Monstro City holds exciting alleys and ingenious shops. I dare you to traverse the land of Moshi Monsters. Change your monsters clothes to show off their personal style. Customize the different monsters colors, and give them a home. You can even decorate their room, and have your friends rate it. Find items to decororate your room and add the horror to your monsters house!

Go from Ooh La Lane, to Sludge Street, and from there to Gift Island. See what you cand discover in Monstro City! Start your very own garden by planting seeds to attract cute, atrocious, or terrifying Moshlings.

When all of that serious exploring has tired out your Moshi Monster, you can go home to your personal domain. Don’t forget to feed your monster! Visit the Puzzle Palace and Moshling Garden. You may visit the Port as well, and the Dress Up Room. Does your sassy pet want to see the DIY shop, or maybe Horrods. Explore all the Monstro streets. They are your gateway to games, and meeting new Monsters. Let’s not forget to say “Hi”!

Ages: 7-10 Fun for all ages, and younger kids.
Safety: Very safe Community for all Monsters.
Fun: Super, super fun for young Moshi’s
Navigate: Easy. Very easy site to navigate.
Price – Free

Adoption Monster Rules

Play Safe – Keep your personal information personal.
Respect the Moshi Community – Treat Moshi players with respect, and you will be respected.
No Bullying or Rudeness – Put your best behaviour foot forward.
No Cheating or Scamming – Scamming and cheating are stealing.. don’t do it!

This post is courtesy of my daughter, who shall remain unnamed, yet is a faithful and fearless Moshi Monster who enjoys having fun and trekking through the colorful lands of cyber space. Thank you dear…

The site can be a bit slow to load, but the different areas are colorful and imaginative. The games are standard fare and girls can view videos featuring their favorite Barbie™ movies. She can also enjoy an enhanced Barbie Girls® experience with a V.I.P. membership, which would grant her access to exclusive areas, allow her to adopt virtual pets, “spend” B Bucks®, and play a number of great members-only games.

Did someone say fashion and boys all the same sentence? Two of the hottest subjects of most girls, so this Virtual World just may have some kind of special appeal to those girls between the ages of 8 – 15.

Cost: Free for basic membership, $5.99/month for VIP (multi-month discounts available)

As always, our kids safety is top priority. Please always remember to visit a site with your child to decide if it’s the best site for your family rules and values. Although the best of safety measures have been incorporat

Surely there is simply not enough time each day to catch up on everything, yet it truly does not matter. Just a little peek here and there is enough… and more than enough most days! This is just how it is with Social Networks of this type. Especially if one is divided between business and pleasure.

The only downfall that I can see at this time, is that other people can find back doors into our private lives, wall posts, and even our pictures if we do not look through every aspect of the privacy settings. Not sure why, but Facebook makes it pretty tricky for those who are unaware of how to set everything within their account to keep their privacy within each of our own personal bounds. I would suggest looking through account settings very carefully to be certain that you are very clear on which information you wish to be seen, and by whom. It is not simply cut and dry, so do not be fooled into a false sense of security. Either pay close attention, or be very careful about the information you put forth to be viewed by others on the internet. It is nearly impossible to retrieve that which may become viral, in a short amount of time.

With that said, I am still happy to visit my peeps as often as time permits. Life is simply too short, and it is really nice to catch up with friends and family, giving us less separation and more of a sense of being part of the bigger world. Speaking of which, I would like to take a few moments to hop on over to my own Facebook and see how everyone is doing today.. Enjoy!

My daughter is so very close to entering the Teen Scene, that I really need to pay attention to the latest trends in technologies concerning the social spheres. In comes Teen Second Life – a 3D virtual world created by you and for you – where you can join Teens from all over the globe. Create, learn new skills, start a business, meet new people… it’s your world, your imagination.

What is Teen Second Life?

Teen Second Life is an international gathering place for teens 13-17 to make friends and to play, learn and create. In Second Life, teens can create and customize a digital self called an “avatar,” fly through an ever-changing 3D landscape, chat and socialize with other teens from all over the world, and build anything from skyscrapers to virtual vehicles. It’s more than a videogame and much more than an Internet chat program – it’s a boundless world of surprise and adventure that encourages teens to work together and use their imaginations.

Who is Teen Second Life for?

As stated above, be a part of a Global Community of teens aged 13-17. Only teens between the ages of 13 and 17 are allowed in (there is a separate version of Second Life for adults) so other than Linden Lab’s staff, Linden Liaisons, who are there to make Teen Second Life a safe and pleasant place to be, teens will interact with other teens their own age. Occasionally we may bring in teachers for special educational projects as well. When that happens we will always let residents know who they are and what type of project they’re working on.

Features

Build what you like, explore as you prefer, communicate across platforms with who you choose, fashion a persona to your exact specifications. All Teen Second Life features are designed to offer its users the most open-ended, customizable experience of any online world on the market. No restrictions or arbitrary guidelines imposed by the developers—only the tools and resources to build your own vision of a better world.

Who makes Second Life?

Second Life is developed by Linden Lab, a company founded in 1999 and based in San Francisco. You can read all about us at www.lindenlab.com. Linden Lab provides the technology but the Second Life residents themselves are the ones who really help shape the world and make it unique.

