Jump Start Virtual World for Kids – Review

Someone (who shall remain nameless), gave my girls some small pieces of expensive plastic rubbish, and along with these tiny creatures came an invitation to play in an online world. The game was fun in the very beginning, but it quickly became apparent to me that it was all about sucking in my children. The game encouraged you to play more and more and used questionable tactics to get you to beg your parents for huge amounts of money to ‘un-lock’ more games and keep playing.

This game caused a lot of tears here at The Pickle Farm, mostly because it made my girls feel bad for not being allowed to spend time every day playing this game. That was when I decided to pull the plug. I am not a fan of my kids spending hours in front of any screen, nor am I keen on them playing online games that use questionable tactics. There were more tears when I said no more playing, and even some wailing, but it was for the best in the long run.

Not long after that I got an email from Knowledge Adventure, inviting me and my big kids to try out Jump Start for Kids. I was hesitant to open that can of worms again and let the kids back into any kind of ‘virtual world’, but I had a quick look over the info pages of the site and I liked what I read. Of course with a home page showing a fairy and little flying dragons and pegasuses (pegasi?), I knew my kids would be keen. So after a bit more discussion and a set limit of 20 minutes a week, we agreed to give it a go.

Within minutes of logging on they were in love!

You get to set up an avatar called a jumpeez and run around some fabulous virtual worlds, interacting with other characters and playing a variety if embedded games.

Because my kids usually only get 20 minutes a week online time we still have a LOT to explore and do, but their favourite thing so far was finding and hatching their ‘Mythie’ eggs. Izzy and Morgan’s eggs both hatched out dragons and Zoe’s a pegasus. They are now busy feeding and caring for them Mythies and teaching them to fly.

Some parts of the Jumpstart world are pure entertainment, but interspersed with fun games there are lots of games with a good educational base, language and number games as well as a variety of other concepts. There is also a lot of reading practice and problem solving happening during general play which is an added bonus. While the game is aimed at 3-10 year olds, Morgan (who is four) needs a little help from his sisters now and then with some of the more difficult games or reading extra instructions, but in general he finds most things quite doable. The girls, of course, know way more about it than I ever will, though I try to hover in the background and watch just to keep an eye on things.

Knowledge Adventure have also created Mathsblaster and maths and number based online game for kids aged 6-10. We’ve only just begun to explore that virtual world, but already the girls are finding it hard to choose which place to spend their online time. They also have a range of wii, pc, mac and ipad games which look like fun too.

While you do need to buy a membership to access all of the Jumpstart virtual world, you still get a lot of play for free. You can choose from three membership options (monthly, yearly or forever), you get access to Mathsblaster as well and for up to 6 kids! And unlike the other game my girls were playing Jumpstart doesn’t tell your kids to ‘ask mummy to use her credit card’ which I found particularly distasteful.

I still believe that children learn best by playing in the real world, as opposed to a virtual one (even one as cool as jumpstart!), we have found a balance that works for our family, and I am really pleased to have Jumpstart as a more educational, and more appropriate option when they want to have some fun online.

The lovely people at Knowledge Adventure have given me a Jumpstart membership to give away to one of my readers!

This give away is now closed. Congratulations to Kate from Puddles and Gumboots who was the lucky winner!

If you think your kids would like to hatch a Mythie or wave hello to my kid’s Jumpeez as they run past then simply leave a comment on this post. The competition is open to everyone regardless of where you live, you’ll just need to supply me with a name and contact email for me to pass on. I will draw a random winner next Wednesday and the winner must contact me within 7 days or the prize will be redrawn.

{Disclaimer : My kids and I were given a membership to Jumpstart. I (we) were not compensated in any other way to write this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own (and my children’s) alone. }