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Safe and fun websites for boys  

post #1 of 17
6/24/08 at 2:28am
Thread Starter 
My kids are really getting in to exploring the use of the computer and internet. So far I've had them on Starfall.com and lego.com and my oldest son is starting a blog. I was wondering if anyone had some ideas for other websites for 7 and 11 year old boys. Educational, fun, creative, whatever you can think of. I'm trying to find something appropriate for them.

My son and I were looking up guitar chords the other day and there was an ad with a half naked woman on it! I would love to find kid safe sites where I don't have to worry about things like that. I'm always near when they are on, I just would like for them to have variety.

Thanks!
post #2 of 17
6/24/08 at 7:56am
My DSS 7 likes to play the games on www.playmobil.com and also www.pbskids.org. My DSS 13 absolutely loves www.runescape.com and he would stay on it literally for hours on end if we would let him. They are both fairly educational and age-appropriate. The Runescape site has a free version and a pay version. DSS 13 just plays the free version. I don't recall any crazy advertisements on any of those sites.
post #3 of 17
6/24/08 at 11:31am
My just now nine year old son enjoys Kids National Geographic

He and my 13 year old dd both love Club Penguin
post #4 of 17
6/24/08 at 4:58pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks Mom's!! I'm excited to let them explore new places.
post #5 of 17
6/25/08 at 7:11pm
It's not terribly educational, but it is fun and free: my 5 y.o. son loves playing www.hotwheels.com
post #6 of 17
6/25/08 at 7:26pm
You need to get pop up window blockers so all the naked lady ads don't pop up. My dh put them up for firefox. Ds plays a lot of online games and most of those sites get a ton of them.

www.nitrome.com has fun computer games. It does have shooting stuff (tanks shooting each other, guy shooting ice monsters) but not the graphic gory stuff we've run across. We really enjoy many of the games. I can't swear that there will be no inappropriate pop up ads because we have the block installed but I don't remember them like I do from other sites.
post #7 of 17
6/25/08 at 7:31pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks 4evermom, we have a good pop up blocker cuz I can't stand them!! Thanks for the recommendation. On my way to check it out!
post #8 of 17
6/25/08 at 7:40pm
Oh, there is some good stuff on www.eduweb.com. Click on portfolio along the top and you can select educational sites based on grad level. My ds enjoys some of the bug games (pestworld, finding what pests invade the home, the causes, and the solutions) and the dental site, lol.
post #9 of 17
6/25/08 at 10:17pm
For entertainment, my 6 yr old daughter likes Deltora Quest based on the book series. http://www.scholastic.com/deltora/
She found out about it from some 8 yr old boy classmates, so I think it would definitely appeal to your sons.
She's also a webkinz fan and likes some math games like http://www.rainforestmaths.com/
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
http://www.factmonster.com/math/knowledgebox/
post #10 of 17
6/25/08 at 10:21pm
Not extremely educational BUT

http://www.poptropica.com/

has us addicted (myself included)
post #11 of 17
6/26/08 at 2:17am
My ds likes runescape and the lego's and transformers web site.
post #12 of 17
6/26/08 at 3:00am
kind of a plug, but http://bookclub.uglyfishorganics.com is our recently launched on-line book club/blog that seems right up your alley--kids write the reviews--we're currently posting a series written by local elementary school kids and it's so cool to get book recommendations written by other kids--the ultimate seal of approval.
If they've already read some of the books, it'd be great to get some comments on how they felt about the books, just varied perspectives, you know? If they have faves they want to share, they can email them in and I'll post them.

All the comments are moderated, so it's a safe site to let them check out.

Thanks, and I hope to 'see' them on-line!
post #13 of 17
6/26/08 at 4:29pm
Thread Starter 
That's a great idea Sali! I'll check it out. Too neat!
post #14 of 17
6/26/08 at 4:34pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you everyone! There's a ton here to check out now! I'm so excited for my boys.

Thanks again!
post #15 of 17
6/26/08 at 4:48pm
My 8 YO DS likes webkinz -- of course, you have to buy the animal but he mostly plays games in the arcade.

For educational stuff my son adores his Jumpstart World software. Its not a website, its a PC based computer game. It comes in three grades (K, 1, 2) and is a combination of educational games and an interactive world/story. I like both the overall look and feel of the game, the types of learning games involved, and the fact that its software rather than a website so there are no possible ads and he can't accidently get into areas where I wouldn't want him going.
post #16 of 17
6/26/08 at 4:55pm
Reflexive.com has a lot of fun casual games -- nothing excessively violent and no pop-ups. There's like eight million variations on Bejeweled and also some fun hidden-object games.

And my daughter love neopets.com.
post #17 of 17
6/26/08 at 8:01pm
Thread Starter 
This thread is turning into a tremendously helpful place! I have so many sites now, my kids will never be bored!!
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