Tuesday, January 20, 2009

PBS Kids Island online games

A and I have just discovered PBS Kids Island at PBSkids.org. It is a set of free games that teach reading skills. The system requires an email account and multiple kids can play under one email address.  A parent / caregiver can check the account to learn a little about what their child is doing. 

My feelings are mixed.  A seems to like the games, but he was frustrated that more buildings are not on the island (after mastery of one area, new areas are added).  I'm concerned about spending a lot of time online, although A has been free to play games at several kids' network sites.

3 comments:

Corey Schwartz said...

Thanks for sharing. we just checked it out and totally see what you mean. My daughter is too advanced for the first few games and got very frustrated as well. They should give you the option to start at a higher level. Might be better for my son who is three and a half.

Karen said...

Thanks for the comment, Corie! I think with some tweaks, it could be a great system. My oldest (4.5). also uses Starfall.com once in a while, but it's not a favorite either. I like when he gives it a try though.

Kate S said...

my 5 year old loves getting the tickets, and its better than him spending time watching videos on Nick Jr. ;) Thanks for the idea, Karen. :)