From the creators of Math Blaster series of educational children’s games, Knowledge Adventure has recently launched their first browser-based virtual world at JumpStart.com. Thanks to the wonderful people of Knowledge Adventure, I was offered a chance to review JumpStart and share my thoughts with you.

When it comes to online sites, I’ve always emphasize the importance of safety before I would let my kids use them. I’m happy to see that JumpStart offers a completely safe and secure online environment for kids age 3-10 to interact, explore and learn.

You can access JumpStart via Macs as well as PCs. Upon logging in, there are a few areas to explore such as:

Storyland which is meant for ages 3 to 5 years, comes complete with 5 virtual worlds - JumpStart Town Square, Pet Land, The Beach, The Jungle and The Neighbourhood. Kids get the opportunity to create their own painting with various colours and patterns, learn to match alphabets, watch movies, build their own virtual house, dress their avatars and more.

Adventure Land for kids 5 to 8 years of age - Kids are invited to explore a mysterious island off the coast of JumpStart. Each player needs to learn the skills, speed and moves to survive on Training Island and subsequently put their newly gained knowledge to good use in Lost Island. This is definitely a mission that entertains the kids as well as challenges their minds.

The fun does not stop there. Arcade style games such as Buggy Racer, Dodge Boat and Sound Bop are also available at JumpStart. For the older kids (3rd to 5th Grader), they will be thrilled to know that Future Land will be launched soon.  Nevertheless the best part is, it’s not all about the kids, there is also a section called “Fun for Parents” which includes a discussion board and Jumpstart Times - a monthly newsletter which touches on issues important to parents.

I am not done checking out JumpStart as there are just so many challenging activities available which allows kids to explore and try new things. One thing I am confident with is the fact that I can safely let my kid have fun on his own as I can receive email updates which enables me to track my kid’s progress.

Having won numerous awards such as iParenting Media Award – Outstanding Product 2007, Mom’s Choice Awards 2008 Silver Recipient, JumpStart is definitely a 3D gaming and learning platform that I would not hesitate to recommend to parents. Check out the adventure for yourselves!

Since most of us bloggers shop frequently online, I thought it was appropriate that I share with you this website called We-care.com. This online shopping mall  turns your online shopping activities into donations for nonprofits.

Basically We-Care.com provides two important services to shoppers:

1) Access to hundreds of coupons and special discounts to over 800 online merchants

2) When shoppers click through We-Care.com to one of those merchant’s websites, a percentage of what they spend is automatically donated to the nonprofit, school, or association of their choice

Best of all, it’s FREE!!!

Since the current economy has put more families under stricter budgets, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to hand out money to charities. Through We-Care.com, we can remain frugal without having to cut our giving habits out of our budget. Check out how you can help make a difference today.

Some of you may recall that I ran a giveaway with www.youcanmakethis.com recently. Well, I just received word that they will be launching a sister site in April - www.YouCanQuiltthis.com If you are a quilting fan, do sign up as there will be projects, tutorials, and patterns brought together by a team of experts and lead designers in the industry.

I don’t normally promote giveaway on my site but all you crafty ladies out there might be interested to know that in conjunction with the launching of the site, they will be having a contest, whereby you could WIN a Marie Osmond Quilter’s Companion sewing machine from Janome! Check it out for yourself.

In these tough times, many families are cutting corners and holiday trips are taking a back seat even more so during this Spring break. Like any other parents, I’m sure you’re looking for ideas to keep your kids occupied at home and out of trouble.

While computers and internet are a great resource, most parents are naturally cautious about letting their kids loose on the Internet. In actual fact, if you knew where to look, there is a lot of FREE and GOOD content available online. Let me just share a few here with you:
 

1. LEGO - Ideal for the Lego fan, your child can watch Lego comics and movies, play games and construct their own Web page to show off their creativity
2. Nick - Your child can pledge to save the world, play games, check out the latest news on SpongeBob or create a virtual life on Nicktropolis.
3. Pbskids - With games themed around Sesame Street, Clifford, Curious George, Arthur, Barney and other kid classics, your kids will have fun “interacting” with their favorite characters.
4. Cartoon Network Games – With more than 200 games featuring favorite cartoon characters, your kids can hunt monsters with Scooby-Doo, play Ninja Survival or follow the Path of a Jedi.
5. Funbrain – Part of the Family Education Network, the site provides educational activities for parents and teachers, as well as interactive games to help your kids with math and reading.
6. Funschool – This site, provided by Kaboose, is designed for elementary-age kids and offers free educational games as well as printable activities, coloring sheets and craft projects that will help your kids learn while having fun.
7. Hot Wheels Games – For car fans, Hot Wheels has dozens of vehicle-related games that let kids drive through mazes, race friends and solve puzzles.
8. Fortune Girls - beta website where tweens can try their hand at being fashion and business divas.

