Whether tidying up, dancing or in the car – music accompanies many families in everyday life. Children often discover music with their whole body: they listen carefully, sing along, move, clap and try out sounds.
Digital offerings can be a great addition: they help you get to know new songs and instruments or get creative yourself. Even if you don’t play an instrument yourself or don’t feel particularly musical: You can still accompany your child in their musical discovery. You don’t have to sing “properly” or play music perfectly. It is enough to enjoy sounds, songs and movement together.
Children’s song videos invite you to sing and dance together and discover new favorite songs. Children’s songs on YouTube are already suitable for younger children. If you want to search for and play songs there, it’s best to use YouTube Kids. There are no advertisements before or during the videos and it is easier to find suitable content for children.
On the channel Children’s Songs with Bobby there are music videos with the llama Bobby. The colorful animated cartoons are particularly appealing to small children. The songs can also be found on the website kinderlieder-mit-bobby.de, where they are sorted into categories such as Christmas songs, music mixes and lullabies.
The channel Kinderlieder zum Mitsingen und Bewegen lives up to its name: Here, families can find a large selection of different playlists full of well-known and new children’s songs where children and adults can sing, dance and join in together.
Classical music can also be discovered in a playful way for children, with digital offers that invite them to listen, try out and join in.
Children can learn a lot about instruments and classical music on the Junge Klassik website. The site has a colorful and playful design. Conducting an orchestra, finding sound pairs, getting to know sounds – even adults are sure to discover something new.
The WDR sound box is a fun way to explore the world of music. The site is designed as a web app and therefore also works well on smartphones. There are rhythm and sound games, concert videos and many other offers. The sound box is particularly suitable for slightly older children who not only want to listen to music, but also understand and try it out.
At first glance, operas seem more like something for adults. With the Opera Maker app children immerse themselves in the world of opera, invent their own stories and set them to music. The accompanying website shows what this can look like.
The children’s website Afrika-Junior provides insights into the musical worlds of different regions of Africa. Children can listen to popular children’s songs, watch video clips and test their knowledge in a quiz on African music.
The very simply designed website Surakinder offers a musical and picture-rich world of experience for children. Behind every field is beautiful music, dancing flowers, fairy tale characters and much more. The offer is also available on YouTube.
At Auditorix, everything revolves around music, listening and DIY. Children can discover music, develop their own ideas and even learn how to build instruments. The music box contains royalty-free music, for example for your own radio play projects.
With digital music tools, children can try out sounds, invent their own rhythms and create their first little songs.
On the interactive Chrome Music Lab website, children can experiment with different rhythms and melodies and create their own little songs. There are 14 music tools available for this purpose. The site is free of charge and can be used without registration.
The GarageBand app is pre-installed on Apple devices free of charge. It offers many virtual instruments with which children can compose their own songs. The microphone can also be used to record your own voice or real instruments.
Creating your own songs from beats and music tracks is possible with the Groovepad app. Short lessons make it easy to get started. The basic version is free, but only offers limited functions. The premium version costs 14.99 euros per month or 47.99 euros per year.
Apps such as Mini Piano Lite or RealDrum: Playing drums make it possible to try out instruments virtually. They don’t replace real instruments, but they do provide an initial playful approach. They can often be used to accompany simple songs or create your own recordings.
Replying to a message, scrolling through social media or looking something up – for many parents, the smartphone is a natural part of everyday life. At the same time, many ask themselves: Is my baby getting too little attention as a result? The important thing to remember is that it’s not about perfection, but about conscious use.
In the first few months of life, your baby learns primarily through interaction with you. Eye contact, voice, facial expressions and your reactions help him to understand the world and feel safe. When you respond to your baby’s signals, it experiences: “I am seen and understood.” This happens in many small everyday moments when feeding, changing, carrying or playing. Babies do not need constant entertainment. Short moments of shared attention are often enough.
If you frequently look at your smartphone, shared moments can be interrupted:
This usually happens unconsciously. Babies cannot yet understand why the shared moment suddenly ends. When adults look at their smartphones, their facial expressions and reactions are often less attentive and attuned. Frequent interruptions can unsettle babies, especially if they occur regularly.
The smartphone does not have to disappear completely from everyday family life. Short periods of cell phone use are normal and generally unproblematic. Especially with a baby, many parents use their smartphone to keep in touch with other adults, search for information or switch off briefly. Stressful days, distractions and interruptions are also part of everyday life with children. Parents don’t have to be constantly available or attentive. It is crucial that there are always conscious moments of closeness and attention.
Even babies experience the place that smartphones and other media play in everyday family life. When screens are constantly present, this quickly becomes the norm. This makes it all the more important to consciously organize times together without media.
If you notice that your smartphone often distracts you or that you feel less connected in everyday life, small changes can help. Fixed moments without a smartphone are often enough to experience time together more consciously.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
Violent videos, inappropriate content or advertising: many parents worry about what their child could come into contact with in digital media. This often results in the desire to keep children away from smartphones, tablets or televisions for as long as possible. However, as digital media is present in many areas of life today, contact with it can hardly be avoided.
