EcoKids.ca

Canada's stellar environmental education site.

Entertainment Value: High Graphics: Cartoons, photos Playability: Easy to medium Reading Level: Light Website: http://www.ecokids.ca/

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this site is a part of Earth Day Canada's environmental education program for kids. There are plenty of wonderful Earth-related games, quizzes, activities, printable pages, and more, each broken down by topic ("Wildlife," "Science, Nature, & Energy," and "Environmental Issues"). Kids can weigh in on issues in the "Have Your Say" section, but all submitted messages are screened so no personal or inappropriate information will be posted. There's no advertising, but there are links to other kid- and earth-friendly books and Web sites.

Families can talk about things they can do to help protect the planet. What else can you recycle besides cans and bottles? What kind of light bulbs best conserves energy? What's the most efficient way to do errands? Is it better to take a bath or a shower? How does planting a tree help? Families can also take a trip to an organic farm, a zoo, or a science museum to learn more about the things they read about on the site.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Jean Armour Polly and Heidi Kotansky

Think you know a lot about science, nature, and wildlife? ECOKIDS.CA will test your skills as well as teach you more about these subjects. Be prepared for extreme fun in the way of games (Fishing Frenzy, Yard Sale!, Mush Rush), activities (Build a Toad Home, How to Measure Precipitation, Make Your Own Recycled Paper), printable pages, contests, and more.

Start by going to the "Play & Learn" section to access everything from tree planting tips to the history of water. Saving energy around the house means more than taking a nap! Click around the interactive house to find out how you can conserve energy at home. Kids can also learn about acid rain, fossil fuels, climate change, and even some real-life "Green Heroes." There are coloring pages (whales, bears, frogs), puzzles (word searches, crosswords, and jumbles), a downloadable calendar (with cartoons and daily eco facts), and a helpful glossary.

In the "Eco-Storybook" section, you can choose your own adventure. The decisions you make will determine the outcome in such epics as "The Great Garbage Caper" and "The Great Frog Dilemma." Your backyard pond has loads of frogs but isn't so great for swimming. Should you clear out the logs and grasses? If you do, the frogs won't have so many hiding places, and the herons will eat them. That's great for the herons but not for the frogs. What else will happen? Play the game and find out!

Kids can also participate by sending drawings to the gallery and sounding off in the "Have Your Say" section. All the submitted messages are screened so no personal or inappropriate information will be posted. Besides nature-related wallpaper and screensavers, kids can also download the free "EcoKids Player," an application that pulls a daily eco fact (and information about new site features) to your computer.

School and youth groups can join the EcoKids Club for free and receive access to other online features, plus a kit with project ideas.

Fans of this site might also enjoy WebRangers or Kids.NationalGeographic.com.

Reviewed: 04/17/2007

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence
Language
Message
	Social Behavior Encourages kids to care about the environment.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
	Educational Value Kids learn about science, nature, and wildlife.