Keep your kids safe online with KidsEmail

Thanks to KidsEmail for providing my daughter and me with a preview of their services for this sponsored post!

My almost eight-year-old daughter has grown up on the Internet. She loves to check out her favorite websites to make movies and play games. She reads stories about her favorite TV characters. And, she loves to send email to her friends and family.

Usually, when she sends an email, she uses my account. It's a simple way for me to make sure she is safe, but the down side for her is that I can read all of her emails. She hasn't asked to have her own email address and account yet, but I'm sure that day is coming soon.

So I was excited to hear about a new email service that gives her her own account while still giving me peace of mind that she is staying safe!

It's called KidsEmail. It allows children to receive emails from trusted people while keeping them from receiving spam, viruses, or advertisements.

My daughter and I tested out the service recently. First, I created an account for myself, then created a kid's account for her. I was able to set various parental controls - did I want her to only receive emails from people on a set list? Yes. Did I want emails from other addresses to come to me first for approval? Definitely. Did I want attachments sent to her? Some, like pictures, might be okay, but others might not be. Every parent can decide what goes into their child's email inbox.

Then, I let her log into her account. She was so excited to have her own email address! She took right to the kid-friendly interface and sent me an email, finding lots of colors, fonts, and smileys to put in her note. (Kids today just seem to be able to figure this out instantly!) I was happy to see that the interface had a pink fairy on it - probably because I indicated that she was a girl - and didn't have any advertising that you see on so many other email provider sites.

I replied to the email, and since that address was on her contact list, the email went right to her account. So far, so good.

Next, I tried sending a note from a different email, one that wasn't on her contact list. And just as advertised, the email didn't go her to her inbox; instead it went to my parent email account, asking for approval.

The KidsEmail service worked very well, and I definitely think it's a great product for parents whose kids want to send email but aren't yet old enough to avoid the hazards of the Internet.

And as a frugal person, I like that you get a 30-day trial of the service for free. You don't even have to put down a credit card number and get charged unless you end your trial. After your 30-day trial, you'll be offered the service at a low monthly rate.

Want to learn more about KidsEmail? Check out the product demo on their website. Or, you can become a fan on Facebook or follow on Twitter.