Wonder Rotunda (http://www.wonderrotunda.com)

It’s a little slow to load in places, but overall Wonder Rotunda is gorgeous to look at and easy to use. This virtual theme park does a nice job of using exciting avatar-driven rides and experiences to inspire kids to learn more about the world around them. Kids will have fun zooming down into the colorful park map, entering various buildings and rides, and feeding their avatar from the food booths. The cartoon narrator, Mr. Wonder, explains things on a grade schooler’s level; for instance, “urine, also known as pee.”  Throughout each adventure, kids can pause the program to read a few paragraphs on topics they’ve just encountered. For instance, as their submarine whizzes through the human digestive tract a la Fantastic Voyage, kids can stop to learn more about the taste buds and salivary glands. 

The best thing about Wonder Rotunda is the rich variety of interactive adventures, which cover topics as diverse as tropical rainforests, African wildlife, marine life, money and business, American government, nutrition, classical music, and social causes.

Online interaction: Kids have to create an avatar in order to use the site. They have the option of creating a companion avatar as well, to walk alongside them, and they can see other avatars milling around the park, waving, smiling and waiting in line. However, to keep the site safe and focused on learning, all avatars are scene dressing only, to create a parklike atmosphere. Kids can't communicate or interact with each other in any way -- there are no chat, talk bubble, message board or commenting tools.