Focus on: Kids & Teens Directory

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This week, we're presenting the first in an occasional series of posts that highlight a different section of the directory. Today, we're focusing on Kids and Teens, and editor artisands has provided a great overview of this fantastic family resource.
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Kids and Teens was developed as a standalone section of the Open Directory Project (ODP) in November of 2000. The goal of this "directory within a directory" was to provide a kid-safe area that would cater to the specific needs of the under 18 age group. Kids and Teens has its own set of guidelines, forums, and senior editorial staff.

This top level section of the directory lists sites for kids, not about kids. Some highlights include the School Time section which offers a wide range of sites providing help with homework questions in a variety of subject areas. Internet Safety offers valuable tips to kids and teens on staying safe while surfing the Web. The Health category provides information about physical and emotional health, including safety, fitness, and healthy lifestyles. These are just a few examples and all of the categories are worth a look!

In October of 2007, the listings in Kids and Teens surpassed 45,000! This milestone was reached thanks to the combined efforts of the dedicated editors who work very hard to build and maintain this special directory. Much of the growth can also be attributed to the expansion of the International branch, which boasts over 16,000 sites in 34 languages.

Another unique aspect of Kids and Teens is the use of "age tags". Sites are evaluated based on the appropriateness of content for three age groups:

Kids (12 years and younger)
Teens (13-15 years)
Mature Teens (16-18 years)

These tags appear right after the title in the directory listing, which is helpful to users in selecting age appropriate sites to visit. The ODP also provides a selection of search engines geared towards kids which can be found linked at the bottom of the category pages.

Since this is regarded as a separate directory, it is often possible to find sites listed in both the Classic directory and in Kids and Teens. This will happen when a useful, content-rich informational site is found that would provide value to both directories. So, when suggesting sites for the Kids and Teens directory, keep in mind that there may also be a comparable "Classic" category. A second suggestion in this case may be appropriate. Another point to remember is that commercial and/or shopping sites are not listed in Kids and Teens.

If you have ever given thought to becoming a ODP volunteer editor, consider applying for a small category in Kids and Teens. All you need is a little spare time and the desire and ability to find, describe, and list great "Kid Safe" websites.
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