Is there any corner of the Internet that’s truly okay for kids? The connectivity economy—digital content increasing in value the more it links out or interacts with other stuff—endangers those safe places. If you’re responsible for a little one, especially while traveling, why not create a workaround with a few teachable moments? Here’s a thought.*
1. Create a private Instagram account and block incoming requests
2. Follow the inspiring, educational feeds below
3. Set use limits to Instagram only, with iOS built-in Parental Controls
If you’re wondering “why kids, why today?” well, we’ll tell you! The summer travel blitz is in full force. And in industry news, Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference kicks off today. It’s like the Super Bowl of developer talent, helmed in part by Esther Hare, the Executive Sponsor at Apple. We’re at an interesting point in tech: many young-gun product people are becoming parents. How do they handle safety for their kids?
NPR’s answering in podcast form with Wow in the World, a just-launched program for “kids and their grown-ups.” (We’re all smiles over the fact that they don’t use “parents” or “guardians” or binary exclusion like “mom” or “dad.”) We’re eyes-and-ears-open as we see how the digital world responds.
Meantime, check out the feeds below. You might learn something, too.
#kidstagram #parenttested #kidapproved #coparenting #motherhoodrising #simplychildren #honestmotherhood #digitalkids #humaneffect #littlebellows
@universe247
Connect them with the astral awe of the cosmos. The photos stun, but the feed functions like bedtime reading: the captions make sure to inform and inspire.
Location: Space (and sometimes here on earth)
Followers: 29.8k
@cutechichai
There’s a reason “here comes the airplane!” has long been a vehicle for encouraging eating. Food art raises the bar. Michaela concocts (mostly) healthy works of art and hashtags the ingredients. Can kids be enticed into asking for broccoli? Maybe.
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Followers: 33.7k
@ryanlongnecker
We found him via designer Kelly Behun (we wrote about her arresting, educational Instagram feed this spring).
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Followers: 58.3k
@lubalincenter
Kids don’t need to be told that the National Endowment for the Arts is under threat. Perhaps, if we work hard enough and fight for it, they’ll never have been the wiser. Raise them from day one to appreciate creativity by doing things like introducing them to graphic design. The Herb Lubalin Center, part of New York’s Cooper Union, is step 1. The curator has built the world’s most unique collection, and he offers personalized tours of the physical archive.
Location: Greenwich Village, NYC
Followers: 49.6k
@iloveplaymo
Maria Moysés stages the beloved figurines posing, perambulating and celebrating holidays and cultural events. The German toy company even invited her to participate in its 40th birthday in Germany.
Location: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Followers: 92.5k
@socialteesnyc
Deprivation can feel cruel to kids, so we offer this feed with a caveat: for families with allergies or those who otherwise cannot have animals, maybe cross this one off the list. This non-profit shelter posts adoptable pets in need of immediate foster care for short stints (two to four weeks, mainly). Lizards, kittens, puppies (and puppies, and puppies…), oh my!
Location: New York, NY
Followers: 54.6k
THE GET
