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Word Central (http://www.wordcentral.com)

common sense media says

Kid-friendly definitions make site a great reference.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Word Central is an educational site that offers a full children's dictionary, word games, and daily buzzwords. The exercises included on this site give kids an opportunity to better their vocabulary and to learn about the origin of language. Word Central does a great job of catering their definitions to a younger audience and has clearly placed effort on providing appropriate terminology. A "Build Your Own Dictionary" section allows users to create their own words, parts of speech, and definitions. The only advertisements on site are promoting Merriam-Webster merchandise.

Educational value: Sparks creativity and encourages expanding vocabulary.
Positive messages: Promotes learning and creating new vocabulary words.
Violence: Kids can look up the definition of violent words (kill, murder, fight etc.). However, this is not the purpose of the site.
Sex: The complete dictionary offers definitions of sexual organs that are given in proper and straightforward terms.
Language: Vulgar curse words are omitted, however proper definitions of "bitch" and "ass" are included.
Consumerism: Advertisements encourage users to purchase Merriam-Webster items.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The definitions of drugs are written in a biased tone reminding kids that they are habit-forming and illegal.
Privacy & safety: Some concerns. The site does not ask for personal information and does a thorough job of preventing external links in areas of interest for kids. However, a "For Educators" does include a link to Merriam-Webster Online, which is chock-full of external links. If kids choose to submit their own word for the "Build Your Own Dictionary" section they are asked to include their name, age, and state.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Word Central

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

  • Families can talk about building vocabulary. When you come across a word you don't know, do you look it up? Ask someone what it means? Skip over it?

  • Families can also discuss how to stay safe online.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

WORD CENTRAL provides a safe place where kids can create their own dictionary, look up words, and play vocabulary games without worrying about online interaction from outside sources. Users can search for words directly in the search engine or alphabetically. Also, the "Thesaurus" and "Rhyming" categories offer lists of synonyms, antonyms, and rhyming words. The "For Educators" section is a bonus that provides a short history of the English Language, a list of book distributors, and links to more educational sites.

What's disappointing about this site is that the games are very few, there isn't a whole lot to do, and the site hasn't changed in years. With an update, the site could be spectacular.

This review was written by Karen Wirsing
 
 

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About our rating system
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