Digital safety for the very youngest: how to explain online safety rules to children without boring lectures or bans

How to use this guide

Below, you will find four «levels». Each consists of a fairy-tale character, a mini-comic, a single rule, and a short game for the whole family. Each level takes about 10-15 minutes, so you can easily complete one per evening. This is suitable for children aged approximately 6 to 12; younger children can focus on the fairy-tale aspects, while older children might prefer to swap the fairy-tale characters for figures from games they know better than you do.

The key principle is this: you aren’t lecturing — you’re playing. Sometimes, you might even take on the role of the «villain», helping your child learn to recognize such characters.

Level 1. Little Red Riding Hood and a letter from «Grandma»: what is phishing?

The term «phishing» comes from the English word «fishing». Scammers cast a line — sending a message that appears to be genuine. Think of the wolf in the fairy tale: he didn’t break down the door; instead, he disguised himself as the grandmother and said in a familiar voice, «Come in, granddaughter».

Online, this «grandmother» could be the game’s administration, a friend whose account has supposedly been compromised, or even a store where your mother shops online.

1. A child is playing Roblox. A message pops up: «Congratulations! You’ve won 5,000 Robux. Click here and enter your password to claim it».
2. In the child’s mind, the thought arises: «Grandma, why do you have such big teeth?»
3. The child realizes the gift is suspiciously generous and the request feels overly urgent.
4. Instead of clicking the link, the child goes to an adult: «Look, I just got something strange».

• Stop. Don’t click right away.
• Look. Is the offer too generous? Are you being rushed? Are they asking for a password or a code?
• Ask. Show it to an adult.

And one more thing worth remembering at every turn: a real gift never requires a password.

The game «Wolf or Grandma?» Prepare five messages on slips of paper: three genuine ones (e.g., «A friend invites you to play a game») and two fake ones (e.g., «Get free V-Bucks — enter your password»). Read them aloud, and have your child hold up a card labeled either «Grandma» or «Wolf». Each correct answer earns a point; once they reach ten points, you can choose a movie to watch together that evening.

If you’d prefer to start with a ready-made resource, there’s a free game from Google called «Interland: Be Internet Awesome» (available in Ukrainian). It features four mini-games that teach children about various aspects of online safety. You can play it together as a warm-up before moving on to «Wolf or Grandma».

Level 2. Kolobok and the Fox: how scammers coax out passwords through flattery

Kolobok managed to escape from his grandfather, his grandmother, a hare, a wolf, and a bear. But the Fox outsmarted him without using any force at all: she simply told him how clever and wonderful he was, then asked him to come closer, claiming she was «hard of hearing».

Online scammers work in much the same way. Instead of using threats, they use flattery: «Wow, you’re such an awesome player! Want to make a trade? Just send me the code from your SMS, and I’ll give you a rare skin».

1. In an in-game chat, a stranger writes: «Whoa, you’ve got some cool gear! Want something even better?»
2. The «Fox» asks for a confirmation code that has just arrived on the child's mother’s phone.
3. The child remembers: Kolobok fell for the flattery — and met his end.
4. The child replies, «I don't share codes», and blocks the user.

The level-up rule: password is like a toothbrush

You wouldn’t lend your toothbrush to even your best friend. Similarly, no one else — not even a «game administrator» or a «friend from another class» — should ever know your password, an SMS verification code, or a message from your bank. Legitimate game support teams will never ask for such codes.

Try playing the «Fox in the chat» game. You take on the role of the Fox and write flattering messages to your child on a piece of paper, ending with a request like: «You’re the best — tell me your password!» The child’s goal is to respond in a way that ensures the Fox gets nothing. Then, swap roles: the child comes up with a way a scammer might try to «outsmart» them, and you explain why that tactic won’t work.

Level 3. The troll under the bridge: how to deal with grievances and provocations

From the fairy tale about the three billy goats, children learn about trolls who live under a bridge. A troll doesn’t necessarily want to eat a goat; rather, it enjoys watching the goat stop, get flustered, and respond. Online, trolls inhabit gaming chats, video comment sections, and group conversations. They post hurtful things — not because of who you are, but because they want to see how you react.

