Getting the Most from Military Kids Connect

Military kids get to develop skill sets other kids never learn. As a parent, that’s your job—helping your kids cope in healthy ways to changing circumstances. This includes family member deployments, moves and new schools.

Luckily, you and your children can turn to Military Kids Connect. Service families have access to this engaging website that helps children connect to an online community of other military kids, prepare for upcoming moves and have fun with lots of games and other stuff.

Safe online space for kids to connect on military life

Military Kids Connect offers engaging tools and games. It also helps children, pre-teens and teens prepare for the challenges around family transitions. The site also has resources parents and teachers may appreciate.

For children:

• Forums for kids to share their own ideas, experiences and suggestions with other military children
• Websites, programs and other resources helping kids appreciate military life
• Videos of military kids telling their stories
• Monitored social message boards for tweens and teens (parent’s approval is required)
• Virtual scrapbook, interactive world maps and recipes from around the world
• Games, challenges and projects to help kids keep busy and reduce stress
• Tours of your next installation and more

Handy stuff for parents and teachers

Military Kids Connect also has great information to help adults understand what it takes to support military children at home and at school

For adults:

• Suggestions and resources to help connect with your children
• Military culture videos and lesson plans for teachers to better understand the differences between military and civilian youth
• Resources, tips and advice for handling tough stuff like grief, loss and injury
• Information on identifying behaviors when kids are under stress and how to help them
• Strategies to help children of all ages cope with the stress of deployment
• Information about website safeguards and parental controls.

Check out and bookmark Military Kids Connect, and connect with other families like yours. And remember: Confidential services, including non-medical counseling and specialty consultations, are available through Military OneSource. Or call us anytime at 800-342-9647.