Many parents want their children to grow up without digital media for as long as possible. This is often based on the desire for a carefree childhood with lots of exercise, free play and direct contact with other people.
The development of basic skills is particularly important for young children: learning to speak, discovering the world around them, building relationships and gaining their own experiences. Some parents therefore fear that digital media could take up too much space in everyday life too early. Concerns about unsuitable content, advertising or excessive screen time also play a role.
Children experience at an early age that smartphones, tablets and televisions are taken for granted by adults. They see how messages are read, videos are watched and photos are sent. Children also encounter media outside the family with friends, relatives or later at nursery and school. By primary school age at the latest, digital media becomes a part of everyday life for many children. Children are curious and want to understand what is happening on screens. Especially when media is so present in their environment.
When parents try to ban media completely, it is precisely this ban that makes media particularly appealing to children. Furthermore, children only learn how to use media safely if they can gain experience. This is because media literacy does not come automatically, it develops step by step. Children have to learn to understand content, ask questions and categorize experiences. Discussions with parents play an important role in this. This is why many media education concepts do not aim to shield children completely, but to accompany them during their first media experiences.
For younger children in particular, it makes sense to use media together at first. Parents can select suitable content and explain what is happening on the screen. This creates shared media experiences that can be categorized and discussed.
This allows children to learn about media in a protected environment. Questions can be clarified directly and parents can react if children do not understand something or are frightened by content. It is not about trying out as many media offerings as possible. A small amount of age-appropriate content that is of interest to children and that they can understand is often sufficient. At the same time, other activities remain central: play, exercise, creative activities and conversations with family and friends. In addition to videos or games, children can also use media creatively, for example by taking photos or recording short stories.
Today, media is part of everyday life for many families. At the same time, this does not mean that it has to play a major role in family life.
For many families, a simple orientation helps:
In this way, children learn step by step to understand and use digital media responsibly.
Children and young people are online every day – in class chats, playing games or on social media. They need guidance and support in their everyday lives so that they can navigate safely. Laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation or youth media protection regulations create important framework conditions. However, it is also crucial that children learn to use media safely and consciously. You will find many articles on our website to help you with this.
How much media time makes sense? What rules help in everyday life? And when does it make sense to have your own smartphone?
You can make clear agreements together and gradually give your child more responsibility. Your own behavior is also important here: Children are strongly influenced by how adults use media. Therefore, use media together as much as possible: watch content together, play games together or talk about it.
Personal data is quickly visible online. Many apps automatically collect information, even from children. This makes it all the more important to check the privacy settings together and handle data consciously. In the articles, you will find out which settings are important, where typical risks lie and how you can help your child to protect their data.
Children and young people can be confronted with stressful situations online, such as insults, false information or unwanted contact. The articles show how you can strengthen your child, recognize signals and react correctly in an emergency. Above all, it is important that your child knows that they can turn to you at any time.
Not all online content is suitable for children, especially on video platforms and social networks. Age ratings and technical protection measures can help, but are no substitute for guidance in everyday life. The articles will help you to better assess content and find a suitable approach together with your child.
A large proportion of media use takes place via messengers, social networks and online games. This can quickly lead to misunderstandings, conflicts or unpleasant situations. The articles show how communication works online and how you can help your child to act respectfully and safely.
AI chatbots, personalized content and new platform functions are now part of everyday life for many children and young people. The articles explain how AI works, where the opportunities lie and which risks you should keep an eye on.
This selection is an introduction. You can find many more articles on apps, games, social media and current trends on our website.
The Toniebox can be found in many children’s rooms and makes it possible to play radio plays and music independently. The Toniebox 2 adds new functions: Content becomes more interactive and invites children to join in.
The Toniebox is an audio system that has been specially developed for children. Content is not selected via a menu, but controlled by figures. When a Tonie is placed on the box, a story, music or radio play starts automatically. The Toniebox is one of the audio boxes for children.
There are Tonies with ready-made content, such as figures or audio books, as well as creative Tonies that can be played with your own recordings. These are uploaded and saved via the Toniecloud. The box is deliberately easy to use: you can fast-forward or rewind by tilting it, tap it to skip between chapters and adjust the volume using the ‘ears’.
The Toniebox 2 adds additional functions. Content becomes more interactive via “Tonieplay”. Children not only listen, but are encouraged to join in, for example through small tasks, speaking along or movement.
Once set up via WLAN, the Toniebox can also be used without an Internet connection.
The Toniebox is designed so that even younger children can operate it themselves. No prior reading skills or technical knowledge are required. This helps children to use the Toniebox independently.
The figures play an important role: children recognize familiar characters, collect Tonies and build up an emotional bond. There are stories, songs and knowledge content for different age groups.
With functions such as Tonieplay, children are also involved. They are not just listeners, but part of the story. Creative Tonies offer the opportunity to create your own content. For example, children can listen to stories from familiar people or record something themselves.
