Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that although this sports-centric site's content is mostly harmless, it does contain some BMX and skateboarding how-to videos that could, if imitated, possibly cause injury. The site encourages kids to use non-personal usernames instead of their real names. In fact, the site only asks for first names and email addresses when users are sending postcards to friends -- who they'll also need to provide an email address for -- or entering contests, in which case the user's screen name, and not first name, will appear on the site. There are some ads.
Families can talk about the product references and sales pushes on the site for Nintendo products, which are reviewed on the site and also featured in the print version of SI for Kids. Is it easy to tell what's an ad and what's part of the site's activities? Does playing a game featuring a video game character make you want to buy that game? Our Selling to Kids tip sheet also has some important ad-related questions to ask.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Erin Brereton
SIKIDS.COM is a young sports-lover's dream. From dozens of sport-themed games and photo galleries featuring college mascots and pro players to detailed scores and video game reviews, there's ample athletic fun for everyone. Users can watch videos offering tips on sports; diehard fans can select a fantasy team and see how it performs. The site's interactive features include polls, guess-the-player quizzes, contests to get the highest game score and a "Where's Waldo?" type sweepstakes that encourages users to find the site's cartoon mascot Buzz to win an iPod Nano. The site also contains a number of fan-friendly activities, like its SI Kids cover creator, which lets users select a background, coverline, and athlete for a printable cover. Its shoe creator tool lets kids fashion their own footwear by picking a shoe color, type (high tops or low tops), and details like patterns, logos, and laces. A couple of sections -- such as the college basketball and football sections -- are still under construction, but overall, the site's full of cool functions. And so, SIKids.com, all is forgiven for the somewhat grating high-octane screeches that ring out every time your cursor rolls over the navigation buttons.
Slightly older sports fans, might also enjoy NBCSports.com and ESPN.com. True sports fans will also enjoy Sport Science (exploratorium.edu/sports), a kid-friendly site that explains the science behind what makes balls bounce, curveballs curve, what role gravity plays in skateboarding, and more.
Reviewed: 11/21/2007
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ViolenceSome skating and biking tricks may not be safe to replicate, and a cartoon on the site shows a character turning into a vampire courtesy of a neck bite that has a tooth lodged in it. |
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CommercialismYou can subscribe to SI Kids magazine, and there are some contests and ads. |
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