Meet Me in Neopia! A Safe Place for Kids Online

The internet is not always a safe place for children, and many parents worry about what they might be seeing or doing online. One site I have found that is great for kids is Neopets.com. If you're looking for a fun, safe place for kids of all ages, this is it! The site is completely free and with a simple pop-up blocker you are not bombarded with ads as you navigate the site.

Neopets has a large variety of colorful characters to be adopted as pets. Members are responsible for feeding, grooming, and playing with their pets to keep them happy. When your pet becomes sick, there is a hospital that will tell you the cure. Many companies have made fortunes from toys like this (Gigapets for example) but Neopets doesnt stop there! Neopia is an entire world of fun, with themed regions such as the Haunted Woods, Mystery Island, the Lost Desert, and Tyrannia (a prehistoric region), Maraqua (a sunken city) and more. Each area has games and shops and fun little bits related to its theme.

There are literally hundreds of games on Neopets.com, arcade style, puzzles, word games, typing tutors, chance games, and many more. There are games appropriate for all age groups, and many are educational. Young children can play Potato Counter to practice counting. Older kids can hone their math skills with Maths Nightmare or play Word Pyramid for spelling. The points earned, Neopoints or NP, serve as the currency for the site.

The best thing about the site is the NP system. Playing games is the most obvious way to gain NP, but there are other ways. Members can open their own shops. You can visit Auctions and the Trading Post where items can be purchased cheaply and then sold in your own shop for a profit. There are thousands of items to buy and sell. Neopia has a bank where you can save your NP and even collect interest on it. Some of the games and features cost NP to use them. There is even a Neopian stock market! This extensive system teaches money management skills in a fun way.

Neopia offers many more fun things you can do. You can build and furnish your own NeoHome, battle your Neopets against other players, go on quests for the Faeries, and much more. Neopets.com has safe message boards where you can chat with other members. Poetry and storytelling competitions inspire young writers. I feel I have only scratched the surface of this addictive but safe website.