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    3 min read 5 stepsAugust 6, 2026Verified August 2026

    Youville: A Free FTC Game That Teaches Grandkids Smart Online Choices

    The FTC released a free online game for ages 8 to 12 about making good choices on the internet. Here is how to find it and play it with a grandchild.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Safety & Privacy
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    3 min read
    Steps
    5
    Topics covered
    grandchildren
    online safety
    ftc
    kids
    free resources

    In this guide (5 steps):

    1. 1.Go to the FTC website
    2. 2.Sit next to the child rather than handing the device over
    3. 3.Pause and ask before each answer
    4. 4.Connect one lesson to something real
    5. 5.Agree on one rule to keep
    1

    Go to the FTC website

    ~19s
    Open your web browser and type ftc.gov into the address bar. Then use the search box at the top of the page and search for Youville. Government websites end in .gov, so check for that before you click a result.

    Quick Tip

    Bookmark the page once you find it. That saves searching again next time a grandchild visits.

    2

    Sit next to the child rather than handing the device over

    ~15s
    Put the tablet or laptop where you can both see it. You are not supervising a test. You are two people looking at the same screen, which makes it easier for the child to ask you something.
    3

    Pause and ask before each answer

    ~15s
    When the game presents a choice, ask the child what they would pick and why. Listen to the reason, not the answer. The reason tells you what they already understand and what they do not.
    4

    Connect one lesson to something real

    ~15s
    After you finish, name a real example. A pop-up that says you won a gift card. A message from someone claiming to know you. Say what you personally do about it. Children copy what they watch adults do.
    5

    Agree on one rule to keep

    ~21s
    Pick a single rule the child can repeat, such as "I ask before I type my name anywhere." One remembered rule beats a list of ten. Write it down and put it where the tablet is charged.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Agree that the child will never be in trouble for reporting something scary online. Fear of punishment is the main reason children hide problems.

    You Did It!

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    On August 5, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission announced a free tool called Youville. It is aimed at children ages 8 to 12. The point is to give them practice making decisions online before those decisions cost them anything.

    Why this belongs on a site for older adults: grandparents are often the ones handing a tablet to a grandchild. You may also be the person that child asks when something online feels wrong. Playing a short game together gives you both the same words for the same problems.

    The topics are the ones that show up in real life. What to share and what to keep private. How to tell an ad from a real recommendation. What to do when a stranger sends a message. How a "free" prize offer works. These are the same patterns behind the scams that target adults, in a smaller form.

    The tool is free. There is nothing to buy and no membership. It lives on the FTC's own website, which is a government site, so you are not handing a child's information to an advertiser to use it.

    A short session works better than a long one. Fifteen minutes, one topic, and a conversation afterward will stick longer than an hour of clicking. Ask the child what they would do before the game tells them. Their answer is the useful part.

    (Source: Federal Trade Commission consumer alerts — consumer.ftc.gov)

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    grandchildren
    online safety
    ftc
    kids
    free resources

    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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