Webkins: A new kind of pet

by Julie Conway

Through the miracle of modern technology, today’s parents can teach their children to take care of a pet before they ever visit the animal shelter to pick out a new family member. Webkins are interactive pets that children can care for and play with via the Internet.

Parents can purchase a virtual reality pet which comes with an identification code the child can enter when he or she accesses the Web site. The child can name the pet, and build it a virtual play yard to frolic in. A birth certificate will then be mailed to the child. The child can play games to earn points for food for the pet.

This educational site also teaches science, English and math, as well as interaction with other children’s virtual pets. Webkins come in many different species including dogs, cats, hippos, cows, pigs, frogs and more. As each additional pet is brought home, the child adds it to their on-line profile, and the child can play with all these virtual pets in the site. The child can cuddle his or her stuffed webkins, and interact with them on the monitor in the child’s own virtual world.

In the Webkin world the child must feed the pet, take it to the vet and give it plenty of love and attention. An alarm will sound when the child logs in if he hasn’t played with the pet enough.

Off The Wall is the only location in Haywood County that carries Webkins. For more information or to purchase a Webkin, stop by Off The Wall downstairs at 46 Main St., Waynesville. The shop can also be accessed from Wall Street.

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