With the popularity of online chatting and gaming coupled with the computer savvy of today’s youth, many parents are seeking a safe place for their children to engage in these Internet activities. As a result, www.clubpenguin.com was developed to safely allow children between the ages of 8 and 14 years old (although children of any age may join) to participate in chatting and gaming with other children online.

Although I am always suspicious of online communities for children, Club Penguin is clearly legitimate because they received the Better Business Bureau Kids Privacy Seal of Approval and have partnerships with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The Club Penguin website also received the “Editors Choice” award from the Children’s Techology Review Magazine.

Basically, your children can chat, play games, send greeting cards, use emotion icons, link to Disney news and help other participants at the safe Club Penguin website. Your child chooses a penguin and gives it a unique identity. Many features may be accessed through a free membership at Club Penguin but the more alluring options are only available through a paid monthly subscription. Paid members enjoy the ability to games and helping other participants to play which are used to purchase clothes and accessories for their penguins or to buy igloo furniture. Club Penguin states they offer a paid membership to keep the website ad-free and safe from marketing. Updated information about Club Penguin is posted through a link to their blog. You can click on a separate link to purchase Club Penguin items such as keychains, caps and t-shirts.

I was impressed with Club Penguin, but I still feel guarded about their ability to keep the site free from ads and predators so would like to watch it for awhile longer.

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