JumpStart Online 3D Virtual World

JumpStart.com is an online game for kids ages 3 to 10.  Asianmommy received a free 3-month membership to the JumpStart Online 3D Virtual World for review.  Membership includes JumpStart.com, MathBlaster.com, and 4 downloadable games.

I played the game with my 10-year-old daughter.  We are not avid gamers and found this game to be confusing and difficult to navigate at first.  We did a lot of aimless wandering and got lost in some areas, unsure of what to do or where to go.  Luckily, we found an interactive map, which allowed us to escape and find new sections to explore.

Upon exploring, we found many different sections, one which allowed us to change our hair, face, clothes, and accessories.  We found our house, and discovered that we could modify the roof, the walls, the porch, and the furnishings.  We collected coins, which allowed us to buy accessories for ourselves and for our house.  We found movies, games, and quizzes to test our reading, math, and science skills.  We found an egg, hatched it, and cared for our own pet dragon. 

The game guide helps you find which sections are appropriate for your child’s age group.  StoryLand is aimed at 3-5 year olds. AdventureLand and MarineLand are designed for kids in kindergarten to second grade. 3^rd to 5^th graders can check out FutureLand, Poseidon’s Hangout, and Uncle Milton’s Scienceland, geared towards older children.

What I liked:  There is a wide variety of activities to choose from, many of which are educational.  It seems like a safe place for kids to spend time online.  The graphics were nice, and it was fun to see the Madagascar characters (Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, and the Penguins) at the Central Park Zoo and to learn various facts about the animals. 

What could be improved:  I think clear instructions at the beginning of the game, as well as at the beginning of each section would have been helpful.  I would have liked having a map pop up at the onset of the game, detailing which sections of the game are appropriate for which ages, helping us to figure out where to go.

Disclosure: I was provided with a JumpStart membership at no cost by JumpStart in order to test the products’ abilities and give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.