Common Sense Note
Parents need to know this site is the TV channel Nickelodeon's home on the Web. It has a huge library of harmless, fun games that are occasionally educational, but mostly arcade-like. It's important to note that ads run amok on this site -- from banner ads to streaming video commercials to pop-ups with hard-to-see close buttons. The ads are distracting and make finding cleverly designed activities difficult to find and appreciate. Most distracting is a large mid-screen animated ad for features within the site. Once on this site, kids can have access to any Nick show, movie, sister site -- anything Nick, for that matter. For the next few months, the site will feature a "Kids Pick the President" with information about candidates and the election process.
Families can talk about their favorite Nick TV shows and how they are represented online. They can also discuss how to tell the difference between an ad and actual content. Why do you think the lines are blurred?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Dana Cotter
Buyer beware: NICK.COM advertises heavily on this site. With every new page, banner ads run at the top and side of the screen, streaming videos and commercials run to the right side of the screen, and internal Web site feature ads run in the middle of the screen. The latter is especially distracting as they are animated and cycle through different ads which kids have to scroll past to see all of the buttons for each section. Commercials and ads not related to Nick.com are touting products that are unhealthy, e.g. sugar-filled cereals and snacks. If kids click on the Shop button in the main toolbar, they're taken to a different site to shop for Nick-related books, videos, toys, games, and clothing.
But, hidden under advertisements and sketchy and overwhelming navigation are some valuable ways for kids to creatively participate in different activities. ME:TV is a TV show and section on Nick.com that provides a space for kids to submit their home-made videos; some are chosen to post on the site and/or TV show. Kids can also submit their comic drawings to Nick.com (the Comics link is under the Buzz section) or click through other kids' drawings with a button that makes them appear animated. The Joke Center (in the myWorld section) is another avenue for getting kid's own creations on the site.
NICKtrition, also in myWORLD, takes a stab at nutrition education. Kids can watch clever videos of the food group "team" playing basketball and teaching the importance of each food group. There are also fun tips on cutting back on foods such as pie and sugar. The Weather Center provides 5-day forecasts by zip code, highlights peculiar and extreme places, and can help with any weather-related report with its extensive glossary of weather terms.
If kids register for a NickName, they can email other Nick.com users (they have to already know their friend's NickName as there's no search feature). The NickMail Maker is a fun tool; just add music, sound effects, backgrounds, and Nick character stickers. NickName holders can also make a Web page at NickPage Central. Themes, props, characters are all available for the making. Kids can choose whether they want others to see their page or to keep it private. Some pages are chosen as "All-Stars" and their links (if kids choose to make their pages public) are accessed by clicking on their creator's NickName.
The best feature of Nick.com is its library of over 300 games. Few are educational, some are really fun, and most highlight characters from Nickelodeon TV shows. One game from El Tigre asks a player several questions ("You discover that an adorable Chihuahua is stuck in a well. Do you:..." and "Your parents go out of town for the weekend. Do you:...") in order to decide which moral stance to take between good and evil. Kids can search for games by type (sports, multi-player, star characters, or puzzles) or can be found alphabetically by title.
Fans looking for this type of site with a bit less commercialism and better navigation may also enjoy Disney.com.
Reviewed: 03/02/2007
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ViolenceKids have access to all the Nick shows -- some of which contain cartoon violence. |
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CommercialismKids won't be able to distinguish between entertainment and commercials. Also, there are cross promotions to food companies that don't promote healthy eating and opportunities to buy things. |
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