The Cat tells me that he loves being in his tiny ship. He also says that it rains on his planet, and that he loves it when the volcanoes erupt. He talks to me about "getting stars" and wonders how much water he collected from the rain. He tells his younger brother, Splig, how to "fix" his planet. Splig is all about the volcanoes, especially since he saw The Bachelorette on Monday, and was slack-jawed as Ali and her suitors got superclose to an Icelandic eruption. (No, he didn't catch any double entendre involving that whole experience, and yes, I let him watch shows like that only because he thinks the roses are pretty.)
Both of my boys are guarding and nurturing their planets. And thankfully, these planets have nothing to do with spray paint, a hot glue gun, or styrofoam circles (that are harder to cut than one would think, and make quite a mess on the floor!) No, their planets are thankfully virtual, found via My Tiny Planets, a space exploration universe set up for kids to enjoy. My "space cadets" can simply explore their planets, or take on missions. These missions can unlock various rewards, some free, and some requiring real dollars. True to the notion of "unlocking" things, the currency on Tiny Planets is KEYs. Kids can save their KEYs from month to month, so they can save up for a really snazzy new rocket ship or other coveted reward.
So what is the "point" of My Tiny Planets? Well, fun, of course. And creativity, critical thinking, and the aforementioned introduction to financial planning. When "space cadets" take on the adventure of adopting their own planet, they learn about social responsibility while they are honing their decorator skills. The Tiny Planets universe is large enough and with enough missions to keep the kids entertained in a safe space for as long as they (and you!) desire. Cadets can "friend" other cadets, too, to share their planet digs, mission experience, and to just socialize.
The "My Tiny Planets" game is part of a much bigger Tiny Planets universe. The "hosts" Bing and Bong (who travel through space on a plush couch!) star in online television episodes, interactive books (which can be "bought" with KEYs,) and preschool lesson plans. My Tiny Planets is definitely not just for preschoolers though - the target ages for the site are 4-12. An older sibling can delve into brain puzzles and more complex missions while his younger sibling can focus on learning letters with Bing and Bong.
My kids have enjoyed their tiny ships on their tiny planets because My Tiny Planets is definitely a visually-engaging experience. The Cat has encountered moments of confusion when he isn't sure of the next steps of the mission, so he's learned about frustration and having to "keep trying," too. Meanwhile, Splig's shorter attention span is also served by My Tiny Planets because he can come back whenever he "feels like it" and enjoy the universe until he's ready to move on to another activity. He doesn't lose anything by switching gears.
Learn more in the My Tiny Planets Parent section.
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Disclaimer: I was given a login to the game prior to its official launch; however, to login and start the game is completely free. It is the KEYs which require real dollars should parents choose to provide them for various planetary upgrades (and to view web episodes or explore interactive books.) I did not receive, nor will I receive, any monetary compensation for this post.
