 | ON: Content is age-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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
BrainPOP Jr.
Common Sense Media says
Animated educational content for kids to explore, for a fee.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that BrainPOP Jr. is a pay site that creates online animated curriculum-based content that is aligned to state education standards. BrainPOP Jr. targets kids in kindergarten to third grade. Kids don't need proficient reading skills to use this audio-heavy site. Lessons all begin with a brief video and include a wide variety of school and life topics. The site includes video, game, quiz, and activity sections for science, health, writing, reading, social studies, and math based on national education standards.There's also a companion site for older kids, a game site called GameUp, and a Spanish language site. Families pay $85 a year or $8.45 a month for access; homeschooling families, schools, and other organizations pay more.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn about almost every subject at BrainPOP Jr., with topics ranging from science and social studies, to language and writing and much, much more. The site includes educational games, tutorials, and videos that will help kids better understand concepts being taught in the classroom from telling time to woodwind instruments. For a small fee, kids can explore this stimulating site that will keep them tuned-in and interested in learning.
Subjects
- Language & Readingphonics, reading, storytelling, writing
- Matharithmetic, fractions, geometry, probability
- Scienceanimals, energy, rocks and minerals, weather
- Social Studiesgeography, historical figures, history, the economy
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoningapplying information, memorization, solving puzzles, thinking critically
- Creativitybrainstorming, combining knowledge, imagination
- Self-Directionacademic development, identifying strengths and weaknesses, work to achieve goals
- Emotional Developmentidentifying emotions, perspective taking
- Communicationconveying messages effectively, listening, multiple forms of expression
- Collaborationcooperation, meeting challenges together, teamwork
- Responsibility & Ethicsembracing differences, following codes of conduct, honoring the community
- Tech Skillsevaluating media messages, social media, using and applying technology
- Health & Fitnessbalanced diet, body awareness, fitness, mental health
What's it about?
Created by teachers and educators, BRAINPOPJR.COM bases its lessons on national standards and includes an incredibly wide range of subjects, from telling the time to Internet safety to getting lice. The printable activities and games include many creative learning concepts and, unlike a lot of early education sites, go way beyond coloring pages. The site's short, creative videos center around two good-natured cartoon characters, Annie and Moby. Each video is followed up with activities, games, and quizzes.
Is it any good?
BrainPOPJr.com is a high-quality educational site that kids can navigate easily on their own. This interactive site includes videos, audio prompts, and graphics familiar to kids in an ideal format for young learners. Kids can take their enjoyment of videos to the next, more effective, level and do something with what they've just watched online. Kids can spend hours on this site exploring many of the ones that contain more sub-categories, like the science and math sections. If your K-3 child likes to learn things online, this site is worth the subscription fee.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about why it's important to learn about a broad range of subjects, even in the earliest grades. Discuss why it's good to know about other cultures and faraway ecosystems.
Talk about the different ways of learning. Do you remember more when you have an activity to do after watching a related video?
Families can also talk about other educational sites that benefit learning and where to find reliable information online.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn about almost every subject at BrainPOP Jr., with topics ranging from science and social studies, to language and writing and much, much more. The site includes educational games, tutorials, and videos that will help kids better understand concepts being taught in the classroom from telling time to woodwind instruments. For a small fee, kids can explore this stimulating site that will keep them tuned-in and interested in learning.
Subjects
- Language & Reading: phonics, reading, storytelling, writing
- Math: arithmetic, fractions, geometry, probability
- Science: animals, energy, rocks and minerals, weather
- Social Studies: geography, historical figures, history, the economy
- Arts: music, painting, photography, sculpture
- Hobbies: board games, gardening, pets
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning: applying information, memorization, solving puzzles, thinking critically
- Creativity: brainstorming, combining knowledge, imagination
- Self-Direction: academic development, identifying strengths and weaknesses, work to achieve goals
- Emotional Development: identifying emotions, perspective taking
- Communication: conveying messages effectively, listening, multiple forms of expression
- Collaboration: cooperation, meeting challenges together, teamwork
- Responsibility & Ethics: embracing differences, following codes of conduct, honoring the community
- Tech Skills: evaluating media messages, social media, using and applying technology
- Health & Fitness: balanced diet, body awareness, fitness, mental health
How kids will learn
Kids learn by listening to lectures while watching colorful illustrations act out the dialogue. The educational tutorials combine visual and auditory methods of learning through the use of colorful images paired with music and other sound effects. Some of the topics the tutorials cover are health, economy, storytelling, phonetics, and evolution, just to name a few. Viewers can also read along with the narrator's voice if they choose, or engage in educational games that require strategic thought and memory.
How parents can help
- Try printing out and participating in the extended lesson plans for some educational fun away from the computer.
- Parents can also help by engaging with their kids as they play the educational games.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 7 years old
October 27, 2009
AGE
LOVE it
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 9 years old
April 10, 2010
AGE
kids
love it
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Adult
November 10, 2008
AGE
A must-play for young kids
I am a huge fan of BrainPOPJr* (and it's counterpart BrainPOP*). All the content is age appropriate with a great variety of topics to keep kids engaged. Furthermore, the quality of the graphics and animations is impressive, and the website layout is easy for parents to navigate. Two thumbs up!
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
March 12, 2011
AGE
great for younger kids
I think it is a great learning site for kids also they have brianpop for older kids.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Parent
October 11, 2011
AGE
DISLIKING
I dislike it. Why would anyone pay that much for a silly website?
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
January 26, 2012
AGE
YEAH!!!
Referring to BrainPOP
So Long as you understand it? it's fine
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Parent of 12 and 12 year old
August 30, 2012
AGE
Educational site great for my kids!
My middle school boys LOVE this site!
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
September 30, 2012
AGE
Brainpop jr
We go on that website at school.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Genre: | Educational |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
