Privacy & Cookie Policy
KidsOnline ("KidsOnline", "we", "us") provides free educational games and learning activities for children at kidsonline.com. We care about your family's privacy and keep the data we collect to the minimum we need to run the site. This policy explains what we collect, why, how we use cookies, and the choices and rights you have.
In short: we use first-party analytics to understand how our games are used, we don't sell your data, and we don't show third-party behavioural advertising to children. In the EU, EEA, UK and Switzerland we ask for your consent before any non-essential cookies are set.
1. Who is responsible for your data
KidsOnline is the data controller for the personal data described here. If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at info@kidsonline.com.
2. What we collect
Account & newsletter
- Your email address, and optionally your name and role (parent, teacher, school admin, or other).
- Your preferred language.
- A securely hashed password if you create an account.
Children's profiles
Accounts are created and managed by an adult (a parent, guardian or teacher). Within an account, an adult may add child profiles containing only a first name or nickname, an emoji avatar, an optional age range, and the child's learning progress (such as stars, levels, minutes played, which games were played, and each answer: the question, what they picked, whether it was right, and how long it took). We do not ask children for contact details, and we do not require any personal data to play the games anonymously.
Usage & analytics (first-party)
To understand how our games are used and to improve them, our own analytics records, for each visit:
- Pages viewed, referring page, and any campaign parameters in the link;
- Approximate location (country/region, derived from your IP address via our CDN, Cloudflare);
- Device and browser type, language, and screen size;
- Engagement signals such as time on page and how far you scrolled.
This is first-party analytics that we host ourselves. We do
not use Google Analytics or other third-party tracking
services for this. A random first-party identifier (the ko_an_v
cookie) lets us recognise a returning visit on the same device; it is not tied
to your identity unless you are signed in.
Feedback
If you use our feedback widget, we receive the name, email and message you choose to send so we can reply and improve the site.
3. Cookies and similar technologies
We group cookies into three categories:
| Category | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Essential (always on) | Needed for the site to work — keeping you signed in, security, and remembering your cookie choice. | Session cookie, cookie_consent |
| Analytics (your choice) | Helps us measure traffic and understand how the games are used so we can improve them. | ko_an_v |
| Marketing (your choice) | Would be used to measure campaigns and show relevant content. We do not currently use marketing cookies, but the option is available for the future. | — |
Your consent and how to change it
If you visit from the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland (or your location can't be determined), we show a cookie banner and set only essential cookies until you choose. You can accept all, or open More choices to turn analytics and marketing on or off individually. Visitors outside these regions are not shown the banner and the site works normally.
You can change your choice at any time using the "Cookie settings" link in the site footer. Your preference is stored for up to one year.
4. How we use your data
- To provide the games, save progress, and keep accounts secure;
- To measure and improve how the site and games perform;
- To send the emails you signed up for, and account/service messages;
- To respond to feedback and support requests;
- To detect and prevent abuse, fraud and security incidents.
5. Legal bases (EU/EEA/UK/Switzerland)
- Consent — for analytics and marketing cookies, and for the newsletter. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Contract — to provide an account and save progress you asked us to keep.
- Legitimate interests — to keep the site secure and prevent abuse, balanced against your rights.
6. Children's privacy
KidsOnline is designed to be used by children together with, or under the supervision of, a parent, guardian or teacher. Accounts must be created by an adult. We keep child profiles small: a nickname, an avatar, and learning activity such as games played and answers given, so we can see how the games are used and later build practice for common mistakes. We never require a child's contact information, we do not sell personal data, and we do not use children's data for behavioural advertising. If you believe a child has provided us personal data without appropriate adult involvement, contact us and we will delete it.
7. How we share data
We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with service providers who help us run the site, under appropriate safeguards:
- Hosting and content delivery / security (including Cloudflare), which may process your IP address and approximate location;
- Email delivery, to send the messages you requested.
We may also disclose data where required by law.
8. International transfers
Our providers may process data in countries outside your own. Where that happens for visitors in the EEA, UK or Switzerland, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.
9. How long we keep data
- Account & progress data: for as long as the account is active. Deleting your account removes it and all child profiles and progress.
- Analytics: kept in aggregate/limited form to track trends, and not used to identify you.
- Newsletter: until you unsubscribe.
10. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you;
- Correct inaccurate data;
- Delete your data ("right to be forgotten");
- Object to or restrict certain processing;
- Withdraw consent at any time;
- Request a copy of your data (portability).
You can exercise these rights directly:
- Delete your account & data: from your account settings, or via the unsubscribe link in any of our emails.
- Export progress: from the parent dashboard.
- Change cookie choices: via the "Cookie settings" link in the footer.
- Anything else: email us at info@kidsonline.com.
If you are in the EEA, UK or Switzerland and believe we have not handled your data properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
11. Security
We use technical and organisational measures — including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and access controls — to protect your data. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information and review our practices regularly.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, let you know.
13. Contact us
Questions about your privacy or this policy? Email info@kidsonline.com.