Kiddle – the kid friendly search engine made it’s way around the Facebook mommy groups this past week. I love the idea of a kid-friendly search engine.
Lord knows that the Google has all kinds of trash from the internet wasteland just waiting for our kids to find. I started looking into this and learned a few things about the website that you may want to know.
Search Engine for Kids
What if there was a place where kids could search, like a kids google. And parents would know that the search engine for kids was safe?
Kiddle Kid Search Engine
If you are wanting a Google alternative for kids, it’s here. The Kiddle search engine for kids is a safe visual search engine.
Not Owned By Google
One of the main posts about this over on Scary Mommy stated that Kiddle was a search engine launched by Google. While the colors maybe Googley Unfortunately, this is wrong.
Kiddle USES a custom Google search, but no – sorry folks this isn’t a new product from Google (though GOOGLE should so get on this! YouTube Kids is huge – What about a Google Kids?) The domain was registered at GoDaddy.
Visual Search Engine
To make this website kid-friendly, Kiddle has made it’s search visual. Each search brings back images from the search results. This makes “Kiddling” easy for kids to identify what they want to click on after they search.
How Kiddle’s Search Works
Here is a how the Kiddle search results are returned when searching.
Safe Sites for Kids
Kiddle safe sites and pages are written specifically for kids. The results, typical 1-3 – are handpicked and checked by Kiddle’s editors.
The search results are either handpicked by their editors or filtered by Google safe search to deliver kid-oriented search results without explicit content.
Safe Trusted Sites
Safe, trusted sites that are not written specifically for kids, but have content written in a simple way, easy for kids to understand. Handpicked and checked by Kiddle editors.
Safe Famous Sites
Safe, famous sites that are written for adults, providing expert content, but are harder for kids to understand. Filtered by Google safe search.
Typically, results 8 onwards.
Google Ads
Don’t be fooled – while this is a great resource, this search engine is still a business! You can expect to see Google ads in the right side bar. Gotta love flat belly ads being advertised to kids.
If Your Kid Searches Something Questionable
I searched “chicken breast” which I could see potentially being a phrase that a 7th grade boy would search for – and this is what they would get back. “Oops, looks like your query contained some bad words. Please try again!”
Not Fool Proof
Of course, in an ideal world I could let me kids search to their hearts content without worry – but not in the world we live in today. Nothing is full-proof. I’ve read comments where some parents have found results quickly.
I did have a jolly fun typing all kinds of graphic things that I am sure I will now get lewd ads for all.
LGBTQ Off Limits
If you try searching for a term that is LGBTQ related, you will be prompted with a graphic stating: “You have entered an LGBTQ related search query. Please realize that while Kiddle has nothing against the LGBTQ community, it’s hard to guarantee the safety of all the search results for such queries. We recommend that you talk to your parent or guardian about such topics.”
I had read in some comments so people upset that some LGBTQ search terms were excluded, not sure if this graphic was put up after the uproar or before.
Find Bad Words or an Inappropriate Site? Report I
Since catching everything is near impossible, at the bottom footer of Kiddle’s site – you can request keyword blocking and site blocking.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, we need more kid friendly websites and less toxic on the internet and this is an honest (but not perfect) effort.
Will I be directing my kids here to search for things? Maybe the younger ones when they get to that point. I can already see my older kids rolling their eyes at this.
Kiddle Search Engine for Kids is part of the Digital Mom Blog Internet Safety series