Guide a child’s web research
Organise a short question, two readable sources, advertisement recognition and an easy way to ask for help.
Prepare the task
The route should teach a method as well as find an answer. Choose an age-appropriate task and a result the child can explain in their own words.
- Short question chosen together
- Suitable time and environment
- Available adult and a simple exit rule
Follow the method
- 1Ask without exposing details
Write the topic and useful terms without the child’s full name, school or address. Explain what a satisfactory answer should contain.
- 2Compare two pages
Identify their publishers, claims and advertisements. Help examine differences without judging reliability only by appearance.
- 3Explain and ask for help
Have the child write one sentence with the two sources. Repeat that an uncomfortable page can be closed and discussed without punishment.
Two pages describe an animal differently: check whether they concern the same species and explain the difference rather than choosing the first result.
Choose the resource for the missing evidence
The directory records identify publishers and link to their official services. Choose by task; inclusion does not guarantee an outcome.
| Task | Resource | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare a learning activity | Réseau Canopé | Adapt the resource to age and objective. |
| Find an introductory encyclopedia explanation in English | Small Whale | Choose a level and read together: AI-generated adaptations of Wikipedia need cross-checking. |
| Read media and their sources | CLEMI | Choose an exercise suited to the document. |
| Discuss privacy | CNIL | Separate useful context from identifying details. |
Compare these directory resources side by side →
A completed record to understand the method
Fictional example: values, times and situations below demonstrate how to document a decision. They do not describe an actual service or application.
| Element | Observation in the example | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Why do leaves change colour? | Separate observation and explanation |
| Resource | Page suited to reading level | Read a passage and paraphrase it together |
| Record | One understood sentence and one remaining question | Check understanding without collecting endless links |
Keep a useful record
Use these fields in your own notes. This page does not collect your documents or personal details.
- Question and chosen terms
- Creator of each page
- Answer in the child’s own words
- Difference or question for further investigation
Read these points directly on this page.
No filter makes every result suitable; an adult should remain available for unexpected content.
Common questions
Should I provide the answer immediately?
Leave room for asking, comparing and explaining.
Why omit the school name?
Identifying details are unnecessary for an ordinary topic search.
A result requires an account. Should we continue?
Return to the research question and first look for a source readable without signing up. Do not enter the child’s details to unlock a page. If a service is needed for a supervised activity, review its terms and settings with the responsible adult.
The child copies a passage without understanding it. What next?
Temporarily close the source and ask for the idea in their own words, then reopen the passage to check. Separate short quotations from paraphrases in notes. Keep the source title and link so you can return to an uncertain word or detail.
Are Small Whale and Wikipedia two independent sources?
Not for an article adapted from Wikipedia. Check its origin and find another source with its own documentary work, rather than counting two versions of the same text as two confirmations.