The Webkinz craze has swept the nation and beyond. These adorable little animals are winning the hearts of people young and old. But are there online activities appropriate for the youngest children?
What is a Webkinz? Webkinz, made by Ganz, Inc., are stuffed animals that you “adopt” from a local retail store. Webkinz typically range from $10 – $12 and include instructions with a computer code. Your computer code will provide you access to the Webkinz website on which you and your adopted pet can enjoy many activities such as games, decorating the pet’s room and much more. You are automatically given “Kinz Cash” which allows you to feed and take care of your pet. As you move throughout the site, many opportunities are given to “earn” more “Kinz cash.” The Webkinz site says it is a safe, educational and fun online community.
Games and activities appropriate a four year old I wondered if there would be any activities that my young child would be able to do. After purchasing one of the Webkinz pets for my daughter, age four, I used the computer code to access the website and was pleasantly surprised about what all the “Webkinz World” has to offer.
First, my daughter was able to give her pet poodle a name, and she chose Chloe. Webkinz makes it easy to sign on, create a password and name your pet. Kinz cash” is deposited into the child’s “account” which can be used to decorate the room, buy pet food and do other activities. My daughter, four, was able to easily move her pet around the room using the mouse and appropriate keys and really enjoyed decorating the room. Even after we explored the website, played games and did other activities, she wanted to come back to the room and “play” with her pet. She really enjoys taking care of her Webkinz and always makes sure she is fed.
She also likes playing “Chef’s Challenge” which is very age-appropriate for her. This is probably her favorite game. She needs assistance from me to get it started and then she is able to maneuver through the game quite well.
“Amy”, mom of two from Cordova, Tennessee, says, “I love the fact that all the games are very kid-friendly and in a way teaching responsibility to your child because they have to “feed” their pet and “dress” their pet and get them check ups.” Her four year old adopted the frog and named him, “hopper.”
Is Webkinz “safe” for your four year old? All of the games and activities we have tried have been safe for our four year old. The entire community has opportunities for safe play, and you are constantly discovering new activities each day.
There is an area where your child’s pet can “chat” with other friend’s pets. Is it safe? Amy says, “Parents have the option to sign their kids up to chat. Mine aren’t old enough to do that and I don’t know if they would use that option anyway. If you aren’t signed up to chat you can chat by using words already set up by Webkinz. You just click on the work, example, “hello”, “nice game”, etc and hit send. Webkinz has a set vocabulary that you can use so you can’t just say what you want.” With a pre-planned vocabulary and a parent’s involvement, the chat feature is safe.
Activities/Games not appropriate for a four year old There are games that are not appropriate for my four year old. By this I mean my four year old child does not have the skills necessary for the game. However, there is nothing violent or offensive and it only provides for activities your young child will be able to look forward to! There are so many other options that I recommend introducing new activities as your child ages.
Will your four year old learn anything? First, the Webkinz world is a great way for young children to become familiar with the keyboard and computer. Your child will enjoy “playing” in this website which provides an excellent opportunity for learning.
“Quizzy’s Question Corner” is an area on the website where you can earn “Kinz Cash” by answering question. While this section provides an excellent opportunity for learning, it may be a little advanced for the four year old. The categories of questions start at a recommended age of five.
However, there are many other opportunities for learning with the various games, pet care area and becoming familiar with the computer.
In addition to all that my four year old daughter enjoys on the Webkinz website, she loves to take care of her stuffed poodle, Chloe, at home. She makes sure to “exercise” her every day and sleeps with her at night. She even went on a recent trip with us and she made sure doors were clothes and other “dangers” were out of reach of Chloe.
Webkinz have a lot to offer for even the very young children. It is up to the parent to determine what activities are appropriate for his or her child’s development skills.
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