I think this is pretty wonderful. Yes, it's not free, but I hardly think that promotes consumerism. The fact that I'm paying for it is completely not on my daughter's radar, so I don't understanding dinging it for that. And of course it uses the PBS characters, but it never feels like they are trying to sell my daughter anything. The use of the PBS characters helps to get her interested, so I think it's a plus. Sometimes you have to pay for quality products, and I feel this is quality. In the short time my daughter has been using this software, she's been very engaged, and she has noticeably improved in several of the skill areas that the site focuses on. I'm very keen on the parents section where we can see a progress chart of how she is progressing in a variety of areas as well as activities that we can encourage her to work on. It doesn't replace "real-world" activities, but it's a pretty darn good supplement.
PBSKidsPlay.org
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Educational site entertains and teaches.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 4 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of PBSKidsPlay.org was written by Heidi Kotansky
Parents need to know that this non-commercial site suits a range of developmental ages. Kids don't need to know how to read: All of the instructions are said in voice-over. For the youngest kids, there's shape and color identification. Older kids get early reading and arithmetic skill readiness. The activities adapt based on a kid's progress, so kids don't get stuck playing the same game over and over. Also, there are time-out features so kids don't overdo it (we don't recommend preschoolers surf without parents). Subscriptions are $9.95 a month (or $79.95 annually) after an initial free incentive period.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about what age is right to use a computer and what are healthy computer habits to get into. They can also explore why kids like to play games with favorite TV characters.
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More on PBSKidsPlay.org
What’s the Story?
In a new, positive trend, PBS has created an online educational hangout for preschoolers (3-6) that uses their TV characters (Curious George, Mama Mirabelle, The Berenstain Bears, and more) to teach. Through the multi-leveled games, kids can learn a number of age-specific things. There's also a place to customize their room and collect their favorite things around the sites. Parents have to pay a monthly or annual fee.
Is It Any Good?
PBSKIDSPLAY.ORG benefits kids and parents -- kids obviously learn things and parents can get reports of their kid's progress, set a computer time limit, and easily get information about the learning goals for each game. Yes, it's easy for a kid to get hooked on the cheery site but that's OK in this case: The bold colors, friendly environments, and familiar cartoon faces all make learning fun. And what kids learn -- from matching ingredients in a recipe to identifying objects by color to basic computer and mousing skills -- are all age-appropriate. The limited amount of games is the site's biggest drawback, but updates happen every week so the amount of things to do will increase. The best part: The site keeps track of a kid's progress, and games have three levels; each teaches kids more advanced concepts.
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Safety isn't an issue
- User content is age appropriate
excellent educational resource for 3+
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
I smiled
it's good
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I rate this title pause for age 15 and give it
a big giant people
567kg
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Good website for toddlers.
My brother plays this website and he relly likes it.
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I rate this title off for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Educational for young children
This site may give your young children a learning experience!The games are fun and they teach you alot.Great site for teaching your young kids.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents feel users contributed great content |
| 100% | of parents feel the site is safe |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 100% | of parents say it's educational |
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