Designing a Website that is Friendly for Children

Creating an online portal with kids as target users in mind should be done carefully. This is because this is not your regular website that you browse every day; this is a totally different page. What is more, children usually go online for entertainment, not for information or shopping; they see the cyberspace as a gateway for fun and play. So, to create a successful portal on the net for kids, consider these tips:

1. Lessen the distraction. Unlike adults who are used to banner adverts and all other elements that flash and move, children are more sensitive to moving or blinking objects. Yes, they can easily get distracted, so minimise the banner advertisements you post on your website as much as possible.

2. Play with bright and lucid colours. This is one of the best ways to get toddlers interested in your portal as vibrant hues stimulate the young ones' mind. They tend to look at things that are eye-catching. In addition, make your characters and all other design elements appear "happy" and "smiling" as no child loves a sad webpage.

3. Make navigation easier. This is particularly important if your portal is large with lots of menus and links. Make it easier for the little one to navigate or browse through it, enabling them to go back to the homepage without getting lost in the maze of pages.

4. Make it extra interactive. Unless they are in a classroom, children do not like to read. When they are on the Internet, they are more interested in playing games than in reading. So even if, let us say, your website is designed to educate, deliver the lesson in a more interesting way that it feels like a play. You can incorporate games, drawings, videos and the like to pique their curiosity.

5. Design according to age groups. Most important, you need to determine which target market you are creating a webpage for. Kids fifteen years old and above are able to use complex sites.

Creating an entertaining page on the Web for young ones is easy if you know how to get their interest. So, follow the tips above to ensure a successful design.

On another note, if you are looking to engage your kids in a more creative and artistic craft instead of letting them surf the Internet all day, check out the pottery painting activity kits featured here at Pots of Fun.