Get Involved!

I know, kids really hate it when we stick our noses into their business, but it is our job, right? It is up to us to pay attention and stay involved, to a certain point, and make sure our teens are socializing with safety in mind. We don’t need to go too far, and take away their fun, but we do need to stay aware and be certain they keep their wits about them as well. Also, this shows we truly care about them, without taking away all of their independence. If we are open with our interest and concerns from the start, they are less likely to venture off into parts unknown that may carry hidden dangers, whilst hiding their activities from us.

My daughter knows to trust my advice, as I treat her with respect, and offer her the benefit of the doubt in her own judgement. I have taught her well, and when faced with a tough decision or possible dangerous situation, she trusts me to help her out. This kind of open communication keeps her safe, and gives me the peace of mind to allow her the space to learn and grow, while socializing with the wider world.

“To reach out to the public, we need to be where people are—and we know tens of millions of people spend their time in social media sites,” says John Miller, head of FBI Public Affairs. “Adding our fugitives, missing kids, threat and scam warnings, and other information into these sites is an extension of what we’ve done for decades—enlisting the help and support of concerned citizens around the globe to keep communities safer.”

Here are a few places in which we can follow the presence of the FBI in the Social Media’s…

• Facebook, where you can follow our news, check out our photos and videos, and become a “fan” of the FBI;
• YouTube, where you can watch our videos and connect back to our main website for job postings and other content; and
• Twitter, where you can receive our tweets on breaking news and other useful information.

The FBI is exploring a presence on SecondLife. Jonathan Cox—along with graphic artist Scott Carmine—designed the FBI’s first virtual billboards for sites like Second Life and sees them as the wave of the future. “Unlike 10 years ago, almost everyone today has had an experience connecting online through virtual media, whether through a gaming console or popular sites like Second Life,” Cox said. “The ease at which information can be transferred, ideas can be exposed, and technology can be shared in virtual worlds will hopefully lead to the arrest of a fugitive or the location of a missing child in the near future.”

You can learn more by visiting The FBI in the Virtual Realms of Social Media to get the whole scoop and more news. Modern technology sure does add a whole new realm of possibilities when it comes to connecting with the people around the world.

The creators of Chobots, Vayersoft, is already involved in creating and visual solutions for businesses in marketing and operations, but Lazor says its B2C entry in Chobots is its main investment with a dedicated full-time team and managed directly by CEO Vadim Yeremeychuk. One reason for the emphasis is its new territory. “Our main markets are North-American and Russian,” said Lazor. “North-America is the biggest market for virtual worlds where we can compete successfully and Russia is not opened market for kids worlds yet, but it gives a lot of opportunities of becoming number one.”

I would say this is definately interesting to me, and the level of entertainment is worth taking the time to look into Chobots. As always, use your own good judgement. I know some parents do not like the idea of their children spending too much time in front of the computer or television, yet I believe they learn essential problem solving skills if they are allowed a set amount of time to accomplish this. We are in an age where these skills are paramount to our techonological evolution, and those who do not stimulate their brain power will be behind the times to survive in this Age. As an advocate of regular outdoor activities, even I understand the need to learn how to act and react in situations where advancing technologies require a quick mind.

I truly love to hear feedback from other Virtual travelers, so please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on this and other Virtual Worlds. I am always looking for new places to visit and explore!

I would like to end this years posting with a place I find totally fascinating, and which I cannot wait to find out more. Here one can find one of the web’s most powerful Virtual Reality experiences, which lets us visit and chat in incredible 3D worlds that are built by other users. Do you think you have what it takes to build your own world or Virtual Reality game? If so, then Active Worlds may possibly be the place for you, where in minutes you can create fascinating 3D worlds in which others can visit. The Active Worlds Universe is a community of hundreds of thousands of users who chat and build 3D virtual reality environments in millions of square kilometers of virtual territory.

What can you do in Active Worlds?

* Build your own 3D virtual reality home on the Internet
* Shop online in our own 3D virtual reality mall and chat with store clerks
* Explore over 1000 unique virtual worlds
* Make new friends and chat with people from all over the globe
* Play interactive 2D and 3D games
* Choose from a vast range of avatar identities and chat with other avatars.

Virtual Education

Active Worlds has an Educational Universe for those who wish to add a whole new level to their teaching and learning experience. Since the inception of the Active Worlds technology, it has been a hit with teachers around the world. From architecture departments to science labs to ThinkQuest projects, Active Worlds has been adding new dimensions to learning for over four years.

In response to the growing demand from educators, Activeworlds Inc. launched The Active Worlds Educational Universe (AWEDU). The AWEDU is a unique educational community that makes the Active Worlds technology available to educational institutions, teachers, students, and individual programs in a focused setting. Via this community, educators are able to explore new concepts, learning theories, creative curriculum design, and discover new paradigms in social learning.

The technologies being created and shared here are simply amazing! I had so much fun in 2008, and I have a pretty strong feeling that 2009 will bring many new concepts and Virtual Worlds to play in.

