11 Websites You Can Trust With Your Kids

Sept. 8, 2011— -- Mobile apps and social-networking services have recently been found to be violating the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act. The Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement with a game maker just last month.

Parents' growing concerns about their kids' online security have led to a profusion of new kid-centric sites. Sifting through all the sites out there to find the good and avoid the bad can be daunting, especially with new sites popping up all the time.

Should my kids play games online? Is there a safe place for them to explore the web? How secure are the sites that my kids are visiting? These are some of the questions parents have.

Below are eleven sites that cater to kids between the ages of 4 and 13 that are worth considering for a variety of reasons.

1. Togetherville.com: a social-networking site for children that is monitored by parents. (Disney, the parent company of ABC, owns Togetherville.com.)

2. Yoursphere.com: a social-networking site designed for kids to interact with kids in a comfortable zone

3. ePals.com: an educational community bringing together learners from all over the planet.

4. ClubPenguin.com: a virtual world site that promotes global consciousness, charitable giving and sharing.

5. Kids.NationalGeographic.com: an award-winning site with vast offerings that combine education and entertainment.

6. Askkids.com: a search engine just for children.

7. PBSkids.org: the online version of PBS station for children.

8. Nickjr.com: the online destination for fans of Nick Jr.

9. Girlscouts.org/forgirls: a branch of the Girl Scouts' main site that provides age-appropriate interactive material.

10. Disney.go.com: a game site from Disney (Disney is the parent company of ABC).