Launching your own website is a simple goal that will help your child understand several aspects of information technology at once. This is where the Internet works, the basics of web design, and even data security. In addition, it's just fun, because a child can create a resource on topics that interest him, which means it will stimulate his hobbies, develop horizons and improve his reputation in the eyes of peers.
For parents who want to teach their child create websites, we have prepared a step-by-step guide to action. These simple steps will help you create a website and provide a novice web administrator with the full set of skills to launch real, “adult” online platforms.
1. Give the required theoretical minimum
You should start by explaining to your child what a website is all about. Tell us in general terms how the Internet works and how web servers work, and what happens when a person enters an address into a browser. Explain the difference between a simple single-page site, a large portal, and a multi-user web platform. Describe the functions of a content management system (CMS).
All this will help your child figure out what kind of site they want to create — and most importantly, what kind of site they can create now. You should not immediately aim at the new Facebook, because you need to start with a small blog.
2. Get into design
Now that your child has a rough idea of what kind of site they will create and what technologies they will need for this, they can get started. Help him come up with a design for the future site. Explain that the page has a header, body and basement, tell us how the menu is arranged and how to present information in the best way for visitors.
The design of future pages can be sketched on plain paper. As a result, you will get a series of layouts that will explain the user's journey — what they see on the main page, how they get into the right categories, and where this or that information is located. You need to understand that the actual appearance of the site will depend on the platform and CMS you choose next, so for now you need to think about the basic mechanics, rather than drawing out each element.
3. Get started with implementation
There are plenty of web builders that allow you to quickly create pages and fill them with content. You don't need to know the code for this — these resources work on the drag-n-drop principle and What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (“what you see is what you get”). We recommend that beginners learn WIX; more experienced web administrators should get acquainted with WordPress.
Discover the most basic template and give your child full creative freedom. Let him move the blocks himself, write the titles and think about the arrangement of the illustrations. Your task is only to help with technical issues and, possibly, correct grammar.
4. Consider search engine optimization
When a young web administrator starts working on content, it's time to explain to him how people will come to his site. Tell us about search engines and how they relate users' queries to site content. Consider the semantic core of the future site, based on its subject matter.
The service will help you with this task Wordstat from Yandex. It can be used to find out how often people search for certain concepts and which search queries are often related.
5. Register an internet address
For your child's website to appear online, you'll need to purchase a domain for it. Help your child come up with a simple and understandable name, and at the same time tell us how a good Internet address helps promote websites. Domains are not very expensive, but you can also find free options — some website builders offer this option even when creating a layout. At the same time, even a minimal “investment” can increase the importance of the project in the eyes of a child and serve as an additional motivation for the development of the site.
When you have an address and transfer the layouts you created online, the work can be considered complete — the site is ready and available to visitors. There is one important point left.
6. Think about safety
It is very important to explain to your child what information can be posted online and which should be kept private. Show him when photos and Internet posts are geotagged, and tell him how fragmentary data can be used to compile a more detailed dossier per person. It is very important that the site does not publish the child's real name, address, school and clubs visited.
Perhaps the best option for you would be to completely restrict access to the child's site by setting a password login. For the first Internet projects where a novice web developer gets a hand, this measure is especially relevant.
As you can see, it is very easy to teach a child how to create websites. Of course, this involves a lot of hard work, but the reward will be new skills and a great opportunity to develop creative skills.
