In today’s age of cyberspace your kids know all about computers and how to use them, but do they know which websites are safe? It is a scary world out there if you don’t know which websites are best for your children. You want them to have fun, but you also want to make sure they are safe. There are a few “little known” websites for kids that are just that…safe and fun.
Games:
www.uptoten.com Great website for kids ages 3-10. Animated stories, coloring pages and games. The site is easy to navigate, even for kids and is fun and colorful.
www.owlkids.com Is based on a magazine for kids. It is broken down into three sections. Chirp, for ages 3-6, Chickadee for ages 6-9 and Owl for ages 9-13. There are lots of fun activities and games.
www.seussville.com The name says it all. It is based on none other than the beloved Dr. Seuss stories and has lots of fun activities and games to play that bring his stories to life. This site is for kids ages 7 and up, as there is quite a bit of independent reading involved.
http://play.fantage.com/ Is similar to club penguin in that it allows young players to interact with each other in a safe protected environment. The basic play is free, but like club penguin you can purchase membership which gives you access to other areas and goods within the game. There is a no chat option available int his game which will allow kids to play without chatting with other players. This is for ages 6 and up.
http://ikeepsafe.org/iksc_kids/ Has interactive games, characters and stories. This site was put together by the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. Aside from fun stuff for kids, this site is a great resource for parents to learn more about internet safety. Ages 5 and up.
www.kneebouncers.com This is one of the only sites available to kids ages 0 -2. It is easy to navigate and has fun games for this age group such as peek-a-boo and musical instruments that require just the click of the mouse almost anywhere on the screen.
http://teen.secondlife.com/ This site is for ages 13 -17. It allows it’s players to create a character and move about a fantastic virtual world where they can meet other teens like themselves in a safe and fun environment. The basic membership is free, but other membership options are available for a fee.
Educational:
http://www.sparktop.com/ This website contains fun games that stimulate brain activity. There are separate areas for games, creativity, exploration and connecting with others. This site is for ages 8 and up.
www.secretbuilders.com This site offers education in a fun way. Kids can make a character, explore famous people, write articles for the online magazine, journey of fun quests, learn about charity and chat with others. The site offers restricted and free chat systems for more privacy. This site is for ages 5-14.
www.fffbi.com Is a site where kids can pretend they are part of the Fin,Fur and Feather Bureau of Investigation. They can complete missions, engage in training games and learn about the agents. This website won the 2004 parent’s choice award. For ages 8 and up.
Other:
www.foopets.com Is a place where kids can virtually adopt pets for free and care for them as if they were real. There is no personal information required other than birth date (must be 13 to sign up or have a parent sign up) and country of residence. Kids can play with, name, feed and even breed their puppies or kittens. Ages 10 and up.
www.handipoints.com Is similar to Webkinz. Kids earn points based on chores done (there is a printable chore chart), worksheets completed or play games. There is an allowance program available as well. The basic membership is free, but other levels of membership can be purchased. Ages 4 and up.
www.kidzbop.com A great music website designed for kids ages 7 and up. They can listen to music, make their own mix and play games.
www.zilladog.com Kids can get their own safe e-mail address through zilladog. Parents can even receive a copy of all the e-mails sent. The service is entirely free and mail can only be exchanged by the people in the child’s “buddy” list which is chosen by the parent. There is no spam or junk mail and kids can customize their own site. Parents set up their own password to monitor what their child is doing and chose the child’s “buddies”.
This is just a short list of all the sites available to children and their families that are safe, free and fun. The next time your child says “I am bored”, try one of these sites out. They might just have fun.
