Bearville

Website review by Susan Yudt, Common Sense Media
Bearville Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 7+

Safe virtual world promotes positivity -- and products.

http://www.bearville.com
Rate website

Parents say

age 6+

Based on 19 reviews

Kids say

age 7+

Based on 120 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this website.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this friendly virtual world was created by the Build-A-Bear Workshop, which sells customizable bears and other stuffed animals online and in stores. Certain site features are restricted to visitors who own a Build-A-Bear toy (which comes with a code) -- this may frustrate kids and prompt them to ask for one. Otherwise, the site is a safe and pleasant place for kids to play online.

Community Reviews

meggsyweggsy
meggsyweggsy Adult
December 6, 2015
age 2+

So mad

Okay so this was my childhood game and decided to look it up today and play it. I could not find the game anywhere so I gave up. Later, I called build a bear and they told me it was discontinued. I am very sad because this game is utter perfection and now it doesn't exist. I have and my account since 2005 and it makes me so sad to see it is not a website anymore. I have spent actual money on this website . I bought the bearbucks or whatever at the store and stuff like that multiple times. I am so sad to see this game is gone . This game had amazing activities everyone can join it. In the summer, there was a camp and during the winter there was Santa's house. It breaks my hear that this game is forever gone. 3 childhood is officially gone. I am heartbroken that children now will not be able to play this game. I started playing this game right when it cam out. There was Chloe Rocks in her original outfit, everyone didn't have a number or their number was below 100, and the game was perfect. I will miss spending my summers at the bear camp, going down the waterfall to get there. I will miss the condos and how you can change the design of your house with only a little bit of cash. I wish i was there when this game ended because I had so much money that I was never able to spend. I will miss my pets, Carol, Sunshine, and Holly. I love those ladies so much. Thank you for making my childhood great. ~IsabelaFriendly4
hannahs2
hannahs2 Adult
May 9, 2015
age 6+

Four stars because vacant

Love the world; wish it didn't become vacant.
See all 19 parent reviews

Is It Any Good?

Kids who've bought a Build-A-Bear stuffed animal will get the most out of BEARVILLE. The site's centerpiece is a virtual world that allows visitors to bring their furry friends along for games and other activities. Any kid who registers can visit the virtual world, but without a toy, they won't have access to the full range of activities. Still, there's a lot to do on this colorful site. One highlight is the Friendship Forest Photo Safari -- point and click to capture photos of animals as they fly or scurry across the lush landscape, and check out the resulting photo album. In addition to a slew of games, there’s video content, such as the web series “Craftshop,” which teaches kids how to make fun fashions on the cheap. Despite the ever-present prompts to buy Bearville gear, this bustling world does a good job keeping kids engaged -- and safe.

Online interaction: Kids can "friend" other users and trade items. There are two chat options: safe chat, which limits users to a pre-approved list of common phrases, and open filtered chat, which checks chat against a dictionary of approved words. (Parents can also turn chat off entirely.)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about online safety and what's appropriate to share on online.

  • Talk about how much time kids spend online. Parents can review our online worlds tips.

Website Details

  • Genre: Virtual Worlds
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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