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Parents' Guide to

Shidonni

By Susan Yudt, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Safe, creative virtual world is fun but needs better tools.

Website http://www.shidonni.com
Shidonni Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 7 parent reviews

ReadingFever
ReadingFever Adult
February 10, 2012
age 5+

A Definite Favorite

This has been one of my son's favorite sites since he was three. Although he started using it at three, it took him a while to figure out how to use the games, and I was explaining and demonstrating a lot to him to compensate. I think it's more age appropriate for 5+. With that aside, I love the creativity it brings out, as members get to draw their own pets, pet food, cars (to play games in), and even the background for the world their pets live in. Once drawn, the pets become animated (okay, they really just wiggle around, but it's cool), and are fun to interact with. You can also create multiple worlds, or unlock new drawing colors/patterns/brushes by playing the games and winning. Negatives are that some of the best features can only be unlocked with a paid membership, so if you don't feel like paying $5.95/month, then you won't have all the features.
karinajohnson
karinajohnson Parent of 5 and 8-year-old
November 27, 2011
age 3+

A great website for kids

This is a great website! It has a "Shidonni Pro" option for a small fee, but it is super fun with or without.
See all 7 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Aimed at kids ages 4-10, SHIDONNI blends elements of virtual worlds, social networking, and creating. Kids start by drawing an animal that "comes to life" as an animation, dancing around the screen. Then, kids create a habitat for their creature, give it some food, and send it off into the universe to explore and play games. Kids can find friends online and send snacks and other goodies to their pals' pets. Users have the option of joining the basic site for free or purchasing a "pro" membership with special features for $5.95 a month.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (6 ):

By letting users draw their own animals, habitats, and accessories, Shidonni puts a creative spin on virtual pet sites like Club Penguin and Webkinz. However, Shidonni's interface isn't very intuitive -- parents may have to help younger kids master the basic commands. And good luck trying to draw an animal that's more sophisticated than a bug ... or even a pet rock. Overall, Shidonni gets the thumbs-up for its creative concept and cute features -- like drawing snacks to feed your creature -- but could use an upgrade in user-friendliness.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about setting limits on online game play. How can you balance computer play with playing in the "real" world? Families can also talk about safety with virtual worlds and social networking. How do you know if you can trust someone enough to make them your online friend?

Website Details

  • Genre: Creating
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 5, 2015

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