You Are Now Entering The Digital Playground

Things don’t quite look like they used to, eh? As a millennial, growing up with a mobile phone was a luxury and it certainly didn’t offer all they do today (we remember our first camera phones fondly). Today, even the youngest members of society are using digital platforms and social media—usually directly from the palm of their hands.

For people as young as 8-years-old, this experience is less about social networking as we might think of it and more about exploring digital playgrounds tailored to their age group. Understanding how children use social media can provide insights into their digital habits, safety concerns, and the benefits and challenges of early online interactions.

Social media for children around the age of 8 is, as imagined, very different from that of teenagers or adults. The focus is primarily on entertainment, education, and creative expression and can usually be best set up with the help of parental controls suited to their individual needs. 

But where do young people spend most of their time online? We did some digging so you don’t have to. 

YouTube Kids

This is one of the most-used, and maybe best-known, platforms. YouTube Kids offers a curated selection of videos that range from educational content to entertainment, all the while ensuring that children are watching age-appropriate material. Parental controls allow guardians to manage what content their children can access—without limiting any of the fun.

Roblox and Minecraft

These are gaming platforms but they also double as a new type of social media. Roblox, in particular, allows children to create, share, and play games, fostering creativity and collaborative skills. Both platforms have built-in chat functions so players can stay connect...