Digital Safety Tips: How to Keep Children Secure Online

These days, children spend more time in digital spaces than previous generations. From an early age, they are immersed in technology. The online world offers countless opportunities for learning and entertainment, but along with benefits come serious risks. Read on to explore how adults can help maximize the opportunities of the online world while creating safer digital environments for young people.

Have Open Conversations

Protecting children online often involves rules and restrictions, which children—especially older ones—may protest unless they understand the reasons behind them. Open conversations are the first step in including your child’s perspective when creating digital boundaries that work for your family. Reassure your child that your guidance comes from care, not a lack of trust. When talking with middle and high school-aged children, use age-appropriate statistics. According to one of the recent studies, 1 in 12 children worldwide becomes a victim online. Being specific about the statistics makes your argument stronger and helps them understand the reasons behind your efforts to keep them safe.   

Set Clear Boundaries for Device Use

Designate specific areas in your home where phones and tablets are allowed. For younger children, this would mean using devices only in shared family spaces and never behind closed doors. Keep an eye on how the child navigates the internet: videos, pictures, and links. Ask what they plan to do online before each session—what apps they’ll use or what they’re hoping to explore. For teens, consider setting limits like keeping phones out of bedrooms at night. Whenever possible, model these boundaries yourself to reinforce their importance by example. 

Introduce Digital Literacy from a Young Age

Help children build healthy digital habits early. As they begin engaging in online communication—whether through games, messaging apps, or social media—teach them not to share personal information, photos, or videos, especially in public forums. Remind them that once something is posted, it can remain on the internet permanently. It is equally important to talk about body safety and personal boundaries. Teach them to say “no” to any request that feels uncomfortable, online or offline. Make it clear that no one should ever ask them for pictures of their bodies, and if this happens, they should come to a trusted adult immediately.

Use Privacy Settings and Parental Controls

Adjust privacy settings and enable parental controls on games, apps, social media platforms, and devices. These tools help filter content, manage screen time, and limit interactions with strangers, adding an extra layer of protection. You will also know what apps they are downloading. Just as important, explain to your child what settings you’re adjusting and why. When children understand that your actions are meant to keep them safe—not control them—they’re more likely to cooperate and trust you. 

The digital world offers many opportunities for inquiring minds to be creative and innovative, which are our core values at North Tampa Christian Academy. As a private school serving Tampa families, we take seriously our responsibility to guide students toward academic excellence and success while fostering safe and responsible use of technology. Contact us to learn how we help students thrive in today’s digital age.

Fun Outdoor Learning Activities for Summer Break

Florida heats up in the summer, but that’s no reason to stay indoors. The outdoors offers endless opportunities for the whole family to have fun, explore, and learn something new. With sunshine, diverse ecosystems, and plenty of space to roam, Florida offers plenty of opportunities to spark curiosity and creativity. Explore these exciting ways to get outside and make summer break both fun and educational. 

Explore Local Springs 

Florida has over 1,000 freshwater springs — and no two are exactly alike. If you're in Central Florida, you won't have to travel far to find one. From west to east, springs are scattered across the region, offering cool relief from the summer heat. Some springs feel like natural swimming pools, while others, like Kelly Park Rock Springs in Apopka, flow like lazy rivers where you can float down for hours. 

Turn your visit into a fun learning experience, too. Before you go, take a moment to explore the history or unique features of the spring you’re visiting. For example, the waters of De Leon Springs once powered a mill that turned corn into flour during the Civil War. If you visit these springs, remember to get there hungry! There is an Old Sugar Mill Pancake House, located in a 100-year-old replica of the original 1830s sugar mill, where you can cook your own pancakes on the griddle. 

Nature Scavenger Hunt 

Getting outside is even more exciting when there’s a mission! A nature scavenger hunt turns any walk, hike, or park visit into an adventure. Before you go, print out a simple checklist of things to find, like different leaves, insects, feathers, or flowers. Children can cross off each item as they spot it, practicing observation skills while exploring the natural world around them. You can easily tailor the list to Florida’s unique plants and animals, making it a fun and educational challenge for the whole family.