The Toniebox is a comparatively secure service without open Internet communication. There are therefore no classic online risks such as contact with strangers.
However, points can still be relevant in everyday life:
The provider describes the Toniebox as robust and child-friendly. The operation has been specially developed for children. According to the provider, the Toniecloud is subject to data protection standards in accordance with European law. Own content and accounts can be deleted. Functions such as Tonieplay add interactive content to the range.
The Toniebox is a good introduction to media use as it does not require a screen. It is particularly useful to accompany your child at the beginning. Pay attention to suitable content and listen in occasionally.
Provide guidance on when and for how long the Toniebox is used in everyday life and pay attention to how your child uses it.
Use creative Tonies together. Your own recordings, such as stories or songs, make the Toniebox more personal. Listening together can encourage interaction, especially with younger children.
Keep an eye on the costs. In addition to the box, you will have to pay for other figures. A tip: clay figures can often be borrowed from libraries.
A cute photo of the family party in the WhatsApp status or on platforms such as Instagram is a matter of course for many. For parents, it can be uncomfortable when pictures of their own child are shared without consultation. This is not about forbidding others to do something, but about protecting your own child’s privacy.
Photos of children are personal data. Once shared online, they are almost impossible to control or delete completely. Images can be saved, distributed via screenshots or simply forwarded. You often don’t realize this. The more people can see a photo, for example via status functions or public profiles, the greater the risk of it being passed on. Children’s pictures can be misused or forwarded.
Children have a right to privacy and to have a say in what is shown of them. They also have a right to their own image, which is why photos should not be shared without consent. At the same time, they are often not yet able to assess the consequences. Every time a photo is shared, a digital image of your child is created that they can no longer control themselves. It becomes particularly sensitive when photos are published together with names, place of residence or other personal information. If other children can be seen in the photo, parental consent should also be obtained. Many relatives or acquaintances mean well. They want to share beautiful moments or express their joy. This is precisely why respectful treatment is important.
Many conflicts can be avoided if expectations are clarified at an early stage:
It is important that your attitude is understandable, without accusations.
Some react with surprise or feel criticized. It helps to calmly explain why the topic is important to you:
A change of perspective can help. Would you want such photos of yourself to be seen on the Internet?
Despite agreements, it can happen that photos are shared. It then makes sense to react promptly:
In many cases, the problem can be resolved in a personal conversation.
The older children get, the more important their own opinion is. Ask your child whether they agree with a photo. From primary school age, many children are already able to decide whether a picture of them can be shared. This teaches your child to think about their own privacy and set boundaries.
Also pay attention to your own behavior. Ask your child and other parents before you share photos. This will show you what respectful behavior can look like.
If agreements are repeatedly ignored or conflicts arise, remain calm and clear in your stance. Raise the issue again and look for solutions together. In some cases, it makes sense to bring in outside support to clarify the situation.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
Lovely animations, child-friendly illustrations and interactive elements: there are a variety of educational and creative apps that have been specially developed for young children. They impart initial knowledge, promote basic skills such as understanding letters and quantities or encourage children to think with puzzles and small riddles. The playful design makes learning fun and an age-appropriate app can motivate children to try things out and express themselves creatively. We present apps that are particularly suitable for beginners – for two to five-year-olds, for example.
The app for the show with the elephant offers numerous games for drawing, puzzles, programming, avoiding obstacles, hiding and scratching out a treasure chest, in addition to programs and funny stories. The elephant alarm clock can be used to set the duration of the game.
Operating systems: iOS, Android, Amazon
Costs: free of charge
In the app for the children’s series, children can play with the Sandman and his friends, do puzzles, color pictures, dress up characters, record their own short stories and discover little adventures. The media library offers videos and audio stories from the Sandman’s world, including the daily bedtime episode, which can contribute to the evening routine.
Operating systems: iOS, Android
Costs: free of charge
Paint and compose – at the same time. Choose a motif and a color palette and you can paint colorful pictures and make music with colors and shapes. An overall picture is created from lines, waves and circles. The app promotes the perception of the connection between sound, color and form.
Operating system: iOS
Cost: 2,99 €
The app contains interactive rhymes based on the well-known picture books. The children accompany the little owl through several rhyming stories – for example, when she is looking for help with a bump on her head, can’t fall asleep at night or is preparing a birthday party with her friends.
Operating system: Android, iOS
Cost: €3.99 (Android), €4.99 (iOS)
A read-aloud story in rhyme about a snail in search of itself. She meets lots of animals on her journey. The calm and appealing design of the app stands out from many current apps.
Operating system: iOS
Cost: 1,99 €
The app gives an insight into everyday life at the fire department and shows typical operations in a playful way. Children learn how to behave correctly in the event of a fire. The self-explanatory and predominantly wordless tasks, which even young children can master, are particularly noteworthy.
