On July 24, the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ held the 19th Coordination Center Academy webinar, hosted on the VK platform Safe Information Environment for Children. The session, titled Not an App, but a Book: Why Children Need Poems about Digital Safety, centered on the activity book Digital Footprint. Part of the Center’s educational project Explore the Internet & Govern It, the publication uses poetry to explain the basics of online safety in a child-friendly way.
The guest speakers were Nadezhda Kuznetsova, a children’s poet and writer who authored the poems in Digital Footprint, and Anna Alpatova, a practicing psychologist and educational psychologist at St. George’s School in Moscow. Together with Viktoria Bunchuk, the book’s editor and head of social projects at the Coordination Center, the panel discussed whether printed materials still hold value for modern children – and how they can be seamlessly combined with digital educational tools.
A key focus of the conversation was the effectiveness of poetry as a medium for conveying safety rules. Nadezhda Kuznetsova stressed that poetry encourages independent thinking in kids rather than delivering rigid instructions:
“In verse, we don’t give direct commands – we offer a train of thought that invites children to reflect and come to their own conclusions. Rhyme and imagery make complex ideas simple; rules become part of a compelling story, not dry edicts. Ultimately, poetry allows us to present safety not as a list of prohibitions, but through play and imagery – something children connect with much more readily.”
A distinctive feature of the book is its hybrid format: it combines poetic text on a traditional carrier with hands-on activities, including stickers, puzzles, and pages designed for writing and drawing.
Anna Alpatova then outlined the psychological and pedagogical benefits of the approach. The expert noted the therapeutic, grounding role a physical book can play in an age of information overload:
“A book is an island of stability and predictability – words stay where they are, you can reread them as many times as you like, and they never change. In the digital environment, a child’s mind is constantly shifting gears and reacting to rapid-fire cues. A book, on the other hand, offers a pause – space for deep reading and reflection. The shared reading experience is especially valuable: when a trusted adult reads aloud, the child develops a sense of security, and information is absorbed in the most reassuring setting possible. It is in that calm, steady space that children can more easily explore the world and cement new knowledge.”
She also addressed the cognitive mechanisms that make poetry such an effective teaching tool.
“Rhyme and predictable rhythm reduce cognitive load, with the brain finding it easier to complete a line and anticipate what comes next. That’s the cognitive ease effect: it helps us process information faster and retain it more reliably. Moreover, in stressful situations, when thinking naturally slows, rhymed lines can serve as an anchor – a child may recall a familiar cadence and find their bearings even in a tense moment,” she explained.
The authors and experts offered practical suggestions for using the book. Nadezhda Kuznetsova recommended family reading followed by discussion:
“You can read the poem line by line, with each family member taking a turn, and then work together to unpack the scenario and come up with responses. In that way, the poem sparks real dialogue, and safety rules become part of a natural conversation rather than a dull list of don’ts.” Anna Alpatova, for her part, proposed applying the spaced repetition method to reinforce learning: “Review the material at gradually widening intervals – first every other day, then every three days, then weekly, then monthly, and so on. This approach helps automate the desired responses, so that if a real situation arises, the child can act confidently and correctly.”
The webinar underscored a strong demand for practical, accessible resources to foster digital literacy in children. Digital Footprint is positioned not merely as a literary work but as a methodological tool for parents and educators – a springboard for building trusting conversations about online risks and nurturing mindful, safe behavior in kids. Looking ahead, the Coordination Center plans to expand its offerings, including editions for very young readers, as well as additional awareness-raising events aimed at helping adults find the right words when talking to children about digital safety.
The Coordination Center Academy webinars, hosted on the Safe Information Environment for Children platform, take place several times a year and regularly draw engaged live audiences to discuss pressing issues and educational initiatives shaping today’s digital landscape. Videos of all sessions are available in the Coordination Center’s official VK community.
