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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 3, age appropriate for kids over 5; suggested age 6.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Virtual world based on popular PBS show makes science fun.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Some activities seem to depend more on good hand-eye coordination than a real understanding of a scientific concept, but it doesn't hurt to think about mass and balance while trying to catch moles raining down on a teeter totter. Kids who explore meatier parts of the site can learn a lot. A standout tool is the Multopedia, an interactive dictionary that lets users read, hear and watch definitions of terms such as tectonic plates. 
  • Messages:

    ZulaWorld uses safe chat to prevent bullying and swearing. Members communicate only with an approved list of other members and are only allowed to choose from a list of preapproved canned words and phrases such as, "Hi everybody."
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    G-rated talk bubbles appear over avatars' heads when kids choose from a list of preapproved phrases such as, "Howdy fellow alien" and "Let's go listen to music."
  • Consumerism:

    No ads, not even in the episodes of The Zula Patrol TV show available for viewing.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About ZulaWorld

Parents need to know that ZulaWorld is a safe and secure site for grade schoolers based on an award-winning PBS cartoon that teaches science, math, and astronomy. Kids need parents' emailed permission to join and cannot share personal information with others, only made-up "alien" names. Parents can monitor kids' progress via a control panel and receive weekly email reports of accomplishments. Kids have the option of enjoying most of ZulaWorld for free or paying $5.99 a month, $29.99 for six months or $49.99 a year, per member, for full access.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the lessons in math and science ZulaWorld teaches and how they apply to everyday life. (Gravity, for instance.) Parents are encouraged to join ZulaWorld themselves and guide and participate in their child’s adventures, a nice idea if the family can afford another subscription.

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • User content is age appropriate

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