Webkinz are the big rage in our area right now. I assume that they are popular in other areas as well. My daughter got her first Webkinz as a surprise from her father and at the time, neither of them even knew what it did. They just thought it was a cute stuffed toy. Well, it is much more!
A stuffed toy
Okay, you buy a stuffed toy! Your kids probably have a zillion of them if they are like mine. Let me describe it first and then I’ll tell you why it is different! First of all, there are a huge number of animals to choose from. Anything from cats and dogs to hippos and unicorns and even some special edition Webkinz, like one they put out especially for Valentine’s Day. They are different sizes but approximately 6-8” tall. They are made of different materials and some are especially soft and others are fuzzy and still others are “stringy” (for lack of a better work but it really is cute!)
The W Tag
When you first get your Webkinz you will notice a tag attached to its foot. The tag is sealed when you purchase it and when you get the toy home, you can open it up to reveal a secret code! You now have to visit http://www.webkinz.com and enter that code and you will be in for lots of addicting fun!
The Adoption
The first thing you will do at he website is to “adopt” your pet. Ms. Birdy will walk you through the steps in adopting your pet. If it is your first Webkinz pet, you will need to create a user name and a password for your account. Write it down and don’t lose it because you won’t be able to retrieve it in any way if you forget it. You then create a name for your pet and voila, you are the new pet owner!
Webkinz World
You will now enter Webkinz World. You pet will appear on the screen (by the secret code, it even knows what you pet looks like!) in his/her new room. You will receive some adoption “gifts” and some Kinzcash in your account. You can now explore Webkinz World and there is a lot to see and do.
Kinzcash
Kinzcash is the currency of Webkinz World. You can earn it in many different ways. And, there are lots of things to spend it on as well. Now that your new pet has a room, you will need to buy it furniture and things to play with plus you will need to feed your pet so you’ll have to buy food too! And, as your earn more kinzcash, you may buy more rooms and furnish them as well! It’s an interior decorator’s pleasure!
So how do I get Kinzcash?
There are many ways to get Kinzcash in Webkinz World and none of them involve any REAL cash, which is a big plus for parents! There are daily activities in which you can earn Kinzcash such as the Wheel or Wow (looks like a Wheel of Fortune Wheel but you can’t lose!) and The Wishing Well.(which looks like a slot machine but again, you can’t lose!). You can go to the “arcade” and play games. If you get good at them, you will earn more and more kinzcash. You can also earn kinzcash by going to Quizzy’s and answer questions on various subjects. The questions are divided by age so all ages can find some subject that they like and is at their level. And, there are other activities as well that you will discover as you explore Webkinz World.
Our experiences
Both my daughter and I like to log onto Webkinz World website. I enjoy some of the games but I especially like to design new rooms. My daughter loves the games and she really loves to play in “tournaments” with other Webkinz players. She likes to connect with other users and visit their rooms (virtually). She is especially aware of how her pets are feeling and if they are hungry and makes sure to keep them happy (Me, I forget about that part quite often and she peeks over my shoulders and tells me I have to feed her pets!
Internet Safety
Your child is accessing Webkinz World through the internet so you may be concerned about safety. Webkinz World has put a lot of thought into the safety of children when the designed their virtual world. There are no “chat rooms” and no way for children to actually “meet” each other. Now, the Webkinz characters can play games against each other and even visit each other’s rooms but there is no way for any actual information to be exchanged. Even when the pet’s “talk” to each other, they have to choose from pre-determined text that is all very safe. Still, as a parent, you should make sure your child understand internet safety and never gives out their real names to anyone online (it is not possible in this game but still it is good to know)
Be careful
Okay, now I’m not talking about internet safetly. I’m talking about the fact that once you start playing around in Webkinz World, you can lose all track of time and keep playing and playing and playing. It’s a very addictive sort of place to visit! I know, I’ve been sucked in more than once! And, my daughter wants to play all the time. I use Webkinz as a reward for her. After she has completed all of her schoolwork and chores, she is allowed a certain amount of time playing in Webkinz World. Of course, she takes her stuffed “pets” to bed with her every night and plays with them in her own creative ways and I’m glad she does this too!
Recommendation
I would recommend Webkinz as a fun toy and game for children to play. I have found that there are educational qualities to Webkinz World such as Quizzys and even learning budgeting skills (you have to make sure you have enough Kinzcash to feed your pets!) Of course, it is still a computer game and should be limited so that children get lots of time playing in the real world too!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 12 Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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