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Giveaway & Review: Jumpstart 3D Virtual Online Game [CLOSED]

My 5yr old son is always thrilled when he gets the opportunity to help me review online games and new software. Adventure Land, which was recently added to the JumpStart 3D online world in March 2009, was no exception to this rule.

Adventure Land is an upgrade to the free limited access version of the children's online game by JumpStart that is geared towards gamers ages 5 to 8. The free version is fun for children to visit now and then, but if your child is truly enjoying those educational online games, then I would consider the upgrade for just $7.99 per month.


What I thought about JumpStart online as a parent:

1) I found that the interface of the game is straight forward and my son picked it up quickly.

2) The instructions for the website and throughout each activity require no reading. This allows younger children to play the games unassisted by an adult thereby giving them a sense of independence.

3) I like that the JumpStart website offers helpful resources, such as a parental discussion board. In the age of forums and social networking, this is the most efficient way for JumpStart and parents to communicate openly with each other.

4) The JumpStart blog covers a variety of topics. If you are a busy parent like me, who must pick and choose what I spend my limited amount of spare time reading, this blog would be a good one to subscribe to. It covers many topics, including tips on how to motivate your child to learn.

5) As a registered member, parents can receive progress reports about how their child is doing with the learning games. I try to be next to my son as much as possible while he is online, but sometimes I cannot be. It is nice to be able to see a summary of how well he is progressing with these learning games.

What my 5yr old son thought about this gaming website:

1) He truly enjoys being rewarded with so many different things, such as Jump stars, gold cards, virtual music CDs, virtual books, and decorations for his character's house.

2) My son does not view spending time on this site as learning. He says to me repeatedly, "Look what I earned for just playing games! All I had to do was play games."

3) Amongst all the various places he can visit for fun activities, such as the arcade and the movie house, my son says his favorite place to spend time is the virtual library. That is where he can earn pieces of books. When he earns all the pieces, he is able to read the book and then keep it in his character's inventory.


4) Two of my son's favorite activities is Tracing with Stars (similar to dot-to-dot) and earning music CDs to play in the virtual jukebox.

5) My son also enjoys having his character be able to roam around freely and being able to purchase whatever he desires from the vendor with gold coins he had earned. These are two things that he does not have the chance to do in real life very often.

6) One thing my son did not care for was the Punk Punks. He does not enjoy any game where he feels an element of danger. Luckily, he can choose to avoid the areas where these creatures reside.

If you do not like the idea of a monthly subscription, JumpStart 3D games are available to be purchased as boxed software. We were sent a copy of the Trouble in Town children's software by JumpStart. It had many of the same benefits of the online game, except with content that is exclusive to this particular title and the child is not able to create a custom character.


Look for JumpStart for the Nintendo Wii coming soon!

Thank you to JumpStart for providing us with both review products and a contest prize free of charge.


What you can win:
One lucky reader will win a 3 Months Membership to Jumpstart Online (ARV $24).


Limitations:
This giveaway is open to Worldwide entries. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Take a quick look at the JumpStart World Interactive Map. Then leave a comment telling me which place you or your child would love to visit first. You must do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For an extra entry, follow Jumpstart on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so and under what username. Add to Technorati Favorites

4) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND to JumpStart.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

5) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

6) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day.

7) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

8) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

9) Add my "Graco Twin Stroller" giveaway button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)



Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.



Good luck in the drawing!