The Internet is Child’s Play
For a kid, the Web is hardly a revolutionary new medium — it has been a part of the landscape their entire lives. Today, children are among the most Internet savvy people — a fact reflected in the range of interactive games, songs, cartoons and educational tools available for kids online. While traditional toys for kids focus on interactivity, the Web takes it to another level, confronting the challenge of integrating educational material into an entertaining format without losing the child’s attention.
To this end, Flash animation, games and streaming video are typically incorporated, and a simple free download is usually all it takes to get the tools needed to play. All of these sites include video in some format, so it is necessary to have QuickTime, RealPlayer or Windows Media Player.
According to a June 2000 survey by Grunwald Associates, 25 million children aged 2 to 17 are active online in America. The survey cites education as the leading reason for getting kids online. But while education is what gets them there (or compels their parents to get them there), and entertainment is what keeps them there, clearly a key motivation for many of these sites is e-commerce. Nearly every site I visited either had links to a related TV schedule and merchandise, or incorporated online stores for toys, clothing and accessories, games and books. With the exception of the Disney site, which has buttons off to the side with links to sponsors, third-party advertising is conspicuously absent — an omission most parents will appreciate.
Ultimately, though, e-commerce elements will be targeting parents and their credit cards; and ultimately, it is the parents who hold the power to restrict or allow their kids access to the sites.
www.pbskids.org This children’s version of the PBS Web site offers video clips, games, songs and movies. It also integrates an instruction site designed to educate parents about how to enhance and extend a child’s learning, with technical tips and program notes. In the music and movies section, kids can listen to the Barney characters sing a variety of songs, or skip over to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and watch a video of how people make sneakers. Make toast with the Teletubbies, play hide and seek with Corduroy, or color online. The beauty of online coloring is, no matter what, you always stay within the lines!
www.nick.com Nickelodeon’s online presence offers a range of activities for older children and teens, from movies and music to video and interactive multi-player games. The video is high quality and the audio is non-stop. The "video of the day," an animated short with a repetitive beat, greets visitors upon entry. Nick Radio offers several streaming radio formats with songs from recording artists like the Backstreet Boys and 3LW; kids can view music videos and vote for their favorites. Also under the music tab is a section called "Groove Tools": I built a snowman and made him dance to the beat of a programmed tune. Dance, snowman, dance!
www.fisher-price.com/us/playtime/ The Fisher Price site offers fun for younger kids, with online games and activities for toddlers, preschoolers and (believe it or not) infants. Thought babies couldn’t compute? Think again. In the coloring activity, infants can bang on the keyboard to fill in colors; it makes for a great introduction to the computer. No branding here, but some of the preschooler and toddler activities — coloring, learning shapes, learning colors, reading and making up stories — involve Fisher Price trademarked characters. The Bubble Mower game, for instance, entices kids to interact with a virtual version of the popular plastic mower that produces bubbles when pushed. A parents’ guide, "Grow-with-me," offers toy search and play tips.
www.disney.com Disney.com provides two main destinations for kids: Zeether, a free service with activities, games and music; and Blast, Disney’s new subscription service. I tried Blast and was amazed at what it offers for an annual $39.95 fee. Right out of the gates, you get a discount at the Disney store, a year subscription to Disney Adventures Magazine, and up to five family accounts, so all the little ones can play. Mouse House Jr., aimed at preschoolers, is fun and fanciful; Blast Dome, for ages six to 12 years, is more sophisticated and incorporates learning in a more subtle manner. I had trouble keeping up with some of the games (I’m probably not as agile with a mouse as the kids) and with some of the kids playing online (one of the coolest features of Blast Dome is the multi-player functionality): In Bowl-A-Rama, I got creamed by a tot named Sally. Overall, what drew me in — and what will likely capture the kids’ attention — was the classic Disney branding.
www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet This site is divided into two — one for parents and one for children. It features games, stories, art, music and mail. In the music section is a link to Sesame Street Radio, with low- and high-bandwidth options, where I listened to "Me," sung by Grover, and "Being Green," performed by Kermit. This was a nice touch — I left the music playing while I wrote this and surfed around the site.
The games are for younger children, and follow in the Sesame Street tradition, teaching numbers and the alphabet; older kids will be bored quickly but the younger ones will find the school-like setting comfortable and fun. The stories were a disappointment, though, as they lacked accompanying audio, which would be a considerable enhancement both educationally and from the entertainment perspective. One annoyance: The numbers 1 through 11 flash by in a count-off as the site changes screens. Alas, some things made for TV just don’t translate well to the Web.