Parents' Guide to HooplaKidz

HooplaKidz features a bunch of videos and a few games that can help preschoolers learn about basic reading, language, and science concepts. Many of the videos feature animation, singing, and other elements that up the fun factor. Parents who register also can take advantage of helpful extra tools, including a time-limitation option and the ability to create video playlists. Generally, the site content offers good learning experiences. Kids can recreate science experiments at home, follow along as characters explain letters and numbers, and work on logic skills in simple games. But not every video is educational. The site's nail art videos, for example, may encourage kids to be creative but won't help get them get ready to start school. Some Pozaman and other clips don't feature any sound -- or really much learning. (A few subtly touch on good practices, such as washing your hands, but others simply involve zany adventures.)

HooplaKidz is worth a look; at least some of the videos should interest kids, and they'll have a safe experience on the site. But the videos unfortunately feature pretty consistent advertising -- Google ads appear on-screen while kids play -- which parents may not be crazy about. Also, the site doesn't offer much information about what kids will learn in each video. Adding a brief written description or categorizing them by educational content would help parents pick the most appropriate options. It's a shame that the site doesn't go far enough with the learning, because HooplaKidz's presentation could have been a great introductory video site for kids that would entertain and teach them at the same time.