exchange these points for access to higher levels of KidZui. Each level unlocks additional background themes and Zui accessories. However, a paid membership is by no means essential – a free account gives parents plenty, including adjustable safety controls, weekly emails of a child’s online activity, and the ability to add individual sites to the KidZui database.

Other security features provide additional reassurance for parents. Different settings will automatically launch KidZui when the computer starts, block access to a normal web browser, or prohibit a child from exiting KidZui without a parent’s password.

Get to know KidZui on your own and make sure you understand the settings and features before allowing your child to roam freely. But once you feel comfortable, you can hand over the mouse, step back and relax!