1. Do not respond — for a troll, arguments are like food.
2. Block the user.
3. Report them using the feature provided in the game or app.
4. Tell an adult, even if it seems like a minor issue.

When it’s no longer a troll. If the hurtful behavior happens daily, moves into private messages, includes threats, or comes from someone you know, it has crossed the line into cyberbullying. The same rule applies here as it does in real life: do not put up with it — take screenshots and show them to an adult immediately. A child must clearly understand that they have done nothing wrong, and therefore, they should not have to handle the situation on their own.

For more information on cyberbullying and other risks, check out the educational series for parents, «Online Safety for Children», available on the «Diia.Education» platform. It consists of 11 episodes, each 8-10 minutes long, designed to help parents understand which online games are safe and how children interact online.

The «Bridge» game: draw a bridge on a sheet of paper. Place cards on it, each containing a different message — for example: «You lost, loser», «Give me your password», or «Hi, let’s be friends». The child then decides where to place each card: under «Ignore and block», «Show an adult», or «Safe to reply». This is a quick way to learn the difference between messages that should be ignored and those that are serious.

Level 4. Base coordinates: what not to reveal about yourself

In Minecraft, anyone who knows the coordinates of your base can show up and destroy everything. That’s why you only share them with friends you trust.

In real life, there are «coordinates», too: your home address, school, phone number, extracurricular schedule, photos of you in your school uniform, or location data embedded in your photos. You should never reveal these to strangers — even if they seem nice.

The level-up rule: online, you are just a nickname

There’s no need to provide your full name, address, school, or age in your profiles or chats. A nickname is enough.

«Invisible nickname» exercise: Work together to come up with a nickname that doesn’t include your first name, last name, birth year, or city. Then, check it: can someone figure out who you are or where you live based on that nickname? If not, you’re all set!

Bonus: a family code word

Scammers increasingly reach out to children, posing as «Mom» or «Dad» from an unknown number — for example, by saying, «My phone’s about to die; go pick up some money at this location», or «Send me that code». To avoid any guesswork, come up with a secret code word known only to your family. It could be something funny, like «banana-rocket». If someone makes an urgent request in your name, your child should ask for the code word. If they can’t provide it, then it’s not you.

How to talk so your child will open up

The best protection online isn’t a filter or antivirus software; it’s a child who feels comfortable coming to you when a problem arises. A simple rule applies here: if they tell you, they won’t be punished.

If a child loses their tablet as a consequence for being honest, they won’t share anything with you next time. Try using different language instead:

• «Thanks for telling me. Let’s figure this out together».
• «Anyone can make a mistake — even adults. The important thing is that you came to me».
• «Show me what happened. I’m not going to scold you».

Look through stories together about adults who have also fallen victim to scammers. It’s important for your child to understand that they aren’t «the silliest person» — rather, they’ve encountered a trap designed to catch anyone.

Technical aspects: what adults can do

While stories can help a child recognize danger, it is also necessary to secure their digital environment. Here are a few practical steps you can take in an evening:

• Create separate accounts for your child configured with child-friendly settings and private profiles.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on any accounts linked to payment methods. This ensures that even if a child accidentally enters a password on a phishing site, no one can log in without your additional confirmation.
• Use parental control features. These are built into most smartphones and tablets — for example, Google Family Link for Android or «Screen Time» for Apple devices. You can find a guide for parents on using Family Link via Google’s «Online Safety for Kids» platform.
• Set up filters and schedules on your router. Many modern routers allow you to restrict access to specific websites and establish «quiet hours» during which internet access for children's devices is automatically disabled.
• Create a guest Wi-Fi network for children's gadgets and smart toys. This keeps your own work devices and personal files isolated, should any of the children's devices prove vulnerable.
• Keep software updated. Regularly update your device operating systems and router firmware; manufacturers release these updates to patch newly discovered security vulnerabilities.

Important: all of these measures rely on a stable network. We understand that for families with children, a reliable network means more than just speed — it also means peace of mind. If you would like to set up parental controls or a guest network but aren't sure where to begin, please contact the Maxnet technical support team; our specialists can guide you through the process for your specific router model.