Social networks for kids are a safe alternative to Facebook because they are built with safety in mind and age-appropriate fun. The best social networks for kids have all the features of traditional social communities (friending, chat, photos, profiles, comments, etc.) but also have more kid-friendly features like games, virtual gifts, contests, art projects and more.
Facebook and Twitter aren't the only cool social networking sites for kids on the Web.
iTwixie - 
iTwixie is the safest, most empowering place for tween girls to express their real selves, share their dreams, and start changing the world, together. That’s because when a girl joins iTwixie, she instantly becomes part of a powerful community of girls from all over the planet, dedicated to bringing out the best in each other. From creating her own blog, to voting for favorite books and movies to playing imaginative role play games, there’s always something fun, challenging and empowering for her to do or try out. Girls can even chat with girls from all around the world via iTwixie’s Twixing, a live chat moderated by our very own, iTwixieAdmin. Girls can even win achievements, awards and prizes.
ScuttlePad - ScuttlePad is a social network launched in August 2010 for children aged 6–11 years old. Users can add friends, upload photos and update statuses through pre-defined word lists. It is a self-funded venture established in Utah. ScuttlePad was created to be an educational social network for kids under 13 years old, the minimum required age for most social networks.
GiantHello - Giant Hello is a social networking site designed for children ages 7-13. It is designed to allow children under the age limit of most social networking sites a safe and secure way to enjoy social network games. The site offers many of the same features as other popular social networking sites such as Facebook,Twitter or Pinterest, but does not allow random connections or other more dangerous features that come with social networking. The site include many great features that make it attractive to both kids and parents.
Yoursphere - The Yoursphere Media Foundation and Coalition for Internet Safety Education and Reform was founded in 2012 to empower children and their families through education and solutions to help them live a healthy and happy digital life. The Foundation is dedicated to creating a network of community educators that provide children, their parents, schools and communities, with the necessary skills, knowledge and tools they need to have a positive and safer digital experience. The Foundation utilizes the funds we receive to support the human resources, education and outreach that we, and our partners, provide in homes, schools and communities. Parents need to know that Yoursphere is one of the safe social networks out there for kids. It requires parents to submit to a background check for identity verification before activating a child's account. The social networking site for kids 17 and under includes games, a virtual world, a credit system where are rewarded for positive interaction in the community, and more.
Club Penguin - In March 2005, the founders of Club Penguin set out to create an ad-free, virtual world where children could play games, have fun, and interact. Club Penguin opened to the public in October 2005. Thanks to great reviews from players and parents, word quickly spread. In March 2006, Club Penguin launched on Miniclip, the world's largest online game site, and rapidly became its number one game. Club Penguin is privileged to be part of the Walt Disney Company, which shares its unwavering commitment to creating a fun and safe online entertainment experience for children and families.
Club Penguin is headquartered in the beautiful city of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada and maintains offices and staff in Brighton, England; São Paulo, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Moscow, Russia.
Kidsocial - Kids under 13 can only make a friend by giving them a code, and a parent needs to approve their account before kids can
communicate. However, while the safeguarded social networking will likely be a big draw. Several sections contain action, racing, and other games; but aside from that, there really isn’t much to keep kids interested. Kids can play games, watch TV, or listen to tunes without getting parental approval.
Kidzworld - Kidzworld is a safe social network for kids and teens . Since 2001, Kidzworld has been a leader in internet safety. Kidzworld is a safe social network for kids.There are many ways for users to communicate with each other on Kidzworld.
- Users are able to send each other comments, as well as comment on other users photos and site articles. All comments are filtered using sophisticated moderation software for the disclosure of personally identifiable information and inappropriate language. If the comment is flagged, it is sent to human moderation for further review and either approval or rejection.
- Users are allowed to upload socially appropriate photos of themselves, their friends, and other subjects of interest. For user safety and security all meta data is removed from all photos prior to being published on the site. All 12 and under US users must obtain parent/guardian consent during the registration process in order to upload personal photos.
- Users can create a personal blog. All entries in their blogs are submitted through our filtration software. Any post that is flagged for containing potentially inappropriate language or personally identifiable information is sent to our mods for review.
- Users can form and/or join groups of other like-minded users to discuss their interests. All comments posted in Groups are checked by our moderation software. Any comments that contain potentially inappropriate language or personally identifiable information are sent to the mods.
- The chat room is moderated using sophisticated moderation and behavioural analysis software which blocks inappropriate language as well as personal contact information.
Sweety High - Sweety High is a social platform for girls, centered around art and entertainment, that lets users create, share, make friends and have an authentic experience based on the popular culture they love. Sweety High promotes safety, leadership, creativity and fair play while also fostering a girl's engagement with the real world. Sweety High is a different kind of platform in that it represents the most advanced social software girls have ever been given access to. The girls want to have fun, but they also need to be educated so they can help become their own best defense online.
If you are not a member, you cannot access or view any user content. All user-generated content, including all text, is moderated in conjunction with Crisp Thinking’s state-of-the-art moderation system. These proprietary tools go to great length to help police against cyber-bullying and predatory behavior.
Kids Networks - Kids Wish Network is an international charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children having experienced life-altering situations. Kids Wish Network assists children and their families through several key programs.
Skide Kids - Skid-e-Kids Networks is as the Facebook and MySpace social networking alternative for kids, ages 6 to 14. Skidekids gives parents the total control of their children activities; they can instantly click to view their kid’s pages from their own parent’s dashboard.
Skid-e-Kids social network has introduced a new feature called the Movie Night. Here, kids all over the world can vote for their favorite movies, and the movie with the most votes will be shown at a scheduled time on the site. Kids can create their own profiles, play games, and post educational questions.
Imbee, Inc - imbee is a safe social networking site that allows the young, hip and trendy to share and connect with friends, their lives and their world through a "one-of-a-kind" social media experience. Share playlists, make new global friends, chat with friends, share your videos, get your daily pop culture news, and much more. imbee has security settings and is COPPA compliant and Caru Safe Harbor Sealed. imbee requires identity authentication via a credit card from a parent or a teacher. Until a parent authorizes a child's account, the child will not have full access to the features on the site. From there, imbee has built-in security settings that allow the parent to set age- appropriate parameters related to the child's online activities.
KidSwirl - KidSwirl is an online social networking site designed for children. First, the number one priority of the social networking site is ‘Kid Safety.’ This means the web site is free from foul language, inappropriate/sexual/suggestive phrases, and other words and phrases that are deemed inappropriate for kids. Second, parents and other users of the social networking site have the ability to make suggestions about the content on the site and they can report things that seem inappropriate. Third, the parent control panel allows parents to monitor their child’s activity on the web site. If a parent is concerned about what their child is seeing or who they are talking to, they can control it. This allows you to keep predators away from your children as you can place restrictions on who they can accept as friends. Unlike Facebook, parents finally have the ability to control who is talking to their child online.
Social Networking Sites play an important role in the lives of many young people.
Social networking sites can present opportunities to youth who participate with them but like any activity there are also associated risks and it is important for parents to help their children use these sites wisely.
Some benefits are:
- Staying connected to friends
- Developing new social contacts with peers with similar interests
- Sharing content of self-expression such as art work, music and political views
- Developing and expressing your individual identity