|
March, 2007
Speech & Language Tip
of the Month
My daughter received
a Webkinz® stuffed dog for her birthday last month,
and I thought “great another stuffed animal”. I
soon came to realize it was much more than
just a stuffed animal; it was a whole new world of
fun. Best of all, this is the kind of fun that
could actually be therapeutic for some of the older
children with language difficulties. It’s also a
great way to stay in tune with the things your kids
are into.
First, let me tell
you what this phenomenon is exactly. A Webkinz® is
a stuffed animal (anything from a dog, to a gorilla,
to a unicorn) that comes with a special code
(usually in a pouch attached to a paw). You take
your code and enter it into the Webkinz® website,
adopt your pet and begin playing. When you begin,
your website is set up with a room and some
Kinzcash. These are points to help you get started
to buy your pet food, clothes, toys or room
decorations. You can earn more points by answering
educational questions, playing games or getting a
job.
The educational
questions are great because you can pick from a
variety of different subjects (math, language, art…)
at different age-levels. The more questions
answered, the more points earned, the more things
you can buy! The games are great too. They vary in
their difficulty, and there are many to choose
from. Many of them are educational and target
spelling, math, reading, memory or sequencing. You
can even play in tournaments or with other friends
that are also a part of Webkinz® world. The website
also allows you to get a job to earn more Kinzcash.
Most of these jobs are timed sequencing events that
are great for stimulating receptive language.
While all of this fun
is going on, you are still responsible for the
wellbeing of your pet. They post your pet’s health,
happiness, and hunger (ranging from 0-100) on the
bottom of the screen. You are responsible for
making sure your pet is always at it’s best. The
Kinzcash is a great way to teach children how to
prioritize wants/needs and to understand
consequences. For example: “If you spend all of
the Kinzcash on decorations, you might not have
enough to feed your pet.” Or “The more good work you
do, the more points you earn.”
This activity is best
for children age 4 & up that have an interest in
playing on the computer. Guidance on the site is
recommended to help your child understand all that
is available. This could also be a great way for
older children with social difficulties to have
something in common with their peers.
Here is a link to the
website:
www.webkinz.com You can take a tour of the
Webkinz® World to see if this is something that your
child would find interesting. They also have a link
to retailers in your area.
Good luck and have fun!!!
Sincerely,
Meredith B. Sorokwasz M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
|
