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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 5; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    5.0

  • Common Sense says

    Glimpse of African ingenuity offers kids a new perspective.

On this site kids can:   buy stuff, get news, help a cause, post comments

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Kids learn about African culture as it is right this minute, from people who are living and working there. They can also learn about how to turn objects into new, usable items, like the project that involves putting together bags (parts provided by the US messenger bag company Timbuk2) that feature a solar panel, the idea being that in places without electricity, it can be very handy to have enough juice to run a flashlight, or a radio. 

  • User-created content:

    Not an issue.

  • Messages:

    The site sends the message that Africa abounds in creative social and environmental projects. It also teaches kids to look at objects (especially trash) in creative ways so they can be re-used or turned into something else.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

How safe is it?

  • Personal privacy:

    Not an issue.

  • Online interaction:

    Not an issue.

  • Parental controls:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Afrigadget

Parents need to know that Afrigadget teaches kids about Africa in a positive way -- as opposed to the war, famine, and tragedy news they can get from the newspaper or on the Internet. The site is updated regularly, so you never know what will turn up. Serious topics -- like a lack of ambulance service in Zimbabwe -- are handled deftly and matter-of-factly in easily digestible pieces. There is always a positive swing to the news, which makes readers want to come back.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • What impressions did you have about Africa before you visited the site and after? How did the site change your mind?
  • Afrigadget is big on the creative use of existing objects. How can we use items we might otherwise throw away?
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