Enjoying the Webkinz Virtual World Online

If you’ve been living anywhere near kids for the last couple of years, you’re no doubt quite aware that Webkinz, the stuffed animals from Ganz, are extremely cute, extremely popular, and equipped with their own virtual world. In fact, it is this last fact, the online world, that makes Webkinz so popular. They’re not just a stuffed animal, but a complete interactive experience.

When you receive a Webkinz, it comes with a secret code to enter Webkinz World, the online site of Webkinz. This site is a virtual playground, where Webkinz pets come alive and can interact with their owners. Pets in Webkinz World get hungry and sick, feel happy and full, and require care, which their owners can give them in Webkinz World—when they’re not too busy playing games, answering quizzes and doing other fun stuff.

When you “adopt” your pet in Webkinz World, you will receive a virtual pet on the website, that is your “pet” in Webkinz World. Webkinz World is designed for typical pet owners, aged 6 to 13 or so, and the site fits the learning curve and knowledge levels of these users. A new pet comes with a simple room, some toys, and a few dollars in Webkinz money. As you adopt more pets, and play in Webkinz World, you can upgrade all of your belongings and grow your portion of the world.

Playing games, answering quizzes and similar activities let you earn more Webkinz money, and you can use this money to upgrade your room, buy furniture and accessories, buy things for your pet, and upgrade your pet’s environment.
Obviously this is a fun place for kids who love their Webkinz pets. The opportunity to upgrade their rooms, as they may not be able to do in real life, and earn Webkinz cash, is appealing and fun. What’s more, Webkinz World lets kids interact with each other and chat and play together. It’s a kind of social networking for children, complete with pets.

Parents may have two main questions about Webkinz World. Is it safe, and is it educational at all? To answer the first question, Webkinz World is one of the safest sites on the Internet for kids, because the people at Webkinz have put so much effort into filtering chat messages, for instance, that it is virtually impossible to say anything inappropriate or share contact information.

Webkinz World is also surprisingly educational. The W Tales and Webkinz News encourage kids to read, and the many quizzes help them with skills they’d use in school. The cleverest thing about Webkinz is that they do not let kids know they’re learning while hanging out in Webkinz World.

Parents should keep an eye on everything their kids do online, or in the real world. But Webkinz World is a site you’re sure to find meets your standards in terms of educating your kids, keeping them safe, and giving them a lot of really fun things to do online without getting into more “grown-up” sites.