Kids Web Menuby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 23 Jan 2008 11:45 AM This free program helps parents keep their children, even ones as young as two, safe on the web. Kids Web Menu 1.4 is an interface that you can install for use on your Windows PC. The software works by limiting children to visiting only pre-approved websites. Parents can choose what websites the kiddies can visit, and password protect their selections. Once running, the interface cannot be minimized (parents can click in a special area to get out of the program), so the little ones can't go browsing around the computer. The manufacturer promises that kids can play online without any supervision. Kids can navigate through the approved sites by one of two methods, or themes: a scrapbook in which the websites appear as pictures, and a 3-D building block theme. What do I think of this? Well, truthfully, I have a Mac, so I can't the program out in real time. From the looks of it and reading reviews and comments, I think the software has both positives and negatives. On the positive side, the application allows parents some peace of mind and toddlers the chance to safely explore the computer while mom or dad are otherwise occupied. The software is also free, so there doesn't seem a reason not to try it out. There are learning opportunities in websites such as Sesame Street and the Cartoon Network. On the negative side, I would say that it is geared for ages 2 through 4 or 5. Older kids will quickly get bored with the interface and find it too simple. Personally, I don't advocate allowing children that young on the computer alone. Computer activities at this age should be shared with parent or caregiver, who can guide, encourage and delight with the toddler or preschooler in his or her exploration. The big negative for me is that you can't choose your own websites from anywhere on the Internet. Kids Web partners with the sites it makes available, and there is plenty of advertising within the interface. Since Kids Web advertises that children can play online unchaperoned, then I assume that the marketing is aimed at them. And our kids already get enough marketing messages thrown at them, in my opinion. The bottom line? Try the application out for size and see if it is something you enjoy with your kids. To download Kids Web Menu, Click here. Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here. Related Articles: Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantcomputers tags User Comments KidsWebMenu (6) 27 Jan 2008 10:15 AMThank you for taking time to review Kids Web Menu. As a member of the Kids Web Menu development team, I would like to address a few of your concerns. 1. "Once running, the interface cannot be minimized (parents can click in a special area to get out of the program), so the little ones can't go browsing around the computer." This is actually not true. Since many kids have other activities available on their computers, Kids Web Menu lets them exit whenever the want. The best way to secure your computer from your kids is on the operating system level. Both Windows and MacOS allow you to create accounts for your children with limited access. Even if you do not use Kids Web Menu, I would highly recommend taking this step to protect your computer from accidental damage by your kids! 2. "On the negative side, I would say that it is geared for ages 2 through 4 or 5." Actually, I would have classified this as a positive. Kids Web Menu provides young children with easy access to fun AND educational sites, such as Sesame Street and PBS. Our 3 year old has been using Kids Web Menu, and it has helped her learn all the letters of the alphabet, she can count, she can spell her name, and she can type simple words - all before starting preschool ! 3. "Computer activities at this age should be shared with parent or caregiver." I completely agree! But I have yet to meet a parent with the time to sit with their children every time they begin an activity. When it's time for parents to do chores around the house, if their children choose Kids Web Menu instead of the TV remote, then I must declare Kids Web Menu a big success. 4. "The big negative for me is that you can't choose your own websites from anywhere on the Internet." Our goal is to make Kids Web Menu as easy for the parents as it is for the kids. Adding your own websites is not always as easy as it seems. The Disney website, for example, bounces between a few dozen different subdomains that must all be accounted for. 5. "Kids Web partners with the sites it makes available." This is false. Kids Web Menu is simply a list of popular sites that children like to visit. Kids Web Menu does not have a partnership with any of the sites. 6. "Since Kids Web advertises that children can play online unchaperoned, then I assume that the marketing is aimed at them." This is absolutely false. Kids Web Menu DOES NOT display any ads to your children. Our goal is to keep Kids Web Menu free for all families. We have placed some ads only in the (password protected) Parents section in an attempt to cover some of the thousands of dollars invested in the development of this product. We are also accepting donations as we try to complete a Macintosh version. We invite all parents and teachers to give Kids Web Menu a try. If you find the software is not right for you, simply use the included uninstall utility to completely remove it from your computer. Have fun!  Mary Ann Romans (26876) 28 Jan 2008 07:00 AMThank you so much for your comments. Please let us know when the Mac version becomes available, and I'll be sure to check it out. Community Tags internet, Kids, Kids Web Menu, software, web Discuss this article
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