Dive-In Movie Nights  

What’s better than cooling off in the pool on a summer evening? Watching a movie while you float! Dive-in movie nights combine two of the best parts of summer — swimming and outdoor movies. Check your local community pools to see if they’re hosting any this season. Want to bring the fun home? It’s easy to set up your own dive-in theater with a floating screen, some tubes, and a favorite family film. It’s a memorable way to enjoy warm nights, cool water, and good company.

Simulate Ancient Living

Step away from screens and into the past with a creative, hands-on history day the whole family can enjoy. Build a simple shelter together using branches, blankets, or anything on hand. Try writing symbols with charcoal or chalk, imagining what early communication might have looked like. Talk about how people used to start fires, find food, and live without modern tools, and see what you can recreate safely at home. 

For a full experience, have a backyard prehistoric campout. Cook over a fire pit, or just toast marshmallows, tell stories under the stars, and enjoy some low-tech time together. It’s a fun and memorable way to connect with nature and each other.

Make A Mess with Fun Experiments 

Summer is the perfect time for both children and adults to get a little messy and learn something new. Outdoor experiments are a great way to explore science in a hands-on, low-stress way, especially when cleanup is as easy as hosing everything down. 

For example, try a classic like elephant toothpaste, where a bubbly reaction of hydrogen peroxide, yeast, and dish soap creates a giant, foamy eruption. It’s colorful, exciting, and packed with amusement. Whether you're measuring ingredients together or just watching it ooze, it’s a great way to turn curiosity into action. 

Beach Days? Try Building Like Ancient Egyptians 

When sandcastles start to feel a little too boring, challenge older children to think like ancient engineers. Bring along some rope and pegs, or sticks and strings, and experiment with forming perfect shapes in the sand using only simple tools. Experiment with building right angles using the 3-4-5 triangle method to create right angles, just like the Egyptians used to plan out temples and pyramids. It’s hands-on and surprisingly fun— a perfect blend of history, geometry, and sun-soaked creativity. The beach provides the perfect blank canvas for creativity and learning.  

Learning doesn’t stop when the final bell rings for summer. Whether you're exploring nature or experimenting with science outdoors, these activities reflect the same values we stand by at North Tampa Christian Academy. Our private school provides an immersive on-campus experience that encourages innovation through project-based learning and an engaging thematic structure. We empower students to explore, question, and create year-round. If you’re looking for a private school near Tampa, contact us to learn more.

How to Foster Empathy in Your Child

Empathy is an important skill to have, and it’s one that doesn’t always come to us naturally. Children especially struggle with not only seeing the world from another’s perspective, but also acting in ways that show they care. Fortunately, there are ways you can help. Here are tips for helping children in different age groups develop empathy: 

Elementary-Aged Children

The best thing you can do to help your younger child become more empathetic is to model the behavior. Show them what empathy can look like and how they can use it in their own lives. Demonstrate kindness and understanding in daily interactions with your child. Talk about how you considered the other person’s perspective and feelings before taking action. 

Point out examples in media, after watching a movie or reading a book together. Seeing empathy and its impacts in various situations will help your child understand how important it is. When your child demonstrates empathy, recognize it by praising them and letting them know what they did right. 

Pre-Teens

While young children have a rudimentary understanding of feelings, pre-teens might be ready to have deeper conversations about them. Now is a good time to start talking about the more complicated emotions they find themselves feeling and how to navigate them. Watch age-appropriate movies or news together and analyze characters’ motives and feelings. Talk about how they relate to real-life situations. 

This is a good time to talk about bullying, too, and how your child can stand up for others. Another way to help your pre-teen become more empathetic is through age-appropriate volunteer opportunities. After the volunteering experience, ask how they feel, and talk about how their actions have impacted others. 

Teens

The teenage years build the foundation for self-discovery and identity, so they are crucial for conversations about empathy. When your teen expresses distress about someone else’s behavior, challenge them to consider the other person’s side. Help them navigate situations where empathy and peer pressure conflict, like when a peer they don’t like is being bullied. Discuss personal values and how empathy fits into their identity.