Operating systems: iOS, Android
Costs: free of charge
Select vehicles, hear their names and discover their characteristics. There are three types of game to get to know the vehicles: a puzzle, a game of spin and a game of patience with different levels of difficulty. It should be emphasized that the app does not include a reward system.
Operating system: iOS
Cost: 1,99 €
Edurino is a digital play and learning system consisting of an app, haptic figures and an ergonomic triangular pen. With the help of animal figures, children can immerse themselves in different learning worlds, such as arithmetic, feelings or concentration. Operation is very intuitive, the tasks are designed to be playful and gradually increase in difficulty. Edurino can also be used offline. The range on offer is varied and educationally valuable – but that comes at a price. It’s worth taking a look at your local library to try it out. Edurino is officially recommended from the age of four, but depending on the child, it can be started a little earlier.
Operating systems: Android, iOS, Amazon
Cost: starter sets from €49.98, per figure €24.99
Children learn primarily through their own discovery and experimentation. Digital learning and creative offerings can usefully accompany this process and strengthen both cognitive and creative skills. It is crucial that an app suits your child’s individual stage of development – you are the best person to assess this.
At best, good children’s apps do not contain any advertising or in-app purchases. In this article, we describe what else makes a good app for children. For your search, we recommend the app tips from Stiftung Lesen, SIN – Studio im Netz or Spieleratgeber NRW. You don’t need a large number of apps for your child. It’s better to concentrate on a few high-quality apps that meet your child’s needs and interests.
That is important:
The smell of cookies, shopping stress, shining children’s eyes: the holidays are approaching and digital devices and games are on the wish lists of many children and young people. What should parents consider before and after giving a gift? Between the years and during the vacations, there is also time for shared family media experiences. How can this be designed in a safe, age-appropriate and even creative way? In this article, we give you an overview of offers from the Elternguide.online partner network.
The Christmas vacations can be long, especially when the weather outside doesn’t really invite you to play. If you have devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras or a laptop at home – how about you and your child just get started? You can take photos or film together, try out new creative apps and actively organize media time. It’s great fun and your child will also learn something about media skills along the way.
On the website kinder.jff.de there are suggestions for simple media projects that children aged 3 and over can do at home with the support of you as parents. This is helped by child-friendly video instructions in which the implementation of the media projects is shown step by step. How about a photo memory with Christmas tree decorations or an audio story about Christmas traditions?
knipsclub offers a safe environment for young photo fans between the ages of 8 and 12 to try out their skills in a closed and pedagogically supervised photo community and exchange photos with each other. On the website you will find creative photo tips, for example on painting with light. A real eye-catcher, especially on New Year’s Eve!
You are probably familiar with challenges from social media, e.g. dance challenges on TikTok. Children and young people love to take on challenges. Challenges don’t necessarily only have to take place on the Internet, you can also play them at home with your family! Why not try out the top photo challenge, the clip challenge or the re-enactment challenge? We have made a few suggestions in our parents’ guide article. You can find more Advent challenges on the website of the JFF project webhelm.de.
Children have many questions and learn early on that their questions will be answered on the Internet. How is Christmas celebrated in other countries? What craft tips and baking recipes are there for Christmas? The children’s search engine fragFINN offers children access to around 3,400 verified websites, including almost 400 children’s sites. Primary school children can gain their first Internet experience here in a protected surfing room and learn how to use search engines and search results. In the fragFINN Advent calendar, children can open a little door every day, behind which are links to other children’s sites with a wide range of information and offers suitable for the winter season. You can find more playful learning pages in this parents’ guide article.
Your child probably also likes watching videos and going to the movies. A TV evening together can be a really nice family experience. Pay attention to the FSK age rating to protect your child from unsuitable content. But be careful: FSK ratings are not educational recommendations. If you are looking for suitable films, series or YouTube clips for your child, take a look at FLIMMO. The educational ratings and descriptions will help you make the right choice. Under the special “Highlights in Advent” you will find winter movie tips from the Grüffelokind to the Grinch to the Polar Express. In this article, FLIMMO explains what you need to bear in mind when adding media to your wish list. You can find everything you need to know about the protection of minors at the movies in this parents’ guide article.
Parents must decide individually when their child is ready for their first smartphone, depending on their level of development and experience. After all, a smartphone theoretically opens up the whole world of the Internet to your child, with all its opportunities and risks. klicksafe offers comprehensive information for parents. Use the smartphone readiness checklist to check whether a smartphone is ready to go under the Christmas tree. Has the decision been positive? Then find out about the technical setting options and set up your smartphone to be childproof. You can find all information material from klicksafe in this topic special.
Would you like to prepare your child for the first smartphone under the Christmas tree? Child-friendly information on the first smartphone is available in the children’s magazine Genial Digital from Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk. The fragFINN app gives your child a protected surfing space on their first smartphone and gives them access to quality, positive content.
Are you considering buying a smartwatch as an alternative? Then take a look at this topic from klicksafe. Please note: technical protective measures are no substitute for family discussions and media rules. Stay in contact with your child and accompany them as they take their first steps with a smartwatch or smartphone.
