National Geographic Kids
Lots of educational content, but stuffed with ads, promos.
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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 National Geographic Kids is the online component to National Geographic Kids magazine. Among its educational games, kid-friendly information, and great footage, the site has a few videos that feature animals stalking and attacking their prey. Administrators approve all photos that kids upload to their site profiles and the My Shot photo gallery, and comments also require approval, which helps prevent bad language and other issues. Kids will need a paid subscription to access certain items on the site. Parents also should be aware that there are ads prompting users to subscribe to National Geographic on every page and a link to the main National Geographic site, which has an extensive store. Also, some content is only available through a paid subscription, which is $4.99 a month or $29 a year.
Community Reviews
Advertising, product, links and very little science
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What’s It About?
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS features educational games, videos, and other activities, centered mostly on animals and the natural world. Kids also can get a virtual tour of different countries, featuring fun facts and other information. They can contribute to the site by posting comments (which are moderated), answering quizzes, and submitting photos.
Is It Any Good?
There's lots to explore on this animal- and geography-based site, thanks to its diverse array of activities. Younger kids should enjoy playing the games, which include clear instructions and multiple difficulty levels, and they often reinforce memory, logic, and other skills. The site’s videos are high-quality productions, and with many being only about a minute long, they're perfectly timed for even the shortest of attention spans. Kids also can get outdoor learning activity ideas, read animal fact sheets, view user photos, and share their own.
National Geographic Kids is a treasure trove of educational information. Parents can use the games, videos, and other resources to teach kids about animals, other countries, science, and related topics. A fair amount of the content is only available with a paid subscription ($4.99 a month or $29 a year), which can be a little frustrating if kids are interested in a particular subject. For general learning purposes, though, there are plenty of free items on the site to keep kids entertained for quite a while.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about using animals to promote learning. How can learning about a lion in Africa teach you about the world?
What kinds of animals do you see in your neighborhood? How does our presence affect them?
Website Details
- Subjects: Language & Reading: reading, Science: animals, ecosystems and the environment, plants, Social Studies: geography, global awareness
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: applying information, investigation, memorization, solving puzzles, Creativity: imagination, Responsibility & Ethics: honoring the community
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: February 2, 2021
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