Teens are beginning to gain the ability to form their own communities. Encourage them to advocate for causes they care about through volunteering and activism, as well as participating in diverse groups where they can meet people from different backgrounds. Maintain an open dialogue with them about their experiences, being vulnerable in expressing how you have struggled with the same things. It’s not always easy to be empathetic—tell them that you understand and that it’s normal when you see them having trouble. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we hope to help children and teens become the best versions of themselves. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

5 Healthy Habits to Encourage This Summer

Summer is here, and school is out! Suddenly, you’re seeing a lot more of your child, and they’re adjusting to not having a structured routine. Now is the perfect time to start building better habits. With more time on their hands, your child can focus on making the most of summer break by being healthy. Here are some habits you can work on as a family this summer: 

Staying Hydrated

It’s always important to stay hydrated, but it’s even more important during the summer. Make drinking water a priority for the whole family. Emphasize the need for increased fluid intake in hot weather. If your child struggles to drink enough water, suggest fun ways to drink more, like infusing it with fruit or mixing in electrolyte powder. Make sure everyone in the family has a reusable water bottle. Your child may even enjoy decorating their water bottle with waterproof stickers to make it feel like their own

Incorporating Outdoor Activity

Another way the family can focus on their health this summer is through outdoor activity. Getting plenty of fresh air and sunlight is linked to improved moods and better sleep, which benefits both our physical and mental well-being. Exercise provides its own list of benefits for the mind and body. Make time this summer for participating in physical activity together, whether it’s taking walks in nature, swimming in the pool or running on the beach. Always wear sunscreen and bring plenty of water! 

Eating Whole, Fresh Foods

Often, we turn to processed foods because they're inexpensive and convenient. Unfortunately, it’s not the healthiest option. Look for ways to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet this summer. Consider going to the farmer’s market to find in-season produce so you can get the freshest options. Put together or buy some fruit salads, and find new ways to cook vegetables so they will appeal to everyone (hint: try roasting them!).

Prioritizing Rest and Sleep

When school is in session, children and teens have set wake-up and wind-down times each day. Over summer break, many children lack this structure, which can affect their sleep patterns. Find a routine that works for your whole family, even if that means different wake-up times for different family members. The goal is to ensure everyone gets plenty of sleep each night, even during the exciting summer season. Talk with the family about being respectful of everyone’s schedules and letting each other sleep. Encourage looking away from screens for at least one hour before bed to support a healthy bedtime routine. 

Practicing Sun Safety

Sun safety is one of the most important health considerations to make during the summertime. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to sunburn in the short term and skin cancer in the long term. If you’re going outside during the day, especially during peak hours, here are some steps you can take to stay safe:

• Wear a hat and sunglasses

• Put on sunscreen, reapplying as needed

• Look for shady spots

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we always encourage students to practice healthy habits. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Making Goals for a More Mindful New Year

New Year’s Resolutions are a time-honored tradition, but they’re also notoriously difficult to achieve. Rather than making a checklist of things you think you’re supposed to do in a year, consider setting mindful goals that focus on improving your life and the lives of others. Here are some ways you can make more mindful goals for the year ahead: 

Focus on Personal Development

One reason New Year’s Resolutions often fall to the wayside is that they’re focused on image. Consider setting goals for yourself that start from within. Commit to taking an hour to yourself each day. Whether you spend that time in the gym or in the living room, spend it doing what you want to do and prioritize self care. If you need something more specific, set a goal for a number of books to read or a new skill to learn. 

Consider Setting Academic Goals

School is a big part of life, but it can be hard to make it a priority when you have a lot going on outside the classroom. This coming year, look at ways to improve your time management skills, like blocking out certain hours of the day to work undisturbed on homework and studying. Set realistic goals for leveling up your knowledge in subjects you struggle with. One of the best ways you can help yourself academically is remembering to ask for help when you need it. If you make no other academic goals for the new year, make this your goal. 

Seek Better Connections with Others

Getting through life is always easier when you have strong relationships with others. Look into ways you can strengthen your current friendships and family bonds. Send cards for birthdays and holidays. Check in on friends and family you don’t see often. If you feel like you want to expand your network, look for opportunities to make new connections and find new friends. We can always find more ways to form meaningful connections with those around us. 

Tips for Achieving Mindful Goals

Now, you have your goals in mind. Your next step is figuring out how to make them happen. With a little bit of planning and consistent work, you can accomplish your goals. Here are a few tips: 

• Break each goal down into smaller, manageable tasks.

• Keep a journal or planner to track your progress.

• Stay motivated, and focused on the bigger picture. Why do you want to reach these goals, and how will they improve your life? 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we always encourage students to aim high and work hard to reach their goals. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.