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It’s no secret we live in an increasingly techno-centric world. While the Internet can bring entertainment, ease and accessibility to our lives, it’s also becoming more and more ingrained in our children’s daily experiences. This immersion at such an early age is part of a delicate balance that parents are continually trying to manage for their kids.

Children encounter a whole digital world as soon as they enter the classroom: Smart Boards in early childhood centers, interactive “touch and tap” forms of teaching in elementary schools, electronic clickers to answer questions as a group in the classroom, even seeing data results in real time on a communal screen.

The educational advantages of the Internet are obvious, and being tech-savvy is more important than ever for kids to develop future skills and knowledge. But it’s also important to maintain a watchful eye and teach children about safe web practices. That’s why VTech Mom, Pilar Clark, recommends these tips for when your child begins actively surfing the web.

Mix Entertainment with Education:

Many skills acquired on academically-focused websites can be applied to real world activities, and parents can often find resources that help them find ways to do so. Math and science activities can be applied to cooking family dinners, while shapes and colors can be reiterated while children paint or color.

Start Things off Right:

Even toddlers can learn their way around parent-approved websites, many of which are available as tie-ins with favorite television characters, academic-based sites, and educational software designed specifically for younger age groups. Be sure to maintain age appropriate online use that grows along with your kids.

Bookmark Safe Places:

Parents can also stay in control by bookmarking safe websites that their children enjoy and are also educational. Our favorite learning sites typically have a tie-in to a toy, book or TV program. PBSkids.org is a great outlet where many of the activities present opportunities to let loose and dance, sing, color, get scientific and get comfortable with numbers.

• To find these outlets, I rely on many of the magazines I read, specifically, Parenting, Parents, Woman's Day, Scholastic, Working Mother and Disney Family Fun. Many offer little blurbs on new things to try, which often spurs me to check them out further. Additionally, following these same handles on Twitter, in addition to Babble, can shed light on some of the inner-workings of these apps and sites and why they might appeal to parents/children.

Keep an Eye on Things:

Parents can also stay in control by bookmarking safe websites that their children enjoy and are also educational. Our favorite learning sites typically have a tie-in to a toy, book or TV program. PBSkids.org is a great outlet where many of the activities present opportunities to let loose and dance, sing, color, get scientific and get comfortable with numbers.

Get More in One Place:

Sites that offer print outs, progress reports and additional content are also a great resource to get even more from your online visits. Nick Jr. and Disney have a cache of coloring sheets and crafting activities available at no cost, making it easy for parents to introduce play and learning at the same time offline, too.

• VTech's Learning Lodge offers us an inside look into our children's accomplishments via their MobiGo and V.Reader systems. A Progress Log generated for each child outlines their achievements by grade level and even shows what skills have been mastered. This makes it easier to reinforce those skills in other ways through school and offline activities.

Balance is Everything:

Much like parents who limit TV or gaming time in favor of reading and free play, balance is key to smart Internet usage. Make sure to set aside time for screen-free play and learning each day.

Though children should always participate in online activities with supervision, enhanced parental controls have made it possible to ease up on the virtual reins when children reach grade school age. Blocks and passwords can be installed to protect children, and perks like progress reports and learning trackers let parents see how their kids are doing with their online activities. Remembering these simple tips when monitoring your children’s online use will lead to a safer and more enjoyable experience for all.