When Kids Come for Fun

By Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 7/1/1997

Every summer, kids flock to public libraries looking for something fun to read, do, or explore. This year, your summer reading program is no doubt encouraging kids to read tons of books. Kids will also come to your library looking for entertaining web sites to visit. I assume you've already found many of the well-known sites for young kids and middle schoolers. So here are some not-so-well-known, "just-for-fun" sites you can bookmark or add to your children's room web page now that the kids have descended in force.

Summer Reading

Web-based stories for kids abound. The favorites I list below are visually appealing, load reasonably quickly, and are neat stories that both younger and older kids will like. (You might even want to consider reading them during a Net-based story hour.)

Really young kids will like But That Wasn't the Best Part, a simple story about the banana parade. They'll also like any of Alex's Koala Trouble Stories. These stories from Australia are illustrated by five-year-old Alex Balson and created by his dad. Each one asks kids to choose options or solve problems in order to help Max the Koala.

The World Wide Web Storybook Library contains stories written and illustrated by third through sixth graders at University Park Elementary School in Fairbanks, AK. Older kids will like Mr. Flibby, a story about a man whose arms are too long. My personal story site favorite is Ika's Online Fairy Tales. It contains a wonderful selection of beautifully illustrated original stories. I like "Tress," about a princess with no hair, and "Stop" (hint: use the arrow to scroll down). Ika's stories will appeal to preschoolers as well as preteens.

What's Hot?

Undoubtedly the hottest fad this year is Beanie Babies. Casual and avid Beanie collectors will love the Official Beanie Babies Web Site. Here they'll find The List, which contains pictures and birthdays for all their favorite current and retired babies. While visiting, have kids check out the Fun and Games area where they'll find printable puzzles, calendar pages to color, and easy quizzes. Also have them check out the list of 101 Things to Do with Beanie Babies.

Cool Games

There are lots of games out there on the Web, but many are violent or more appropriate for older kids and adults. I've rounded up some simple, non-violent games for younger kids. Most contain lots of graphics and work best if you have a dedicated Internet connection. They also work quite well if you have a 28.8 modem and late model PC with at least 16 Mb of RAM.

My choices are online equivalents of old favorites. Virtual Mr. Spud Head is a variation on the famous game with another name. It's easy: just choose a facial feature, place your mouse over the spot on the head where you want it to go, and click. If you want to erase or move something, read the simple directions found under Help. Be sure to check out other vegetable heads you can decorate. Teens and parents will like this one, too.

Another perennial favorite is Hangman. Unfortunately, many hangman games on the Web have really boring graphics and words that are too hard for younger kids to guess. The version I recommend has interesting and colorful graphics, and as kids guess letters, the ones they've already guessed disappear. In addition, the hanged-man image is not violent, and the words are simple enough for eight-year-olds to guess. Another favorite housed at the same web site is called The Puzzle. It's one of those picture puzzles that you solve by moving square pieces of the puzzle around one at a time. Remember those pocket-sized plastic slider puzzles? This one features a child's drawing of a butterfly and works the same way. It's harder than it looks. (At least it was for me!)

Finally, I like The Matching Game, which features three alike/different picture puzzles. There are many of these puzzles on the Web, but these pictures will appeal to kids more than the others. Other good examples are at Banana Festival Matching Games.

Web Addresses

• But That Wasn't the Best Part
  http://www.meddybemps.com/8.1.html
• Alex's Koala Trouble Stories
  http://www.scribbles.com.au/max /bookmain.html
• World Wide Web Storybook Library
  http://www2.northstar.k12.ak.us/upk/books/books.html
• Mr. Flibby
  http://home.navisoft.com/bcd/flibcov.htm
• Ika's Online Fairy Tales
  http://www.ika.com/stories/menu.html
• Official Beanie Babies Web Site
  http://www.ty.com
• Virtual Mr. Spud Head
  http://www.westnet.com/~crywalt/pothead/pothead.html
• Hangman
  http://kids.ot.com:80/cgi/kids/hangman?
• The Puzzle
  http://kids.ot.com:80/cgi/kids/puzzle?
• The Matching Game
  http://www.klutz.com/treefort/travel/match/boy.html
• Banana Festival Matching Games
  http://www.meddybemps.com/9.4.html