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Congress for Kids (http://www.congressforkids.net)

common sense media says

Text-heavy government site could be more fun.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this informative site, hosted by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Dirksen Congressional Center, gives a solid -- but lengthy and text-heavy -- overview of how the federal government works. Users can search for information on the site or access online search engines like Yahoo and Google. There are no ads and fairly simple to use, but with sentences like "abuse of power or failure to uphold these responsibilities cannot be tolerated" kids need to know how to read well, or have an adult explain things to them.

Educational value: The content provides a thorough -- although somewhat cumbersome -- overview of the U.S. government.
Positive messages: Not applicable.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: The site has no ads and is sponsored by nonpartisan, nonprofit organization The Dirksen Congressional Center, which aims to improve civic engagement by promoting a better understanding of Congress.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Congress for Kids

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about finding reliable information on the Web. Why is a site created by an educational professional better to go to than a site you just come across during a search? How can you tell if you can trust what you're reading on a site? Families can also talk about why it's important to learn about the government. Why do you need to know how laws are made? How does the government affect you?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Clicking through each section and reading the text of this site gets really boring, really fast. Truth be told, there isn't much on the site to hold kids' interest. Except for the promising opening page, in which excited voices encourage users to click on the Capitol to start, the site's cartoony graphics are really simple; some almost look like clip art. A couple of quizzes in the beginning of the site are interactive. But, once you click onward to tour the governmental system, many of the quizzes need to be printed out which isn't the most exciting use of technology. The whole site kind of feels like a book that was made into a Web site. To get kids giddy about the government, CongressForKids.net really needs to pump up its fun factor.
This review was written by Erin Brereton
 
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is 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
Our child development rating guidelines