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Questacon (http://questacon.edu.au/)

common sense media says

No need to go Down Under with robust Aussie science site.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this site contains an extensive amount of educational material about science, technology, animals, and more that's based on the touring and permanent exhibits at Australia's National Science and Technology Center. Parents and teachers also can use questions on the site to prompt a discussion before, during, or after going to the museum or visiting the site -- although take note, the site does touch on a couple of controversial topics, like cloning, and while almost all external links lead to university Web sites and other safe outlets, a few do link to personal sites.

Educational value: The site offers considerable information about science, including experiments and topics to discuss before, during, and after visiting the center (or just after reading parts of the site).
Positive messages: Although the focus is mainly on education, there are some positive messages -- such as the section describing how DNA was discovered, which gives a nod to gender equality.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Privacy & safety:
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More on Questacon

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about why learning about science is important. Why should we understand how things work? How does it help to see how or why things work, as opposed to just reading about them?

  • What are safe games, and what ones aren't a good idea to play? How do you know what to look for in a game you find on a Web site -- and what to stay away from?

  • A lot of science involves theory and experimentation. How do you start trying to prove something when you're not sure if you're right?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
With the amount of fun packed into QUESTACON, there's almost no need to trek down under to visit the actual center. The site offers detailed information -- presented in a conversational tone -- about the center's exhibits and topics. However, the Questacon site isn't just a bunch of articles. Kids will find plenty of activities to do when they're viewing the site and plenty to do later, including easy-to-follow instructions for scientific experiments they can perform at home, like creating a bobbing clown toy to learn how a low center of gravity works. Some are illustrated with short videos. The site also features a number of simple games and some stuff that's sure to pique kids' interest about science, like galaxy photos taken via telescope and information on natural disasters.
This review was written by Erin Brereton
 
 

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ON: Content is 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
Our child development rating guidelines