Ages 5 to 6: Doing it themselves
By the time they reach age five, children will probably want to explore the Web by themselves.
It's important for parents to guide their children on safer Internet surfing as the children start to use the Internet themselves.
The MSN Kids page is designed especially for children under eight, and it provides child-friendly search tools.

Ages 7 to 8: Interest growing
Part of normal behavior for children in this age group is seeing what they can get away with. While online, this might include going to sites or talking in chat rooms to which parents wouldn't give them permission.
Online activity reports from MSN Premium or other services can be especially helpful during this stage. Kids won't feel that their parents are looking over their shoulders, but the report still shows where they've been.
Kids this age will probably still feel comfortable at the MSN Kids site.

Ages 9 to 12: Online savvy
Preteens want to know everything, and they've heard what's available on the Web. It's normal for them to try to see what's there.
For subject matters parents find objectionable (for example, sexually explicit adult content or bomb-making instructions), parents can use MSN Parental Controls to help block the objectionable content.
Preteens can also go to MSN Kidz, which is designed for children ages 8 to 13 and provides child-friendly search tools.

Ages 13 to 17: Technically sophisticated
Helping teenagers with online safety is especially tricky, because they often know more than their parents about Internet software.
Even with older kids, it's important for parents to take an active role in guiding their children's Internet use. Strict adherence to online safety rules agreed upon by parent and child, and frequent reviews of children's online activity reports are especially important.
Parents should remember to keep their own passwords secure, so that teens cannot sign in as parents.