I just read an interesting article in the family section of the Guardian where this site for children was referred to as Social networking for kids. Personally, I think it is wrong to call this a social networking site but then maybe I just don’t like the idea that my kids are already using this type of internet activity!
My older children aged 11 and 8 have been Club Penguin addicts for about the last 4 years.
For those of you who have not yet reached this stage this is Wikipedia’s description of the game.
Club Penguin is a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) involving a virtual world containing a range of online games and activities, developed by Club Penguin Entertainment. Players use cartoon penguin-avatars and play in a winter-set virtual world. It is claimed that Club Penguin has over 12 million user accounts. While free memberships are available, revenue is predominantly raised through paid memberships which allow players to access a range of additional features, (such as the ability to purchase virtual clothing, furniture, and in-game pets called “puffles”, for their penguins through the use of in-game currency). The success of Club Penguin led to New Horizon being purchased by The Walt Disney Company in August 2007 for the sum of $350 million.
I remember 4 years ago, my husband and I having long conversations about whether to allow our then 7 year old daughter,to get a Penguin. After coming home from school one day begging for one I had no idea what she was talking about. After some “school door research” (chatting to the other Mums at collection time) I found out all about this online community of penguins.
We decided to allow her to have one penguin, as a non member, which meant she could play most games enter all the sections be it the Pizza restaurant or the disco. This was fine initially and kept her happy.
Then after about a year of putting it off we decided to subscribe so that her penguin, now could buy more clothes and earn more currency. Extremely important benefits in Club Penguin land!! However we have friends whose children have played for years without needing to subscribe.
Later our son then 7 got interested and he then got his penguin. Subscription is not very expensive and you can purchase annually or by the month which is the option we decided.
Our two have to earn their next months subscription which depends on their behaviour and doing a few very basic jobs around the house. They actually don’t mind this because one of the good lessons they have taken from Club Penguin is that there is a cost for luxuries in life. If they need fancy furniture or new clothes for their penguins they have to go and earn virtual currency ‘Gold Coins’ to enable them to purchase the extras. One of their favourite parts of the site is the ever changing Gift Shop that changes its theme every month.
We do restrict their time allowed on the computer so they do not sit in front of the screen for hours and hours, although I am sure they would if they could.
But although “Waddle around and meet new friends!” is a club slogan, it turns out that making new friends is not what life on the Club Penguin island is about.
For this reason, co-founder Lane Merrifield says that to describe the club – which is aimed at six to 14-year-olds and has more than 15 million users worldwide – as a social networking site is wide of the mark. “The vast majority are playing with people they know. It’s really rare for kids to build a bunch of friends with people they’ve never met,” he says. “It’s one of the reasons why I recoil a little bit when people call it social networking for kids because you can’t share any information, no one knows what you look like or where you live.”
Players are not even allowed to tell each other their names. But if Club Penguin is not Facebook for tweenies, it does introduce young children to the world of online communication, to the idea of interacting with others via a screen. For this reason, as well as the way young players are exposed to commercial realities, its success has been controversial.
There is an online chat facility but it is not open to the public and the penguins chat is restricted to which level you as a parent choose. You have Safe chat and Free chat. Safe chat consists of speech bubbles that the child selects one for their penguin to say. For example ‘Hello’ ‘Greetings’ ‘See you later’ ‘I’ll be back soon!’ are just some of the speech bubbles.
Even at the highest level, Free chat, the user is extremely restricted in the language that they can use to each other. If by accident they share personal information or use offensive language, the site moderators immediately close the penguins access for 24 hours. During this period, the parent is sent an email explaining why the 24hr ban has been applied. The parent then has the opportunity to view what the child wrote and explain why this has happened.
The game has been criticized for teaching consumerism and allowing players to “cheat” but I personally feel that my two have had hours of enjoyment in a very safe environment, where they have learnt many good values.
One of the really fun parts about the chatting is that my two will often arrange to meet their friends penguins for example at the Pizza Hut at 4pm. Great incentive to get homework finished and keeps them entertained during many a rainy afternoon. My two even play with their Grandmother who often comes on with her penguin and meets them for some fun and games!!
My 8 year old much prefers the games on the site to the chatting. ‘ My favourite part of Club Penguin is the different parties that come on during the year. I loved the St. Patricks Festivities when I could buy four leafed clovers and leprechaun suits for my penguin!’ says my 8 year old.
‘The best part for me,’ says my 11 year old ‘is when the Penguin Pirate Rockhopper comes to visit at the parties and his ship is called the Migrator, you have to find a certain book in the library and on the back is a key to his quarters. In his hold is treasure and you can collect one free piece of treasure.’
Kids enjoy the site’s games, tasks and funny graphics.
Harry, nine, likes the spy missions, and “designing the igloos because you get to choose what you want”, but he doesn’t really like interacting with other players “because they just chat on and on”.
Morag , 12, likes ice fishing: “You have to move your fishing line and quickly pull it up so that crabs don’t chop it.” She recently handed on her penguin to her eight-year-old sister.
As well as the site there is merchandise available as in clothes, soft toys, Card Jitsu card trading game and toy puffles. There are a wide range of books available in which extra coins are hidden and clues are given for some of the games.
As a family we have only had positive experiences with this site, which has been great entertainment over the years but as with all of these sites, I strongly believe you need to monitor your childrens online usage and keep informed.
Article that quotes taken from was published in the Guardian- Family. 17 JULY 2010.
Posted by Mother of Three.
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