In addition to discussions and media rules, technical youth media protection is an important component of media education. Use the screen time and digital wellbeing settings on smartphones to set time limits for the entire device or for different apps and to filter content. The parental control program JusProg offers a precise filtering option for websites and safe default settings for mobile devices and laptops. Google Family Link and YouTube Kids offer the opportunity to make media experiences safer for your child in the world of the internet giant Google. Social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok also offer safety features and parental guidance options. Streaming with the family can be a fun activity during the vacations. Almost all streaming services have certified offers for the protection of minors. Use your own child profiles and the parental control function with the PIN. Many of the youth protection programs have been approved by the expert commission of the Voluntary Self-Regulation of Multimedia Service Providers (FSM). You can find out more about technical solutions for the protection of minors in the media on the FSM website.
Detailed instructions for all devices can be found on the website medien-kindersicher.de.
Which games should I give my child for Christmas? Are games okay for preschoolers? In the family section of the USK website and via the USK brochures, you will find all the information you need on the USK’s age ratings, the additional information and how to deal with the subject of games in the family.
The USK mark indicates the age at which a game does not cause any developmental impairments. The additional information such as “fantasy violence” or “pressure to act” gives parents a good indication of whether a game is suitable for their own child. Educational assessments of games can be found at the NRW games guide. Descriptions of popular games like Fortnite, Minecraft or Roblox are available on Elternguide.online. The USK lexicon explains the most important terms, devices and genres.
Would you like to make your child happy with a game for Christmas? Find out about the distribution channels for games and technical precautionary measures. Various settings for the protection of minors can be made on consoles as well as in game stores and the games themselves. Play together with your child and ask them interesting questions about their favorite games.
The team at Elternguide.online wishes you and your family a wonderful Christmas season and lots of fun using media safely and creatively!
Every day we experience unforgettable moments with our children: their first steps, the costume party with their best friends or their first trip to the zoo. Of course, we want to capture them and share them with others.
We should be aware of the way in which photos of our children are circulating on the internet – whether on WhatsApp, Instagram or elsewhere online. After all, children also have a right to privacy and should be able to participate in decisions about what and how much of them can be seen on the internet, in line with their age.
Those who like to post photos of their loved ones should make sure that the face, surroundings and names are not clearly recognizable. We have collected a few creative ideas to still get beautiful and impressive photos:
Photothek/Thomas Trutsche
Be creative about the camera’s angle of view. A child’s photo from behind, above or below can also be adorable!
If you change the perspective, it can emphasize the image effect. Often it is enough to stand on a stair step or a kitchen chair. However, make sure that your child’s face is not recognizable.
If you go down to the child’s eye level, the background looks much more exciting and viewers get the feeling of seeing the world from the child’s point of view.
Photothek/Ute Grabowsky
Sometimes we get so busy trying to get everything in one picture at once that we overlook the little things altogether. Details can also tell a story and have an emotional impact.
Photothek/Ute Grabowsky
Interesting and creative photos can also be taken by photographing through other objects (e.g. leaves or fabrics) or working with water reflections. This can result in great puddle photos, for example, and the little ones have fun too!
Photothek/Ute Grabowsky
When you work with light and shadow, some photos look mysterious and exciting and others very artistic. Their advantage is that only silhouettes and no faces are visible.
Photo library
You may have seen photos of children in which their faces have been covered with emojis afterwards. If you already remember when taking the photo that you don’t want children’s faces to be seen, you can cover them up in another way. Sometimes such photos are not intended at all and look natural, for example, when the child just holds his hands or an object in front of his face – as in our example.
Photothek/Thomas Trutschel
Things can also tell stories, especially when you realize they have a connection to a person – like the shoes in our example photo.
Some of the effects mentioned can also be achieved by post-processing photos. For example, you can work with high contrasts and strong backlighting or play with depth of field. When creating a photo collage, images are sometimes displayed so small that the faces are no longer recognizable.
Involve your child as early as possible. Many children are used to being photographed. And looking at photos together on the smartphone is part of everyday family life for many. It is therefore a good idea to talk about the publication of photos on the internet at an early stage in a way that is appropriate for children. You can talk to children from primary school age about what the internet is and what it means when photos are published online.
Whether and how much you or your child reveal about yourself on the Internet is up to you. Above all, it is important to deal with the topic. Both parents and children should be aware of the possible consequences of publishing pictures of themselves and others on the Internet. Our article on children’s photos on the internet can serve as a stimulus for a joint discussion.
You are reading a story to your child and suddenly the phone beeps to announce a new WhatsApp message. What do you do? Do you automatically reach for your smartphone or do you read the message later when the child is asleep?
Such situations probably exist in every family. When the little son then reaches for the smartphone, it is said: “That’s not for you yet!”.
