{
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    "title" : "Tips for Creating Great Digital Content for Kids |Digital.gov",
    "description": "Tips for Creating Great Digital Content for Kids",
    "home_page_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/","feed_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/06/17/tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids/index.json","item" : [
    {"title" :"Tips for Creating Great Digital Content for Kids","summary" : "Great websites for kids have many of the same features as websites for adults, but some key differences are worth noting when writing digital content for kids or teens. Kids have short attention spans, so it’s important to keep your site engaging, fun,","date" : "2013-06-17T10:24:36-04:00","date_modified" : "2025-01-27T19:42:55-05:00","authors" : {"arlene-hernandez" : "Arlene Hernandez","emily-canis" : "Emily Canis","jill-james" : "Jill James"},"topics" : {
        
            "content-strategy" : "Content strategy",
            "customer-experience" : "Customer experience",
            "innovation" : "Innovation",
            "user-experience" : "User experience"
            },"branch" : "bc-archive-content-3",
      "filename" :"2013-06-17-tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids.md",
      
      "filepath" :"news/2013/06/2013-06-17-tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids.md",
      "filepathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/blob/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2013/06/2013-06-17-tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids.md",
      "editpathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/edit/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2013/06/2013-06-17-tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids.md","slug" : "tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids","url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/06/17/tips-for-creating-great-digital-content-for-kids/","content" :"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2013/06/kids-with-computer.jpg\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"image\"\u003e\n  \u003cimg\n    src=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2013/06/kids-with-computer-250x250.jpg\"\n    alt=\"Two young girls working on a laptop in the classroom\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/a\u003eGreat websites for kids have many of the same features as websites for adults, but some key differences are worth noting when writing digital content for kids or teens. Kids have short attention spans, so it’s important to keep your site engaging, fun, and active. Here are a few tips from \u003ca href=\"http://kids.usa.gov/\"\u003eKids.gov\u003c/a\u003e on ways to create great online content for kids:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"make-your-kids8217-website-fun-and-interactive\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake your kids’ website fun and interactive\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen your site is interactive, kids don’t even realize that they’re learning. Interactive pages lead kids to think of the site as a game, rather than a traditional or educational site that they might find less interesting. Keep the fun level up, and your page visits will go up!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/youarehere/site.html#/west-terrace\"\u003eYou Are Here\u003c/a\u003e (FTC)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.peacecorps.gov/kids/\"\u003ePeace Corps Challenge\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"use-similar-settings-themes-and-colors-across-the-site\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse similar settings, themes, and colors across the site\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy keeping the settings and theme similar across the site, you help create a site that kids find easy to use because each page looks familiar. Bright and vibrant colors will draw kids into the website.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html\"\u003eNASA Kids Club\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://girlshealth.gov/\"\u003eGirlsHealth.gov\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"make-navigation-paths-clear-and-use-simple-labels\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake navigation paths clear and use simple labels\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChildren’s language and cognitive skills are less developed than in adults. So websites built for kids should have obvious and easy-to-follow navigation paths that don’t require many clicks to get to where they’re trying to go. After one wrong turn, kids will give up fast and leave.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWrite labels in plain, easy-to-understand language.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/\"\u003eKids in the House\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/index.htm\"\u003eNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) for Kids\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"use-larger-fonts-less-formal-fonts-and-less-text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse larger fonts, less formal fonts, and less text\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as kids are drawn to images, they’re also more likely to be engaged on a website when the pages use large and fun, kid-friendly fonts. These types of fonts can engage kids as much as images do because kids find these types of fonts more interesting than standard fonts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExample:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index\"\u003eEnergy Star for Kids\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"use-graphics-and-thumbnail-images-as-appropriate-to-make-pages-easy-to-scan\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse graphics and thumbnail images, as appropriate, to make pages easy to scan\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like adults, kids lose interest in text (even more so than adults do). To avoid losing their interest, it’s important to include pictures and graphics that add to the meat of your content, including easy-to-understand infographics or comics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kids.usa.gov/\"\u003eKids.gov\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.eia.gov/kids/\"\u003eEnergy Kids\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"know-your-audienceyounger-kids-or-older-kids\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnow your audience—younger kids or older kids?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYounger kids (Grades K-3):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre more visual learners compared to adults or older kids; they tend to look at images rather than text\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLook for games and items that can be printed out\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFocus on fun and trying things out; they like to just keep clicking until they “get it”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOlder kids (Grades 4-8):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre visual learners too, but will scan text\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLook for games, puzzles, polls\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeek challenges (for example, getting to the next level)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFocus on being social (polls, comments)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrefer a separate area for learning or a “homework zone”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/index.html\"\u003eBen’s Guide\u003c/a\u003e (younger kids)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/index.html\"\u003eNASA Grades 5-8\u003c/a\u003e (older kids)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"maybe-an-app-instead\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaybe an app instead?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lot of kids and teens these days know how to navigate mobile devices better than their parents. Especially with teens, apps are popular alternatives to a traditional website. If you have interactive tools, a game, or an event to promote, an app may be your best route at reaching a younger population.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExample:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://apps.usa.gov/smokey-bear.shtml\"\u003eSmokey Bear\u003c/a\u003e (Forest Service)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://apps.usa.gov/cometquest.shtml\"\u003eComet Quest\u003c/a\u003e (NASA)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"are-federal-agency-websites-required-to-post-kids8217-pages\"\u003eAre federal agency websites required to post kids’ pages?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1997 President Bill Clinton issued a memo on \u003ca href=\"http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/New/NetDay/memorandum.html\"\u003eExpanding Access to Internet-Based Educational Resources for Children, Teachers, and Parents\u003c/a\u003e. The memo directed federal agencies to develop and share online educational resources for students, teachers, and parents. Creating an agency kids’ page would be one way to fulfill this requirement, and could be considered a best practice, but there are other ways to present resources for young audiences—like a portal for teachers and parents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response to the memo, the Department of Education chaired an \u003ca href=\"http://www2.ed.gov/free/toolkit/about.html\"\u003einteragency working group for education\u003c/a\u003e. As a result of the working group’s activities and recommendations:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFederal agencies developed more digital materials for teachers and students.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Department of Education developed \u003ca href=\"http://www.free.ed.gov/template.cfm?template=About%20FREE\"\u003eFederal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)\u003c/a\u003e as a portal for educational resources hosted or sponsored by federal agencies.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe working group created a \u003ca href=\"http://www2.ed.gov/free/toolkit/index.html\"\u003etoolkit with tips and lessons learned\u003c/a\u003e to aid other government agencies and organizations in the development of their online content for children and teens.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nngroup.com/articles/childrens-websites-usability-issues/\"\u003eChildren’s Websites: Usability Issues in Designing for Kids\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kids.usa.gov/\"\u003eKids.gov\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://free.ed.gov/\"\u003eFederal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis article was written by Arlene Hernandez and Emily Canis, Kids.gov, and Jill James, Ed.gov, based on usability testing conducted by Cari Wolfson and Kristina Schall for Kids.gov (March 2011).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"}
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