 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
HTE Kids News
Common Sense Media says
Much potential in site packaging current events for kids.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that HTE Kids News is a current events site designed for elementary school age kids who want to read the news for themselves. All news stories are told here through written text and photos or video. The site says that the topics chosen are all kid-friendly, so kids can read the stories with or without a caregiver present. But parents may want to tell kids they shouldn't post their first and last names when commenting on a story and discuss other rules for appropriate commenting, since the site itself doesn't offer any guidelines.
Is it any good?
Kids today can benefit from a solid, filtered source of daily news written at their level. When that source is coordinated by a network news insider, that's a good sign that HTE KIDS NEWS could become the valued go-to news resource for kids, parents, and teachers. Recent stories posted include an issues article about dogs and seatbelts, a three-part Q&A with an astronaut in conjunction with the final shuttle flight, and a baseball story. What needs improvement, however, are some specific guidelines for kids about safe commenting, more ways for kids to interact with the news (such as the excellent Q&A exchange with the astronaut or kids writing some stories themselves), and more interactivity on the site itself (quizzes, games, maps). Currently, HTE Kids News may not keep the attention of kids who aren't news junkies by nature. With more growth, however, it holds a lot of promise as an excellent current events site for kids.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why it's important to keep up with the news of the day, and not just the stuff you're naturally interested in such as sports or celebrity news. Why does political news matter to kids? Or science news? International news?
Review the online Rules of the Road with your kids before allowing them to post comments about news articles on this site.
HTE Kids News was started by a mom whose love of news prompted her to create this site. Talk to your kids about what sort of site your family could create, based on your family's interests.
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| Genre: | Civic Engagement |
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