Be aware that parents and also other adults have an important role model function for children. Children experience how you, as their closest caregivers, deal with digital media and orient themselves to this. This is how children learn how the world works and how to behave in certain situations. Your behavior therefore has a major impact on how your child uses media themselves. By actively setting an example of what good media use can look like, you help your child learn to use smartphones and the like independently, sensibly and consciously.
Especially for younger children, parents are number one. It is particularly important for babies and toddlers to recognize your attention through direct eye contact and to establish a good bond. When dad is constantly looking at his smartphone, it’s not possible. Children, even at a young age, notice this. The older children get, the more they emulate you. In toddlerhood, they reach for daddy’s smartphone or speak into a brick that has a similar shape. They realize early on how important this device is for adults or older siblings.
Create a good basis for a reflective approach to media right from the start. Keep the smartphone on silent in your pocket when you play with your child, so that they don’t get the impression that the smartphone is always more important. Later, your child may behave the same way. If it does get pulled out, explain to your child why.
There are certainly moments when the smartphone is needed to take a nice photo of your offspring. Capture beautiful moments with the camera! But think about how often that has to be. After all, your child would rather look you in the eye than constantly at the smartphone in front of your face.
Spending time together with media is also part of family life. Introduce your child to media slowly and choose age-appropriate content. However, such media experiences should always alternate with media-free times.
In all of this, be aware of your role as a role model!
New parents and relatives are often particularly proud of their new addition and often want to share their happiness with the whole world. But don’t lose sight of your baby’s personal rights. Answering the following questions will help you decide how to handle photos of your child.
Your child will only learn over time what photos are – and even later what it means when images are shared online. Therefore, for the time being, you have to make the decision on how it should look like in photos and who is allowed to see certain images. Before you forward, share or post a photo of your child that you find funny, for example, you should therefore consider whether you would have liked it if your parents had shared such a picture of you.
Children should always be seen clothed in photos and not in a ridiculous or even embarrassing situation. If other children are visible in the photo, you must obtain the consent of their parents or legal guardians.
Photos of children can also be beautiful without them being clearly recognizable, for example if they are photographed from behind or only a section is visible. You can find more tips on how you can take and distribute beautiful children’s photos in a creative way without infringing personal rights in our article Creative children’s photos.
Also, think about the channels through which photos are distributed. If you share an image on WhatsApp, for example, it can be forwarded easily and unnoticed – and possibly fall into the hands of others. Then you don’t know what will happen to it.
To avoid this, there are often various setting options in apps or on platforms that restrict visibility or the group of recipients. Also regularly check your own privacy and security settings! Avoid posting a photo of your child in combination with exact data such as name or place of residence.
It’s perfectly normal to want to capture beautiful moments with your child and share them with others. But not every photo has to be shared or published on the internet. It can be just as nice to show the pictures at a family celebration and enjoy them together. Discuss with family, friends, babysitters etc. how you would like photos of your child to be handled. (You can find suggestions on this from the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk, for example.) Because once photos have been shared via WhatsApp or other messengers, they can easily be forwarded unnoticed.
Tip: With messenger apps such as Signal or Telegram, photos are not automatically saved in the recipient’s photo gallery!
Discuss this with the other parent or guardian. But children also have a right to co-determination, privacy and to decide what happens to pictures of them. That’s why you should involve your child as early as possible. If it is still very young, you can ask if it likes itself in the photo before forwarding it. From kindergarten age, you should ask more precisely, e.g. whether grandma and grandpa are also allowed to see and have a picture. Respect your child’s decision, even if it does not correspond to your opinion. Further information on the distribution of children’s photos online can be found in the brochure “Sharing is not Caring” from the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk.
The Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK) is the voluntary self-regulation body of the games industry. It is responsible for age rating reviews of digital games in Germany.
The USK is recognized as the responsible self-regulatory body under both the German Federal Youth Protection Act and the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media of the Federal States. In the area of the German Youth Protection Act, state representatives issue the statutory age ratings at the end of a USK procedure on the recommendation of independent youth protection experts. The USK also assigns age ratings for online games and apps.
The USK also supports companies from the games industry in complying with and further developing the protection of minors – for example through technical protection measures. It is also committed to media education, for example with offers such as elternguide.online and other information formats.
The games submitted for USK review are played through in their entirety by trained volunteer reviewers and then presented to an independent review panel. The review panel consists of four youth protection experts and one permanent representative of the supreme state youth authorities (OLJB). The youth protection experts come from academia, media education, church institutions and youth facilities, and have experience in working with media and with children and young people. After extensive discussion, the youth protection experts recommend an age rating. The OLJB Permanent Representative may adopt or appeal this age release. Subsequently, the USK receives the test result and communicates it to the applicants. If they also do not appeal, triggering a new review, the game will receive the legal age rating by the OLJB’s Permanent Representation to the USK.
