Do Webkinz help or hinder imagination?
Webkinz are the craze this year, at least in my first grade classroom. The kids eagerly share stories about their newest "adopted" plush toys, who come with a special code that allows their child owners to log on to the virtual world of Webkinz. In Webkinz world, kids earn Kinz cash by playing games and then purchase items to go in their pet's virtual home. They can also chat with other Webkinz users, soft of like like a My Space for kids.
It's a brilliant idea from a marketing standpoint--it gets kids hooked not just on a toy, but the entire brand. And the toys toys are super cute: made with extra-soft fabrics and spiky fur, each animal is certainly worthy of coveting by the younger set. Webkinz claim that their website is a "safe and educational" way for kids to play, and indeed, the games and activities seem both harmless and fun.
But what about imagination? Everything in Webkinz world is a virtual reality that replaces an imagined one--and the difference, I think, is huge. Remember playing for hours with an empty refrigerator box, or a pile of blocks, as they became a castle, a fort, or place to host tea parties for a bevy of stuffed toys? Webkinz leave nothing to the imagination-after a child "adopts" a pet, he or she is then given information about it including it's favorite foods and secret wishes.
In my classroom I watch children sit down to write stories--and struggle to come up with an idea. Many times they go to what they know: and write stories about their Webkinz and the virtual world where they play with them. These stories lack the spark of imagination and delight that accompanies the stories that spring fresh from a six year old's mind.
What do you think? Do Webkinz help or hinder imagination?
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