10 Safe Search Engines for Kids in 2024
Do you want to know the best and safest search engines for kids?
Well, it doesn’t matter whether you are a parent or teacher, you might be worried about your kids and students accessing or being exposed to explicit adult content on the web. There are numerous kid-friendly search engines available on the web that hide and filter explicit content from the search results.
In this article, I’ll show you the list of the best safe search engines for kids.
In the age of the internet, everyone uses the internet for different purposes. You need a search engine to search for web pages, information, photos, videos, documents, software, apps, and other things on the World Wide Web.
Well, the internet completely changed the human lifestyle. You can see the positive and negative impact of the internet on every field of our society. You can get the information within seconds from the web.
So, in the Education field, teachers and students use the internet in different ways according to their needs. Students can search and keep updated with the latest information. It also helps to make it easy to research and learn things with multimedia and online tools.
When it comes to search engines, Google, Bing, and Yahoo are at the top positions. Most people prefer Google. No doubt, Google is one of the most popular search engines because of its quality results for queries.
We know that the Internet is full of explicit and inappropriate content that’s why nowadays parents and teachers are worried about their kids and students while they are surfing the web. They want to ensure that their kids will not be exposed to explicit content.
Well, common and popular search engines are not kid-friendly. However, Google and Bing offer the “Safe Search” option to filter out explicit content but it is not 100% accurate.
That’s why kids-friendly search engines came into existence.
What are safe search Engines for Kids?
Well, some search engines are specially designed for kids to provide a safe and kid-oriented search environment by hiding explicit content (web pages, images, and videos) from results.
Apart from a safe search environment, these search engines also provide some extra features for kids like large thumbnails & fonts and website & keyword blocking to enhance the experience.
List of Safe Search Engines for Kids
Sr. No. | Safe Search Engine | Similarweb Global Rank | Monthly Total Visit |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Kiddle | 43,061 | 1.4M |
2. | KidzSearch | 100,139 | 437.8K |
3. | FactMonster | 121,886 | 456.4K |
4. | SafeSearchKids | 299,754 | 206.4K |
5. | KidsSearch | 653,466 | 64.8K |
6. | KidRex | 859,299 | 57.7K |
7. | Junior Safe Search | 1,282,978 | 42.4K |
8. | Swiggle | 540,797 | 39.6K |
9. | KidTopia | 1,084,031 | 37.3K |
10. | WackySafe | N/A | >5K |
Overview of Safe Search Engines for Kids
The list is given below. Let’s get started
1. Kiddle
Kiddle was launched in 2014 and now it is one of the most popular and safe visual search engines for kids. Its results are powered by Google and it uses Google Safe Search. Besides, it has its own custom filters and most of its results are handpicked by its editors.
You can also consider it an online encyclopedia for kids. It provides 700k+ child-friendly articles.
Kiddle is a visual search engine because it provides results with big thumbnails and large fonts for better and easier visibility and readability.
When it comes to safe searches, Kiddle always provides family-friendly and child-safe results by filtering inappropriate and deceptive content.
Well, Kiddle’s results are categorized into three types.
- Results 1 to 3 are safe child-friendly web pages that are handpicked by Kiddle editors.
- Results 4 to 7 are from Kiddle editor’s trusted websites. However, web pages are not specially designed for children’s, but can easily be understood by children’s.
- Results 8 onward are from Google Safe Search. Content may not be child-oriented, but safe for children’s.
This service also respects its user’s privacy, it deletes the logs after 24 hours and it doesn’t collect user information.
Moreover, the best features of this service are keyword and site-blocking features. However, Kiddle automatically blocked the bad words in the search, but, you can manually request websites and keywords to block them from the search.
Apart from the web and images search, it offers options to search kids-oriented facts, kimages (images from Kiddle encyclopedia), news, and videos.
Key Features
- Kids-Friendly Results.
- Safe Search Environment.
- Large Thumbnails and Fonts.
- Privacy-Oriented.
2. KidzSearch
Kidzsearch is another safe search engine for kids. It was launched in 2005 and is one of the oldest services in this category. More than one thousand schools use this service daily.
