Handipoints–where kids get rewards for responsibility!
Create to-do lists, printable chore charts and set fun goals for kids. Handipoints is a game parents play with kids to teach responsible habits. In the land of Handiland, a fun virtual world where kids can choose a Cool Cat character, play games online, kids learn that chores and homework can be fun!
Rewards for Responsibility
Parents and kids make a behavior and chore chart. Checks and points are added (or subtracted! ) for earning rewards to accessorize the child’s “Cool Cat” avatar, and participate in games, shows, and “communicating” with other “cats”while cruising “Handiland”.
Awards
International Academy of Visual Arts W3 Award-Best Parenting Website 2008
Parenting Magazine-Listed as “Must Visit” website
How It Works
Free registration receives cat avatar and some appearance choices. Parent and child create a task chart from a pull down list, or your own. After child inputs compliance checks, parent verifies, and points are added. Earned points buy rewards from parent, and/or having fun in Handiland–leading “cool cat” around for games, to decorate, and communicate. Membership adds additional rewards for purchase by parent online or in “walk-in” store.
Pluses
· Completing tasks positively reinforced with fun as a reward
· Healthy habits, responsibility fostered with a consistent plan
· Parent/child together recognize child’s participation in home
· Fun, lively games (educational too at the library-”Cat-a-Log”)
· Canned “chat” and emoticoms only in safe virtual world
· Most virtual rewards are free
· Fosters association of buying with earning
Minuses
· Parent must track child’s input for reward
· Pop ups
· Membership needed to unlock extras and for real life items ($5.95/mo.,$29.95/6mo.)
· Site may become boring without new rewards
Good To Know
· For slightly older kids’ interests: “cool” and fun news, the “cool cats club”, submitted jokes, daily scavenger hunt, clues for decorating and visiting member’s houses
· Great parenting blog on the site
· Goals and savings plan on the site
Heard on the “Cat Walk”- “I wanna follow Lizard Boy to the Library…”
Testimonials
“I supervise several Sylvan Learning Centers and use handipoints for my 7 year old and have recommended it to friends as well as clients. It’s nice to be able to support a resource that is positive, motivational, and technological . . . and makes doing chores FUN! Hello! What’s not to love about that!?!?!”
- Dulce A.
New Orleans
“My kids, 9 and 5 LOVE it - especially the 9 year old - he is crazy about the missions and stamp packs and he loves buying things for his cat with his bonus points.”
- Leanne
Fast Facts
· An organized task chart with system for tracking and fun rewards for kids
· Motivates and rewards responsibilities and behaviors
· Kids learn responsible habits through updating checklist
· Fun and educational games for play in rewards system
· Kids learn value of their work to save up points for items
Recommended Use
Cat lovers, kids 4-10 (especially younger)
How many ‘Clicks’ does this world get?
We like this site and give it a pretty amazing 9 1/2 Clicks! What do you think? Send your views and votes to OneClickMoms.
Today’s Reviewer is Cynthia Lechan Goodman
Cynthia Lechan-Goodman is a seasoned educator/counselor/writer/artist. She has a Master’s Degree in Education and Counseling from Columbia, a B.S. in Elementary Education, and what she considers to be the highest levels of advanced education– marriage and being a mommy!
Cynthia writes on parenting and families for publications including Mother and Daughter Bonding, Family Maker Magazine, DUO Miami, is a family entertainment Miami contributor to The Gather Group, has written and edited elementary school books for Scholastic Inc., and taught and tutored from New York down the coast to Florida. For this column on the internet, she brings the grand appreciation of one who has used technology that began with typewriters to the fascination of cyberspace today.
Coming Up Next
Education and learning is fun tomorrow when we go to Panfu…a kids’ world with a wonderful panda theme dedicated to teaching Spanish to little ones.
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