Parents' Guide to

PBS Kids WordWorld

By Conny Coon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Animation and big visuals help preschoolers learn to spell.

Website http://pbskids.org/wordworld/
PBS Kids WordWorld Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 4+

Based on 2 parent reviews

stevekruse
stevekruse Parent of 5 and 9-year-old
December 15, 2009
age 4+

good for early learners

Great for helping kids learning to read

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
mslala
mslala Parent of 4-year-old
December 8, 2009
age 4+
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

In PBS Kids WordWorld, words come to life, providing a picture that is instantly associated with that word. Animated animal hosts have colorful bodies that are shaped from the letters that spell out what animal they are -- for example, a pink pig’s body is formed from the letters P-I-G. The trunk and leaves of a tree are formed from the letters T-R-E-E. Games, activities, and videos encourage kids to follow logical literacy concepts to build words step by step and sound them out piece by piece. The site presents an imaginative world to explore and a variety of interesting, educational places to practice and reinforce spelling skills.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Like the imaginative television series it’s based on, WORDWORLD is a place where words come alive. Preschoolers will be delighted by the animated animal hosts, whose colorful bodies are shaped from the letters that spell out what animal they are. The site presents a world to explore, and young visitors can consult a map that shows a variety of interesting, educational places to discover.

At each stop, they’ll find lots to do: words to spell, say and collect; adventurous word games that promote spelling and reinforce word recognition; and a number of printable coloring pages. As they click on objects, kids are encouraged to sound out letters to build each new word. And the letters of each new word, of course, represent exactly what they’re spelled to be (i.e. a barn is built from the letters B-A-R-N). Preschoolers will enjoy the age appropriate games with simple audio instructions and will have fun seeing letters (and their sounds) make words. Most of all, the activities in WordWorld will help preschoolers see words as their friends.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • How learning new words is fun when the words come to life. What makes these words and characters so special? Is it easier to learn words when you can see exactly what they are right away?

  • Why learning on a computer is a great addition to learning from a book or learning at school -- but shouldn’t replace the traditional ways of learning. Why it’s just as important to spend time away from the computer as it is to learn how to use a computer.

  • Other television shows that teach kids about letters and words and reading? What are some of the fun ways they help preschoolers learn?

Website Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended website lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate