Parents' Guide to

Innerstar University

By Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Buy American Girl, play in safe, positive virtual world.

Website http://web.innerstaru.com/
Innerstar University Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Anna M.
Anna M. Adult
March 24, 2018
age 7+

Goodbye Innerstar U!

This game was honestly one of the best kid games out there! As a mom of 5 kids, I always have to be on the look out when it comes to virtual worlds. You never know what you might find out there! When I bought my daughter an American Girl doll, there was a message outside of the box. It had the link to a website, and of course, my daughter wanted to find out. When we googled the website, we were pleased to find a kid-friendly and free virtual world. My daughter played for a while, but soon became bored of it. We passed down the account to a younger daughter, and she loved it as well. But right as she opened the website, a surprise message awaited us. It said that Innerstar U would be shutting down, mainly because Mattel had now bought the company and could do what they please with it. Basically, Innerstar U is no longer working and can not be played. We'll miss you Innerstar U!

This title has:

Great messages
AG Fan Parent
AG Fan Parent Parent of 0, 2, 6 and 10-year-old
June 26, 2013
age 7+

Amazing, fun, safe, and NOT too expensive!

My 10-year-old daughter adores American Girl, and Innerstar U is a lot of fun for her. It's very safe, with safe communication that only involves "Emails" (prescripted messages where girls can say things like "Cupcake Crazy is my favorite game" and "I love lemonade") and no chatting, which, even prescripted or monitored (especially "monitored" type chatting) can be potentially a safety issue. There's so many people complaining about $100 to get on the website, but I find that ridiculous. It's not like you're only paying for the code when you buy the doll. The doll is a lot of fun-definitely more fun than the website-and is NOT there just for Innerstar U.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much consumerism
See all 6 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Girls can access INNERSTAR UNIVERSITY with a code from a new American Girl Doll. A few games are available for free without a code. Girls receive awards for completing activities, which include a body confidence-building dance game and a music performance game encouraging dedication. The virtual world features an impressive focus on self-esteem and positivity; game intros outline ways to boost girls' self confidence and support them trying new things. Girls can also express themselves by decorating their room and choosing new avatar outfits.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (36):

Girls who purchase new My American Girl dolls or Innerstar University books receive a code to enroll in the INNERSTAR UNIVERSITY virtual world. The campus-like atmosphere includes a number of activities, such as playing lighthearted games, like one that lets girls try on different hairdos. Another activity, the Body Balance game, illustrates basic yoga moves and gives girls an encouraging, upbeat message when they finish playing. Awards and medals earned by playing the site's games are stored in an online yearbook. Girls also work to complete task-oriented projects that include exploring different sections of the site. To buy room decorations and outfits, users receive 1,000 Stars -- which are the site's currency -- when they enter.

There are several fun activities on the site, and thanks to the frequent positive messages for completing activities, Innerstar University aims to build girls' self-esteem. The only catch? Without an American Girl doll code to log in, class may let out quickly -- there isn't much to do.

Online interaction: Girls can invite friends to play certain games, friend other users, and send messages to each other through the site using pre-written messages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about staying safe online. Why is it safer to use pre-written expressions when sending messages to people you don't know?

  • What kind of conversations or words should you watch out for on websites where you can send messages without any restrictions?

  • InnerstarU.com has games and other activities to make learning fun. How can you make school, homework, and reading more fun?

Website Details

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