Using technology safely
Year 2 · Computing
Give clear instructions, solve problems and use technology safely.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Staying safe online: a KS1 computing game
What should you keep private online? Who can you tell if something worries you? A free KS1 game about staying safe and kind online.
Play Staying safe online: a KS1 computing game
Learning about using technology safely
In this Year 2 computing collection, you can practise Staying safe online: a KS1 computing game. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Ask your child to predict an outcome before testing it. When a prediction does not match the result, change one thing at a time. Safety games rehearse decisions, but children should still ask a trusted adult when something online worries them.
Ask: “What would happen if you changed one step?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Staying safe online: a KS1 computing game
Children use tablets, games and videos from a young age, so Key Stage 1 computing includes using technology safely and respectfully. Children learn to keep personal information private, to be kind online and to know where to go for help if something they see or someone they meet online worries them.
Try an example: Someone you don’t know asks for your home address online. What should you do?
Your address helps someone find you in real life, so it is personal information.
Show the answer
Don’t tell them, and tell a grown-up you trust.
What to look out for
Being afraid of getting into trouble for telling. Tell your child often that they will never be in trouble for telling you about something online.
Read the full Staying safe online: a KS1 computing game guide
Practise away from the screen
- Agree family rules together: where devices are used, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Curriculum connections
These games support selected practice connected to Digital literacy in the National Curriculum in England. The programme groups requirements by key stage; the year shown here is our suggested practice placement. A game covers selected examples, rather than assessing every requirement.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with using technology safely?
Start with Staying safe online: a KS1 computing game. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. This collection brings together the games currently available for this learning area. It supports selected skills and does not replace the full programme of study or practical teaching.