| Have you ever stood in front of your class | | | | lighting up around me (which is every educator's |
| presenting an action-filled lesson only to feel like | | | | desire, right?) and this clearly showed me that |
| your students were more interested in their toys | | | | students would be excited to learn through these |
| and life outside of school? | | | | activities. |
| So often the aspects of life that excite children | | | | I began to create activities based on the world of |
| the most are banned or excluded from the school | | | | Webkinz. Many of the activities could be utilized |
| curriculum. What would happen to our classrooms | | | | during literacy work stations. Whether children are |
| and the engagement levels of our students if we | | | | building words in Quizzy's Word World, answering |
| turn toys into learning tools? When I look inside | | | | questions in Quizzy's Questions, creating a play |
| the bags my daughters carry around with them | | | | with their pets, practicing math facts and typing, |
| everywhere I see their digital camera, Nintendo | | | | graphing their pet's hunger, growing plants in their |
| DS, phone, Webkinz pets, and an iPod. This made | | | | gardens, mapping their house, or keeping track of |
| me ponder this idea: what if I could harness the | | | | their kinzcash, they would be learning! |
| enthusiasm kids have for their toys and turn | | | | Adopting classroom pets is an excellent way to |
| them into learning tools? | | | | begin using Webkinz pets in your classroom. In |
| As I was listening to my daughters play online one | | | | many cases, you will find that almost every child |
| day I realized that the games they were playing | | | | in your class probably has at least one Webkinz |
| weren't all arcade games but many are | | | | pet of their own. I have surveyed class after |
| educational! Imagine that! Kids are raving about | | | | class of children and it is not easy to find a child |
| something that is actually educational too! I knew I | | | | that doesn't have at least one pet until you reach |
| needed to find out more. | | | | some sixth grade boys. Even then, the activities |
| If you aren't familiar with Webkinz pets, they are | | | | are good for that age group and beyond, so you |
| stuffed animals that come with an access code | | | | may need a couple pets with unique logins for |
| attached. You visit the Webkinz webpage and | | | | those students to use. I've even heard of |
| adopt your pet which gives you a virtual, | | | | high-school classes using Quizzy's Questions and |
| animated pet identical to your stuffed animal. You | | | | Quizzy's Word World. |
| must care for the health, hunger, and happiness | | | | Amazingly, there are many adults who find |
| of your pets. Within the world of Webkinz there is | | | | themselves addicted to the world of Webkinz. So, |
| an extensive economy built around KinzCash. With | | | | if this is possible, there must be activities to |
| the Kinzcash you earn from playing games you | | | | engage students of all ages. I have played many |
| can purchase all kinds of items along with the | | | | of the games and can't even come close to the |
| food that your pet requires. If you aren't familiar | | | | high scores, indicating to me that there are more |
| with the world of Webkinz, ask any eight to | | | | than just children playing! I wonder if these adults |
| ten-year-old child to give you a guided tour. | | | | have the stuffed animal sitting on their lap while |
| Children are experts and usually very excited to | | | | they play like my daughters often do! |
| teach something to an adult. | | | | How will it change your enthusiasm for teaching if |
| So I started asking kids what they would think | | | | your students are eagerly awaiting the start of |
| about participating in some Webkinz-based | | | | every school day? |
| activities during school. The faces of children were | | | | |