Designing Websites for Kids: The Best Practices and Trends Designing Websites for Kids: The Best Practices and Trends
Review: 4- 5 5 Designing Websites for Kids: The Best Practices and Trends

Designing Websites for Kids: The Best Practices and Trends

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Best Practices
05 Nov 2018
9 min read
Update:

A lot of designers follow two of the most basic rules of web design in case you hire dedicated web developer. These include functionality and amazing visual content. These two rules make up the cornerstone for all site design including web development for kids.

Although the main ideas of design remain the same, designing websites for kids is quite different from that of adults. Reasons for this are pretty obvious as children are drawn to different design features, and their interactive behavior with sites is quite distinctive as well.

TOP 7 Tips: how to design a website for kids

The number of internet users more than tripled in the 12 years between 2005 and 2017. These figures will continue to get bigger as we move forward into the future.

All this means that children have also played a role in this rise because websites for kids have become more popular. With the development of mobile devices, the internet has become an online platform for kids to learn. The demand for website designing for kids is rising; this means you can also create a site that will definitely put you in the game with a graphic designing agency. If you ask about how to design a website for kids, here are some of the things to keep in mind and several examples of the best website design for kids.

1. Be creative with the colors

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One of the most important things to keep in mind when you start to create website design for kids is that they love colors. Just like in adults, colors also have an emotional effect on children. Some of the most obvious colors are red, blue and yellow.
When it comes to website design for kids, using bright primary colors can grab more attention than using dull secondary ones. Think about adding these colors to the backgrounds of your webpage, incorporating them in your typography and other features like games.

2. Create a happy environment for the users

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Kids are usually vivacious and full of energy. They want to interact with something that will inspire them and keep them active. Therefore, think of adding a component to your website that can accomplish this. This can be done by adding interactive games or educational videos to kids website design. The aim here is to try to create an environment where kids can explore and learn while having as much fun as possible.

3. Take advantage of video

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The use of video is not only mainstream on the websites for adults. It can also be used in kid web design with very promising results. When you are building a site for kids, think about the kind of video content to add to it.

Animated videos are the best kind. They mix color and audio content to create something that kids will be drawn to. Video has become one of the best ways to teach kids as well. If your website is made for this purpose, a video is definitely the way to go.

4. Always keep the navigation simple and straightforward

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Do not create a logical kind of navigation when creating web design for kid. For example, many adults’ websites use the “Z” type of navigation, which may not be one of the best ideas on a kid’s website.

So, how to design a website for kids with navigation they will easily get the hang of? Well, the best way to address this is by using certain navigational features in the kids web design that stand out. For example, the use of large buttons on the web page can be a helpful feature. The language used on the page should be kept as concise as possible.

5. Try to consider different age groups

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Children have the ability to distinguish various age groups. This simply means that they can identify if they are too mature for certain content. For example, a 9-year-old clearly will not be excited to look at content that is designed for a 5-year-old.

When you decide to embark on web page design for kids, take your time to do extensive research on different age groups. Try to consider and separate the following age groups:

  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12

Although certain features in the children’s website design might be similar, each group has its own individuality.

6. Make the website as interactive as possible

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Before you craft a web design for children, you have to have a good idea of what you want to achieve with it. By doing so, you will get a clearer picture of how you would like your users to interact with it without getting bored.

Designing for kids can be quite difficult because their attention span is quite short. Therefore, make sure you add certain features that a kid can interact with when they are working with the site. Using short animations that give directions to the child can be a good way to maintain interaction.

7. Always consider the ability to read

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Remember that some kids still have problems with their reading. So how can you get around this issue? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Website designers can limit the amount of typed content on your site and focus more on audio and video.

Using such features to aid the child in navigation will help them complete a lot of tasks even if they still have problems with the reading.

Examples of the best website design for kids

Now that you have the basic information about the ways of creating a website for kids, let us identify some of the best practices.

The fact is that there are a lot of great kids’ websites out there that parents and teachers can use. We will look at some of the most popular in 2018.

1. Nick

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The Nickelodeon website is definitely one of the best websites for kids all over the world. It includes all the basic features which come together to provide the best possible experience to kids.

Orange is the main color on the page. It represents the Nickelodeon brand. It also provides a cheerful atmosphere for kids watching videos on this site.

2. Cartoon Network

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Like Nickelodeon above, Cartoon Network is one of the most popular kids’ entertainment providers today. The official website takes a lot of things into consideration and particularly focuses on providing options for various age groups.

Information on this site is very clear and detailed. Everything is well arranged with the navigation behavior of kids in mind. Focusing on such issues has made the site one of the best today.

3. OatTheGoat

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This website is very good for students in primary schools in particular. It provides a good platform for kids to master great skills in reading which will enable them to develop intellectually.

This website has found a great way of doing this through the use of book reading, visual content, and interactive features. This is one of the best ways to teach kids because it keeps them involved in learning and reading without making them feel bored.

4. TheEpicAdventurers

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This site, like the name suggests, is targeted at kids. We talked about identifying a target audience earlier based on age but sometimes creating a site for girls or boys can be a good way to go.

The simple and clean navigation is apparent the moment you visit the site. All the apps, books and activities are interactive and educational. Visually, it is a good example of what careful planning and research can amount to.

5. PBS Kids

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PBS Kids is a popular kids’ site that was designed to allow kids to play videos and games. It includes a wide selection of amazing videos that have truly used graphic design to its maximum.

Another impressive feature of this site is the use of bright colors. The background is yellow but it does not take the focus away from the main content. The navigation is also very simple and self-explanatory, which is a feature that comes in handy on a site designed for kids.

6. Club Penguin

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Club Penguin Island is a Disney owned website that enables kids to play a multitude of games online. It is available on computers and other mobile devices which is always a plus.

The site keeps a minimalistic design without reducing on quality of services it provides to users. It is suitable for kids of different ages and does a good job when it comes to being both educational and entertaining.

Final Thoughts

Technology has made it very easy to accomplish tasks that were once very complex or involved a lot of time. The internet is an example of such technology. Websites have been used for many things, and entertainment and education are among the most common reasons.

Websites for kids have made it easy for our little ones to learn and explore their imagination. Since kids love games, understanding how to create a gaming website can significantly enhance their learning and entertainment experience. Developing one needs careful planning and attention to detail. We have provided you with the best guidelines and examples that can allow you to do so..

At Fireart.Studio, we provide the best service to individuals who are interested in starting websites. With the latest software and expertise, we are the right team to make your dream a reality.

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