Searching on the Internet....

Google. Bing. Yahoo. There are plenty of search engines out there. Believe it or not, it is REALLY important that our 21st century children are able to efficiently and effectively search for information on these types of sites. YES, this task even shows up on the SOL tests (Grades 3-5).

Tip of the Day: Start practicing Internet searches with your child. Discuss the KEYWORDS to type into the "search bar" that will generate the most specific answer.

For example: I want to see what times the Paddington Bear movie is playing at Strawbridge this weekend. If I just type in "Paddington Bear", I will get over a million results. Most of them will not have the EXACT information I want. A better set of words to type in would be "Paddington Bear movie Regal Cinemas Strawbridge Saturday February 7". I am much more likely to uncover the desired information.

It's 2015. Most of us use these search engines daily. Start asking your child to help you search for things.

Examples of ideas to search at home:

• What will the weather be like in Disney World next week?
• Is Ocean Breeze open this weekend? What time does it close?
• Who are the third grade teachers at North Landing ES?
• When is the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book being released?
• Does Panera have crab and corn chowder as a soup option today?
• What are the dates of Virginia Beach's Spring Break this year?

Like always, this activity can be tailored to the young and old. If your child is too young to type in the words, just have them sit with you and think aloud as you search.

I always recommend, as a safety tip, to monitor Internet use with children. The Internet is a glorious place full of information, but can also be very dangerous.

Have fun searching!