In the online sector, the USK assigns age ratings within the framework of the international system IARC (International Age Rating Coalition). This is an association of the various organizations responsible for age rating worldwide, such as ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) in the USA, Mexico and Canada, PEGI (Pan European Game Information) in Europe, ClassInd (Classificação Indicativa) in Brazil, GRAC (Game Rating and Administration Committee) in South Korea, DGSC (Digital Games Self-regulation Committee) in Taiwan, ACB (Australian Classification Board) in Australia and the USK in Germany.
At IARC, the providers of online games and apps go through a detailed questionnaire on content relevant to the protection of minors. An age rating is then issued from the respective entries according to the specifications and criteria of the respective national self-regulation (for Germany, the USK). Regular random quality checks ensure that these age labels are reliable and correct. In all distribution platforms connected to this system, age ratings from the USK are thus available. The connected systems include the Google Playstore, the Nintendo eShop, the Xbox Store, the Sony PlayStation Store and Fortnite.
There are set criteria for the age rating of digital games. These guiding criteria support the review bodies in assessing the risk of games that are not age-appropriate for children and young people and help in the decision-making process. They are adopted and adapted by the USK Advisory Board, which is made up of various social groups. The Advisory Board is made up of representatives from churches and religious communities, media education, the Federal Ministry for Youth, the youth ministries of the federal states, the Federal Centre for Child and Youth Media Protection (BzKJ), youth organizations and the computer games industry, as well as representatives of USK members and youth protection experts.
The focus of the review is the presumption of impact, i.e. the assumption that certain content could impair or even endanger the development of children and young people. These include criteria such as the atmosphere in the game, violence or pressure to act. Since 2023, so-called “usage risks”, for example functions such as chats, in-game purchases or location sharing, have also been taken into account in the review under youth protection law and can have an influence on the age rating. More information about the USK’s guiding criteria can be found on the USK’s website.
The age ratings awarded are USK 0 (released without age restriction), USK 6, USK 12, USK 16 and USK 18 (no youth rating).
Since January 2023, the USK age rating labels have included additional information on the reasons for the age rating and the online functions available in the game. This allows parents to see at a glance which reasons have led to the label (e.g. “comic violence” or “pressure to act”) and which risks should be kept in mind when using media (e.g. “chats”, “in-game purchases” or “location sharing”). The notices can be found on the back of the game packaging, on the corresponding online platforms and in the USK title database.
In Germany, the Basic Law (Article 6) allows parents to decide for themselves what media content they make available to their child. However, parents should only give or allow their children to play digital games that are safe for the child’s age. The USK age ratings are a helpful guide. If parents also want to know whether a game is educationally suitable, they can find relevant information on many recommendation pages. An educational assessment on digital games is provided, for example, by the NRW Game Guide, which is funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Kids photos are great! They show without big words how colorful, funny, exciting and chaotic everyday life with children can be. Thanks to smartphones, beautiful moments can be captured easily and quickly and shared with family and friends. In a few seconds, the cute snapshot of your baby with the first porridge on her face is over Instagram and WhatsApp shared.
What parents find cute and share with the world can have quite unpleasant consequences for children (later on). Even if you as a parent like all the photos of your child, put yourself in your child’s shoes! You probably don’t like yourself in every photo either. Froma children’s rights perspective, photos of children on the Internet are questionable, because too often they are posted without their consent. Just like adults, children have a right to privacy (Art. 16, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) and the right to their own image, and thus the freedom to decide for themselves in principle what and how much they reveal about themselves.
Do not underestimate the fact that information and images are quickly spread online and can be found easily and indefinitely. Although a photo is deleted from a profile, post, story, status or blog, the images can continue to circulate. Others can copy them, take a screenshot, distort them and distribute them further. Images of children can be misused by strangers, everyday photos can be sexualized or unflattering images can increase the risk of cyberbullying. This makes it all more important that you, as adults, deal consciously and considerately with your child’s personal rights on the Internet.
No, it doesn’t have to mean that! Children are part of our society and therefore they should be visible – also in the digital world. The decisive factor is how children are portrayed: In which situations can you see your child in the photo? Can you see the face clearly? Who can see photos when you post them? If you follow a few rules, there’s nothing wrong with sharing a child’s photo while preserving your child’s privacy rights. Not to be forgotten is the child’s right to participation (Art. 12, UN CRC), which is why it is important to involve children in an age-appropriate way and obtain their consent. The German Children’s Fund also provides comprehensive information about children’s photos on the internet. In its unbubble format, ZDF also addressed the topic of children’s photos on social media, with various people presenting their points of view and exchanging arguments for and against. We have summarized specific guidance on publishing children’s photos by age group. In the links below you will find the appropriate text for your child’s age.
Children today grow up with media as a matter of course. This makes it all the more important to protect them from unsuitable content and at the same time support them in using media safely and independently. Legal regulations, technical options and child-friendly offers help with this – as do discussions within the family.
The Basic Law states that the state must protect the personal rights of all people. In the case of children and young people, this includes protecting them from the influence of media that could be bad or dangerous for their development. The precise regulations for the protection of minors in the media are laid down in various laws, primarily in the Youth Protection Act and the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media. Both stipulate how media offerings must be designed and presented in order to pose as little danger as possible to children and young people.