It uses the Google Safe search algorithm with its advanced custom website and keyword filter system. So, you can get Google-quality results from it without explicit content.
It regularly updated the list of blocked websites and keywords. If any blocked keyword is present in the search query, it doesn’t allow continuing the search.
Well, KidzSearch claims that they have spent more than 10 years developing advanced keyword and website filter
KidzSearch is the best alternative to Kiddle because it overcomes the Kiddle problems. Kiddle provides the top results from the handpicked websites that are limited and you may not get the results from the new quality websites.
So, KidzSearch gives Google quality results with Google Strict safe search and additional filters. On the top, it shows the results that are relevant to the students.
It allows the kids to explore games, videos, top websites, cool facts, images, news, encyclopedias, and music. It also offers some unique services like KidzTalk and KidzNet.
KidzNet is a kid’s social network and KidzTalk is a question-and-answer service.
Key Features
- Google Like Results.
- Auto-complete keyword feature.
- Advanced keyword and website filtering system.
- Completely free to use.
- Android and iOS apps are available.
3. SafeSearchKids
This is another service that uses Google Strict Safe Search filtering and provides safe and child-oriented search results. It allows searching for web pages, images, wikis, and videos.
The SafeSearchKids wasn’t using any custom filter system. But now it uses Kidzsearch service for results.
However, it uses the Google search program, but it also allows the users to request web pages and websites for removal from the results.
The website also provides articles about online safety for kids, social media safety, education, improving your world, stuff for your brain, and Google education. It gives an additional field for article search.
The main drawback of SafeSearchKids is that it shows a lot of ads.
Key Features
- Strict Google Safe Search.
- Option to request for webpage and website removal.
- Safety articles for children’s.
4. FactMonster
Well, FactMonstaer is a website that is specially designed for children’s. It was launched in 1998 to educate and entertain young kids. Now the website is owned by Infoplease.
FactMonster website is COPPA and kidSAFE certified. You may or may not consider it as a search engine, because it has its own content.
It holds a library of child-oriented content including games, a thesaurus, a dictionary, an encyclopedia, language arts, videos, and articles. All its content is written by FactMonster editors.
This service doesn’t provide web pages with results from around the internet, which makes this website for childhood learning.
Apart from learning content, it offers some tools like a Dictionary, Distance Calculator, Spell Checker, Place Finder, Atlas, Conversion Calculator, and Almanac.
Key Features
- Provides games.
- Online tools for children’s.
- Safe content for learning.
- COPPA and kidSAFE seal program certified.
5. WackySafe
WackySafe is a child-friendly search engine and it uses the Google Safe Search program. The service was launched with a mission to provide a safe online search environment for kids.
The service is free to use, but it only provides Google-safe search results. There is no custom filtering system used by WackySafe.
It allows searching for the web, images, wiki, news, videos, games, and maps. Well, WackyLearn is the best service from this website. It also offers Kids Radio for live free streaming radio stations.
However, the WackySafe app is available for Android smartphones, but the app isn’t available on the Google Play Store. You need to download the app from its website.
Key Features
- WackyLearn service for learning.
- Free Safe Live Radio Stations.
6. KidTopia
Kidtopia uses Google Custom search and gives the results from the websites that are recommended by teachers and librarians.
Well, this service is created especially for elementary school students to make learning easier, that’s why most of the keywords are blocked.
On the homepage, the website shows the categories like Science, Arts, People, Animals, Social studies, Language Arts, Games, and Math.
Students can select the category and browse the learning content including videos.
Key Features
- Designed for elementary students.
- Learning content with videos.
- YouTube channel available for learning videos.
7. KidsSearch
It is an advanced child-friendly, safe, and secure search engine platform and web portal. Its main filter technology is powered by Google but it also uses custom and surf cop filter technology.
So, with multiple layers of filters, all irrelevant and deceptive content will be hidden.
KidsSearch is completely free and doesn’t show ads. Because this service is run by a non-profit group.
