“M-O-M,” I hear my daughter yell, “I am having trouble. Can you come help me?” Help her? I just stepped into the next room from where she was playing Tinker Bell on the computer after begging me for an hour to log her on to the website advertised on the Disney Channel.
I walk up to the desk and glance at the screen. She is no longer on Tinker Bell; she is playing a more advanced (and slightly violent) game based on a new Disney movie. She shows me how “neat” it is, but she can’t read the instructions or figure out what to do. Great, I think.
How do I stop this kind of thing from happening? She wants to play computer games. I want her to play educational computer games while being safe and age appropriate.
I found the answer when I was offered the opportunity to try Zoodles. Zoodles is a browser for kids that gives them a safe area to access and play games. Even with a basic (free) membership, you get access to age appropriate games in a safe environment. Plus, they have recently launched a new Games Directory that is also free.
The Games Directory can be accessed at the top of the page when you go to Zoodles.com. The Games tab takes you the directory. The directory is fantastic. You can search for games by grade level, age, subject, or even character. There is a huge selection of games from which your child can choose.
Did I mention that this is all free? Well, it is worth restating. They do have a paid membership also.
The premium (paid) membership is really great. It allows a parent to set time controls, whether to allow videos, to restrict advertisements or certain characters, promote educational activities and gives information on your child(ren)’s activities. They put the child’s activity information into easy to read charts.
I love this. As you may already know, I am definitely into keeping track and assessment of work. I think this is a homeschooling parent’s dream.
We are going to be using this premium service over the next few months. Check back for a follow-up! In the meantime, I encourage you to check out the really neat Game Directory if you have a child between 2 and 8 years old.
(I was compensated for taking time to write a candid review of Zoodle by receiving a premium membership for six months. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. As with any review, use your own judgment when decided whether to buy or subscribe to a product or service.)
Thanks, this is a great tip and I’m going to pass it along to my daughter.
Grace
We (my daughter and I) really like it still. We had an issue with navigating, but we figured it out without much of a problem. I even received first report on her activities. Totally neat.