There is also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which sets out internationally what rights children have and what protection they need to grow up well and safely – including in the digital space. Children not only have a right to protection, but also to participation and involvement. They should be involved in decisions that affect them according to their age. This also applies to media use. It is therefore important to develop rules together with children and to take their perspectives seriously.
Ultimately, you as parents decide what is best for your child. When it comes to media use, you decide when your child is allowed to use which devices, which apps and content are permitted and which time limits apply. The legal requirements and age labels provide you with guidance – and help you to make informed decisions.
Age ratings have been around for a long time: movies are rated as of a certain age by default, as are DVDs and streaming content. Personal rights of all people and certain online content must also be labeled – this is required by youth media protection. The age categories range from “approved without age restriction” to “from 6”, “from 12”, “from 16” and “not rated for minors”.
It is important to note that age ratings are not educational recommendations. “Approved for ages 12 and up” does not mean that a game or movie is particularly suitable for all 12-year-olds. It merely means that the content does not impair or endanger the development of this age group.
In the family, age labels can be a good opportunity to talk to your child about content: What does he like about it? What might be unsettling or overwhelming?
Age labels not only serve as a guide, but also as a basis for technical protection functions. As soon as children start using their own devices – such as their first smartphone – it becomes more difficult to keep an eye on all content. Parental control apps or filter programs can help parents to monitor media use.
These programs filter content that is harmful to minors, but do not offer one hundred percent protection. On the one hand, because content on the internet is constantly changing. Secondly, because risks such as contact with strangers or problematic communication between users are more difficult to filter. You should therefore use filters as a supplementary tool, not as the sole solution.
Tip: If you come across content that is harmful to minors or illegal, you can report it to the FSM Complaints Office.
Not only content, but also the design of apps and devices is regulated by law – especially when it comes to data protection. Children, young people and adults must be able to protect their data and decide for themselves what information they wish to disclose.
On smartphones, for example, you can control which data an app is allowed to access. If your child gets their own device, take a close look at the data protection and security settings together and decide together which settings make sense.
Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and the like must also give their users the opportunity to find out what happens to their data and to make their own decisions. You should also discuss this with your child and adjust the settings together.
In addition to legal and technical protective measures, there is a wide range of helpful offers:
You can use all of these protection options, recommendations and aids to discover the media world together with your child. Talk about your experiences, try things out together and reflect on what works well and what doesn’t.
Your child will gradually learn to navigate the digital world safely – with your support, but also increasingly independently.
Movie or game night! But which movies, series or computer games are suitable for the whole family? What does the age rating on the cover or before playing the digital content actually mean? Age labels are intended to protect children and young people from problematic content, but they are not age recommendations. This article explains the differences and shows how parents can make good decisions for their children.
In Germany, there is a system for assessing whether media could be problematic or harmful for a young audience: Age rating or age labeling. It is carried out by various institutions:
All of these checks look at whether media content contains violence, sexuality, drug use or discrimination, for example, or has a lasting frightening effect. The age rating changes depending on how this content is presented. In the case of games, usage risks such as in-game purchases and chat functions are also taken into account in the rating. If a film or game is not approved for a certain age, this means, for example, that it is intercepted by youth protection filters or may only be shown on television from a certain time. The age of visitors is checked in cinemas or at the point of sale. In addition to the age rating, additional information is often published that provides information at a glance about the reasons for an age rating, such as “violence” or “drugs”. On DVDs and Blu-rays, the colored stickers indicate the age rating.
Media content is checked to see whether it could impair the development of children and young people. The aim of age ratings is to protect young people from traumatizing or frightening content. There is no pedagogical assessment behind it: The content is not checked to see whether it is interesting or recommendable for young users!
A recommendation, on the other hand, is nothing more than a ‘good tip’. We get recommendations from friends and neighbors, from the radio – or from educators who check media offerings to see whether they are appealing to children, easy to understand and valuable in terms of content.
As anyone can make a recommendation, it is important to question whether it is well-founded and credible. In the case of private recommendations, it helps to assess the person. In the case of articles or websites, you should know and question the authors. Good sources include:
Every child is different and processes stressful moments differently. It therefore makes sense to combine different sources of information regarding age ratings and recommendations.
If you as a parent adhere to the age ratings, you significantly reduce the risk of your child experiencing lasting impairment. In addition, recommendations from reputable sources improve the selection of good media offerings.
Ideally, parents should also see for themselves: watch the movie beforehand, find out about the game on YouTube or even try it out for yourself. After all, you know your child best and know what they like, what is too much for them or what they are afraid of.
You should also make use of the services offered by the self-regulatory bodies, which publish a wealth of information, explanatory texts and additional information on the labels issued.
And above all: keep the conversation going! Talk to your child about their media experiences. Listen and show interest in the movies or games they love – but also in the ones they don’t like. This way, nothing stands in the way of an entertaining movie or game night with the whole family.
