A couple of months ago I talked to you about my introduction to the Webkinz phenomenon. Only at the time I didn’t really realize how huge of a deal it is. Six new Webkinz’s in the family later, and I’m learning more and more about Internet sites devoted to online communities for kids, or more accurately “Tweens”.
Now I’m reading about this site called “Club Penguin” in an article I found in my Inbox from Great Schools.
The article talks about some of the popular sites and the safety concerns of your kids being active on the sites and involved with others on the site as well.
Tween sites are clearly a booming business. Disney recently paid Club Penguin’s founders $350 million to purchase the site. The founders will continue to manage the site, and if they meet aggressive growth targets over the next few years, they will receive $350 million more, according to news reports. The Club Penguin Web site states that there are more than 4 million active penguins. Another virtual world, Nicktropolis, also claims over 4 million users, with thousands more signing up each day.
As I stated, our family has been very happy with our kids involvement with Webkinz, but I’m not sure they’re ready for these other websites. Do you let your kids get involved on one of the sites below? What do you think?