We are always so quick to use Google, but there are other search engines (some of which are powered by Google) that may be more suitable for elementary school students. In this film, I demonstrate KidRex, Sweet Search 4 Me, KidsClick, KidzSearch.com, MyMunka, DuckDuckGo, and Searchy Pants.
As I made the film, I discovered these different search engines and how they can meet a variety of needs. For example, with Searchy Pants you can create lists of sites that children can click on to do their research. This might be especially useful for Kindergarten to Grade 1. Other search engines presented their lists of results in a more expanded way than Google, giving the searcher a better idea of what sort of information each site contained.
Feel free to share this link with teachers. I find that many educators and parents just don’t know about these search engines and are so accustomed to Google – let’s face it, Google is a habit that we all share; it’s become a synonym for searching! I hope that this film is useful to you and your learning communities. Please let me know if they are.
