Educational Games in Webkinz World
The Online Virtual Animal Kingdom Offers Learning Opportunities
Dec 1, 2008
Bob Tedeshchi of the New York Times described Webkinz as "a cross between an online gaming site, an educational site and the virtual world of Second Life, but with animals instead of people." [Interview, 3/26/2007] The description is particularly apt because although the games and activities at Webkinz.com may all be entertaining, they are not all education.
Here are some of best educational games in that parents can expect their elementary children to find in Webkinz World:
General Knowledge Games
- Quizzy's Corner offers subject area trivia divided into grade levels. Quiz questions are available long enough to read and think about answers; points decrease as time goes on. After answering 50 questions, children are sometimes able to play other learning games (jobs) at the Webkinz employment agency.
The leveled question categories include:
- Arts
- Health
- Language Arts
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
Questions available to "everyone" include the following subjects:
- Kid's World (about typical kid experiences)
- Pop Culture
- Fun Facts
- Green Thumb
- The Environment
Keyboarding Games
- Lunch Letters offers keyboarding challenges for children learning to type on on a QWERTY keyboard. Lunch Letters is an excellent learning tool. The game provides words that must be correctly typed in a specific amount of time. As the child progresses through the game, the words become longer and more challenging, and the time limits change.
- Miss Birdy's Assistant is a job that is done through the employment office. It is an excellent typing game because children must correctly type words in a specific amount of time. The challenge of the game increases based on the success of the player in the previous game.
Math Games
- Booger Gets an A is perfect for students with growing confidence in addition. Children who are learning addition skills will benefit from playing this game. Players start with simple blocks to add together to meet a set sum. For example, if the given sum is 6, players can add 1+1+1+1+1+1 blocks, 2+4 blocks, 3+3 blocks, or a different combination based on available blocks. The game grows progressively harder by having goal number increases and limited low-number blocks.
- Get Eleven Solitaire is good for players who understand cards. For older elementary and middle school students, this game offers simple math and symbolic thinking. The players must add the cards of symbolic value ( aces, kings, queens, and jacks) to 11 with any number of combinations. This is particularly challenging for children who are learning the base-ten system. The game grows progressively harder by decreasing the available time.
- Kinz Post Sorter is a game in the employment office, and is classified as a Webkinz job. In order to earn money, players must add up boxes in three columns to match a set goal. The game increases in challenge as players achieve success.
Memory Games
It is important that children play memory games. Webkinz offers several good games at different levels.
- Where's Wacky is played much like the card game Memory. This game requires players to remember where one card is and then finding the match. The game starts at a kindergarten level, and quickly progresses with more cards and advanced time limits.
Several of the Employment Office "jobs" strengthen memory, such as Hamburger Cook and Shoe Store Clerk. However, the more education pattern games for children require them to repeat unique patterns with increasing difficulty.
- Fence Painting requires players to look at the colors on the fence. After the colors disappear, the pattern must be recreated in a given time. The patterns increase in difficulty.
- Piano Player is an interesting game because it is an auditory and visual game. Players must listen to the given pattern, and recreate it. Challenge is not built into time limits; rather children will be challenged by the increased complexity of auditory patterns.
Spelling Game
The keyboarding games have some spelling naturally built in, but only one game currently focuses on spelling skills.
- Quizzy's Word Challenge is similar to scrabble, but is at a child's level. Players are given a set of letters placed in rows of different point placement. If players make a given word, they earn bonus points. Many of the bonus words are simple ("pop"). The game accepts many short words. It is a good choice for children who have some spelling skills and are at early reading stages.
It could be argued that more of the games are educational because they teach strategy, patterns, and in some cases, classic games to play with others (such as Go Fish). The site also offers opportunities to learn about shopping, managing money, and offers opportunities for reading.
