 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online
Common Sense Media says
Great preschool activities that change biweekly.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this subscription-based educational product -- which teaches everything from reading to math to self-expression -- only works on Windows-based computers using a broadband connection and Internet Explorer. There is nothing too controversial, as long as you're comfortable with your kids learning from Disney characters. The content changes every two weeks and adjusts in difficulty, depending on how well the child does. Parents needn't worry that their kids will accidentally end up on another Web site because the format locks kids inside the program until a parent enters a code to let them exit.
What's it about?
Kids playing PLAYHOUSE DISNEY PRESCHOOL TIME ONLINE are greeted by Bear from the Bear in the Big Blue House television show. He guides kids through the biweekly learning adventure, which features games with characters from Playhouse Disney shows including The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey & Friends, Jo-Jo's Circus, Higglytown Heroes, Stanley, Rolie Polie Olie, andThe Koala Brothers. By playing games with characters like Pooh or Stanley, kids learn preschool skills that cover reading and math readiness, thinking, social behavior, daily living, and imagination and self-expression. Each biweekly installment has its own theme, like "Bravery" or "Healthy Habits."
Is it any good?
The graphics are TV quality and are accompanied by engaging songs and dialogue. Preschool Time Online uses voice-over content, so no reading is required. Because the difficulty of the biweekly content adjusts on the fly, it grows with the child.
Preschool Time Online provides parents with a separate area to track their kids' progress (up to five children). It also offers additional materials, including an excellent online game that teaches kids how to use the mouse and keyboard. But the navigation can be a bit confusing for preschoolers trying to play it alone, a few of the activities start at too difficult a level, and we could not get a musical art activity to work. Because there is so much high-quality content, these few shortcomings don't impact greatly on an otherwise outstanding preschool product.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the theme of material. If the theme is "Healthy Habits," for example, then families can discuss which foods are healthy, or what they already do to keep themselves from getting sick. Did you learn anything in the game that you didn't know before? What do you know that's not included here?
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AGE
Good but canceling problematic
My daighter is 7 and wanted to sign up - probbaly for the fond memories. She found the games too easy, but they are well done and appropriate for probably 3-5 year olds.
My HUGE gripe is that you are COMPLETELY unable to cancel the subscription online. I tried several times and never understood why I could not do it. A few months later I saw that they do list a telelphone number on my credit card bill with the monthly charge. I called and was told that I cannot cancel online. I informed the representative I thought this was very poor of a Disney site to not allow this. She informed me that it was due to "child protection" which I also felt was balogna because my child could not create the account and enter my credit card - I did. That got me a little upset, but the representative was otherwise polite and did cancel the account. Hold time was minimal and the experience was otherwise timely - I just feel it's very poor that you have to call to cancel - though for those with a young child who will benefit from several months use, I do still recommend the site - just look to your credit card statement when it is time to cancel...
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Kid, 10 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
gabriel
fhgrdgeef
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| Platforms: | Windows |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Preschool |
| Developer: | Disney Online |
| Release date: | March 16, 2006 |
| Price: | $49.95 |
| ESRB rating: | EC |
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