My toddler has always been very interested in seeing the computer, and even more, pounding on the keys. Most of the time we have to decline her request for technical intervention. But now, there is a website she can use, all for herself with no parental intervention. All the child needs to do once the parent has opened the website and activity is hit any key on the keyboard, and activity ensues. Not only does this website make your toddler feel like a “big kid”, but can also entertain in that moment of desparateness-when you are at your wits end with trying to find an activity. I found this website through another friend and feel it important to share with other parents.
The parent will have to open the internet and go to the website themselves (we are not expecting toddler to be able to find the website). Once you get to the website, there are many different options available for your child to try. There are six different games to choose from, all with animals and sounds. The first choice comes from an octupus and is called “Underwater Adventure”. As your child pushes the keys, an array of colorful fish will swim by on the screen, and even an underwater sub or two. This is all set to water like sounds. The second choice has a guitar icon and is called “Guitar, Piano, and Drums”. You can let your child have a screen of a guitar, piano keys, or three drums. You can also choose between three different song choices of Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle, or Row Row Row. My daughter’s personal favorite is the guitar because little animals will pop out from inside the guitar. The piano and drums are also exciting, and have animals popping out at different intervals, depending on how fast the keys are pused on the keyboard. The third choice of games has a cute sunshine icon and is called “Jump and Float”. Jump and Float gives you a choice of a night or day background. As the keys are pushed, a large animal will jump up into the sky, aka your screen, and make a funny noise. The fourth choice is shown by a face and is called “Peek a Boo”. This game is just like the game you may play with your child at home. As they push a key, the curtains will slide back to reveal a character face. The longer they push, the further the curtains will slide back. When an animal is revealed, it says “peek a boo” in a fairly creepy, but child friendly, voice. The fifth choice of games is called “Bubbles, Balloons, and Flowers” and is shown by a bubbles icon from the home page. This game is fairly busy, and will have the afore mentioned items popping up on your screen. Animals will pop from the balloons and bubbles as your child pushes keys. Music is also playing in the background and an appropriate popping noise accompanies the animals. The sixth and final choice for your child’s enjoyment is displayed with a train icon and called “All Aboard”. This game seems to be among the most interactive. Your child key strokes will prompt different automobiles to enter and leave the screen, headllights to go on and off, horns/bells/whistles to sound, and animals in the car to go crazy.
Also available from the home website for parents are sections to read about the company itself, email the company, and recommend the website to a friend. The website claims to be headed by three men who were interested in finding more online activities for their own children. After reading about the creators, you can also go read about each of the animals featured in the game. Each one’s stats are given such as name, favorite food, color, activity, and saying. A cute addition to the website. The best part for me is that the site is always free and contains no spam, pop ups, or unnecessary things usually associated with visiting free websites. This is genuinely a crowd pleaser for both parents and children. If you are also interested, the website is called Knee Bouncers and can be found at www.kneebouncers.com.