One of my favourite site to look for personalized gifts for kids is Frecklebox. My kids own a personalized placemat, colouring book as well as personalized story book from Frecklebox. If I had more money, I would definitely have bought a whole lot more.

Frecklebox has recently launched their new sticker collection, which is of course, personalized too. You simply tell them the name of the child and in an instant, the artwork is customized. The sticker selection offers 12 playful themes. Each theme features four designs and each order delivers one dozen stickers for just $3.95. Additional sheets of 12 are just $2.00 more. Frecklebox stickers make for adorable party favors and great gifts for any occasion.

Special for readers here: You can get 15% off your entire order by using promo code “STICKERS” at checkout. Hurry, this offer expires Friday, March 27.

AND WIN $5,000!!!

Here’s the scoop:

JustDoOne.org, the online community for sustainable living, today issued a global call for personal green solutions.  The Just Do One organization is collecting the best ideas for more sustainable living, summarized in three-minute YouTube-style videos, and sharing them free with the interested community worldwide.  The best video entry, as judged by the JustDoOne.org community and an expert panel, wins a $5,000 cash prize.

It’s pretty easy to participate. Do you teach and encourage your children to do things to save the environment such as recycle, turn off the lights when not being used, use canvas bags rather than plastic bags, use eco-friendly cleaning products, etc.?  If so, than pick your video camera or video phone and take a 3-minute video of your family/a family doing their part to save our environment. You can check out some videos which had been submitted for the contest by following this link - http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=justdoonecontest. The deadline to register is April 1, 2009

More information on the of the contest as well as the rules can be found here. Well, if you’ve always dreamt of being a member of Justice League, out to save the world, here’s your chance to make your dream come true.

Those who know me will know that I am a huge supporter of doing transactions online because the bulk of my time is spent on my laptop. Thus, I am pleased to introduce a homegrown Malaysian photo retail site called eoe online.

Though it is a norm in the UK to have photos printed online, it is still not a popular trend in Malaysia. Nevertheless, with the increasing rate of people going online, I foresee this service will soon become a firm favourite among many. Afterall, it’s convenient and time saving to do everything from the comfort of your home.

All you need to do is sign up for an account, upload the photos and order your print sizes as well as quantity. With the current promotion of  4R print at only RM0.30 and free delivery* for orders above RM35.00, this is definitely a wonderful deal that should not be missed.

Head over to eoe online and check it out for yourself. While you are there, do try out their Free and Functional Online Photo Album service to Store & Share your photos too!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Check out this iParenting Media award winning site  created by a stay at home mom, www.YouCanMakeThis.com. It provides downloadable instructions on how to make just about anything from children’s boutique clothing and jewelry, to handbags, home decor and more.  What makes the site unique is that these instructions are written by everyday moms who have an expertise in an area. They are written in a way that makes you feel you have a friend sitting right next to you, telling you what to do next. There are detailed instructions and step-by-step full-color photos so even the most “craft-challenged” person can make these items for their homes and families.

If you’d like to try out some products for free, you can sign up for their FREE newsletter. After sign-up, you’ll receive a link to your email inbox asking you to confirm subscription. Simply click on that link, and you’ll receive all of these product instructions pictured here, plus an online video and digital scrapbooking frames.  http://www.youcanmakethis.com/ycmt-newsletter.htm

WIN IT : Would you like to win a $50 bundle of even more DIY instructions from ? Here’s what you need to do to participate:

• Check out www.YouCanMakeThis.com and let me know in the comment section what you’d like to learn how to make.  You can learn how to make a Child/Adult Apron Set, Women’s Reversible Wrap Skirt, The “She Loves Me, She Loves Me KNOT” Handbag, The Reversible Patchwork Bucket Hat, Easy-Fit Pants, and Boys Ties.
• Three additional entries if you blog about this post (please leave your blog url) AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you subscribe to this blog via email (button on sidebar)
• Giveaway closes on 1st March 2009 and a winner will be selected using the Random.org number generator. Giveaway is open to everyone, regardless of location.