Its video search section shows educational videos from YouTube. However, it filters the videos but comments are not filtered.
It allows searching for web pages, images, videos, games, and articles. The website also provides website safety tips and kid’s online safety guides. It also offers Flash and Java-based games.
You can also explore the recommended websites from different categories like references, education, and recreation. Moreover, it offers tools like kid’s paint, calculators, measurements, translations, and converters.
Key Features
- Safe Search with multiple layers of filters.
- Special games for children’s.
- No ads.
- Online tools for learning.
- Recommended websites.
- Web safety tips.
- Option to suggest and report the site.
8. KidRex
Well, KidRex is next on our list. KidRex searches and shows kid-friendly web pages from the web. However, like other services, it also uses Google’s custom search technology.
KidRex doesn’t have its advanced filters to hide inappropriate content from the results. However, it maintains a database of sites that contains explicit content and updates the list consistently.
It also offers KidRex Pro web filtering services. If you find any web page with inappropriate content, you can use its “Webpage removal request tool” to report the website.
Key Features
- Free to use.
- Google quality results.
- Option to report website.
9. Junior Safe Search
Junior Safe search engine is a Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada that was created by two parents.
The search engine uses Google SafeSearch technology or service to filter explicit results from the search and gives a safe browsing environment for kids. However, the service is not affiliated with Google.
You can also download the Junior Safe Search app for Android and iOS from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Junior Safe Search engine is trusted by schools and parents. But still, the service is underrated and not popular.
On its homepage, it also shows the word of the day, the quote of the day, and the history of the day.
For more safety, you can report bad websites or links using the form.
Key Features
- Free service.
- Uses Google SafeSearch to filter out bad results.
- Shows the word of the day, quote of the day, and history of the day on the homepage.
- Option to report bad links.
10. Swiggle Safe Search Engine
Swiggle is a UK-based child-friendly search engine from the online safety experts at SWGfL (South West Grid for Learning). It uses Google SafeSearch technology and its SwiggleBot to filter the results.
You can install its extension on the Chrome browser. Also, it gives additional functionality called Swigglebot Screen Cover.
The Screen Cover helps the children to stay safe on the internet. If they go to a page that is not appropriate, they can cover the screen.
The service also gives reporting tools to report inappropriate links or websites from the results.
Key Features
- Google SafeSearch with Swigglebot
- Kids-friendly user interface.
- Offers screen cover widget for online safety.
- Reporting page to remove bad URLs.
11. Google Safe Search
Well, all major kid’s search services use Google Custom Search with the Google Safe Search program. Google is known for its quality results.
If your students or children are using Google to explore the content from the web, you should enable its “Safe Search” option.
Its AI-based SafeSearch filters help to hide offensive, explicit, and inappropriate content from the results.
To turn on SafeSearch, open Google.com from the browser and go to the Settings » Search Settings, and enable the “Turn on SafeSearch” option from under the SafeSearch filters.
Key Features
- Best Filters to block inappropriate results.
- Quality results.
- Most popular service and gives accurate information.
- Option to report explicit content.
12. Bing Safe Search
Bing is the second most popular search engine on the web by Microsoft. It also offers the safe search option to filter out adult images, text, and videos from the results.
Well, it provides 3 options – Strict, moderate, and off. You can select the strict option for better results.
To enable the safe search, open Bing.com from the web browser and click on the menu (three horizontal lines), and select the “SafeSearch” option from the list. By default, a moderate option is selected. Select the “Strict” option.
Key Features
- Option to select filter level.
- You can report the web page contains adult content.
Conclusion
Now you know the best Safe Search Engines for Kids in 2022. Well, the importance of the internet is increasing in education day by day. That’s why online safety is a primary requirement for students.
However, you can directly use Google Safe Search to prevent explicit sexual content from the results. But, services and sites like Kiddle provide a safe learning online environment for children’s. Also, these services focus only on children’s and young students, and provide child-friendly features.
Thank you for the article; it is very comprehensive and in-depth. You might also be interested in https://www.digr.co, an educational search engine designed for older kids that is ad-free.