When I was younger there were not many websites aimed directly at kids, but now there is seems to be a plethora of sites which can be described as virtual websites for children. Firstly, Club Penguin is a virtual world owned by Disney where users become penguins and can play games, chat or decorate their igloos. It is recommended for ages 8-14 and has many features that are only available to paying members. Secret Builders.com is a cool virtual world with an emphasis on culture or learning. With games to play and mysterious quests to undertake, it is unique take on the other virtual worlds and is recommended for parents as a learning tool for their children. Habbo.com is a social networking site aimed at teenagers and with over 18 million visitors worldwide a month it is one of the most popular virtual websites. The main feature on the site is the ‘hotel’, where members can chat to others in public rooms or guest rooms. You are able to hang out, make friends, walk, and dance, eat, drink, and chat in cafes, restaurants and swimming pools. Neopets is a virtual site that has been around for a while, long enough to develop into a popular website aimed at kids. This site lets you create a virtual pet that inhabits the world of Neopia. You can take care of up to four virtual pets buying them food, toys, clothes using Neopoints or Neocash which you can buy or earn in on the site. Another popular site very similar to Neopets is Moshi Monsters where you can create and care for a pet you’ve created. You can feed them and build a cool pad while still interacting with other visitors to the site. Other cool sites include www.buildabearville.com and www.poptropica.com and www.fantage.com
