PlanetPals

Review

Common Sense Media says

Cute characters deliver surprisingly comprehensive eco info.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this ecological education site is a safe place for kids to learn about the planet, the environment, recycling and the world around them. Though there are quite a few ads on its Web pages and some significant self-promotion of products, the bulk of the site is full of informative facts and information. Its kid-centric illustrations are geared to elementary-aged children who might be interested in learning more about the earth and how to save it -- or just how to treat it well. 

  • Positive messages4
    This site is all about taking steps to learn about our universe, save the planet, and conserve natural resources. It encourages social consciousness, creativity, problem-solving skills, and environmental awareness.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism2
    There are quite a few rotating ads interspersed throughout the pages of the site, but the products (eg. Pet hair removal from Scotch brand) are not questionable. There’s a steady assortment of reference and ecology books featured and available by linking to Amazon and a variety of links that rotate via Google Ads. There are also various PlanetPals products available for sale in the online store. Also there is a section devoted entirely to offering licensing opportunities for the PlanetPals characters. PlanetPals will grant toy manufacturers, schools, publishers, etc. the opportunity -- for a fee -- to use their characters on products.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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Is it any good?

 

Kids, parents, and educators will be drawn to the illustrated hosts of PlanetPals where a set of cute “planet pals” (each with their own backstory, video, and poem!) welcome visitors. With names like Earthman, Starbright, and Breezy, you may expect a site geared to toddlers with short attention spans, but there’s a tremendous amount of informative environmental and ecological information to be discovered in this simple, safe, award-winning Web site.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about how it’s necessary on any Web site -- even those with cute illustrated characters -- to use the Internet safely.

  • Families can also talk about how the Internet and Web sites like this can help motivate and organize people when it comes to helping the environment.

This review was written by Conny Coon
Parent of 7, 9, and 12 year old
January 27, 2011
AGE
5
 
Loaded with great stuff for the whole family
We use this site for our whole family. It's surprisingly fun. Interesting facts and educational fun downloads for our kids as well as crafts.
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Helped me decide (6) | Had useful details (5) | Read my mind (6)
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This review was written by Conny Coon
Genre:Educational
This review was written by Conny Coon

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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