May you step forth into a fruitful future with many exciting moments, and true friends to help Light your Path.

Teri
~

SecretBuilders, the educational kids world that launched earlier this month, announced a partnership today with the Huffington Post to encourage kids to sound off to President-Elect Obama. SecretBuilders emphasizes activities like creating drawings or artwork and writing essays, and the new contest asks kids to submit a letter and picture to Obama. The winning entry will be featured on the Huffington Post on Presidents Day with runners up featured on Slate and Gamezebo and added to CNN’s iReport. The winner will also receive $500 cash and $500 to donate to charity or a school.

Kids can visit a themed environment for interaction and click on an avatar of Arianna Huffington to visit her virtual home, which features contest-related activities. The contest is also supported by KidZui, Art in Action, Wild Planet Toy Company, Naseeb Networks, and Stone Soup magazine.

As always, I am happy to hear peoples thoughts on this and other great Virtual Worlds you have experienced or wish to check out. Have a virtually great moment!

So of course, when I hear the news, I love to pass the information along to my fellow Virtual travelers. Here is what I discovered today…

Good Egg Studio announced today the open beta of Elf Island, a  virtual world designed to teach good social and environmental values to tweens. The world offers the typical games, customization, and social elements of virtual worlds but is setting itself apart through “Mirrored Gaming,” or quests that ask users to complete activities in the virtual world that are mirrored in the real world. The first, a project with Habitat for Humanity International, lets users build virtual houses that mirror the construction of houses in Honduras.

The Founders of Elf Island

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and with good reason. Elf Island is the brainchild of a dynamic husband and wife team, Craig and Liz Kronenberger, who decided to blend their entrepreneurial spirit with their philanthropic passions.

As the parents of twin boys, Craig and Liz noticed a glaring lack of redeeming and socially responsible games in a virtual environment for kids. Prompted to act, in June 2007 the Kronenbergers created the first virtual world dedicated to harnessing the power of fun to help kids develop positive values and empower them to make a difference. The couple coined the phrase “Gaming for Good, TM” connecting the online world to the real world.

As pioneers in the virtual and communications worlds, Craig and Liz previously co-founded Spunky Productions, a consumer kids and family entertainment digital media company. At Spunky they worked on several campaigns including “Harry Potter,” the online music release of Ê”The Wiggles,” the exclusive launch of the online campaign for the home video release of Universal Studio’s “The Grinch,” starring Jim Carrey, and the online game launch of “CapComÕs MegaMan” and “Viewtiful Joe.” It was there that Liz and Craig co-created “Claus.com,” which they sold in 2000. “Claus.com” was the number one kid’s Christmas site when it was under their direction.

Armed with the creativity, the tremendous knowledge of the dynamic virtual worlds that captivate youth, the extensive advertising and marketing experience, and the proven business acumen, this dynamic duo is now channeling their passions into Elf Island. Craig, as the President of operations, is lead visionary for bringing this youth-oriented web site to life, while Liz spearheads the marketing and non-profit arm of the company. Of course, all the while, their young sons have been their inspiration.

What is SecretBuilders?

SecretBuilders is a virtual world for children 5 to 14 years old (children of all ages are most welcome) powered by a web 2.0 community of children, parents, educators, writers, artists and game developers. On SecretBuilders, children will explore virtual lands, undertake quests, play games, maintain a home, nurture a pet, and interact with their friends. Children will also be able to publish and share their writings and artwork with each other and have tons of fun doing it all!

Here are Three unique features which distinguish Secret Builders from other online children’s sites and gaming places:

Children will be the creators and not just consumers. They will help build this world with their ideas, critiques and contributions. We will directly solicit their input on building out lands, contests, activities, games and features, and in many cases, they will see an immediate implementation of their ideas and suggestions. This world, which is for them, will be created by them.

Children will be exposed to concepts in science, math and the humanities through games, quests, contests and “conversations” with the historical figures that populate this online world. They will be introduced in fun, subtle ways such that they won’t even know they’ve learned a piece of history, a famous line from literature or something about philosophy. SecretBuilders is not meant to be an educational site but through immersion in activities, quests and games their school education will be enriched.

Children will exercise the creative spirit present in each child through many art- and writing-based activities, all of which will be maintained in an online library to be visited again and again. They will be able to participate in a variety of writing contests, maintain blogs and diaries, create artwork, produce photo/video items as well as discuss and interact on works published by someone else. This ability to publish their own works as well as see and comment on that of others creates a vibrant, dynamic community that will enhance other creative classroom activities.

Final Notes – Wow, it seems to me that SecretBuilders carries all the criteria for a fun AND educational Virtual World for children. Of course, I love to play too, so I am certain my daughter and I will have many hours of enjoyment with this one. We have not yet ventured forth into this Magical land, yet you can be certain that we will be most happy to update our findings and pass them along.

If you would like to venture forth into a fantastic place, visit SecretBuilders and let me know what you think! If you are already an avid builder, I would love to hear from you as well. What is your favourite aspect of this world? Do you have some good stories to share about your exciting quests and gameplay? Who are your favourite famous people in whom you have discovered? Please feel free to share!