Coming from a family of teachers, I grew up with much ado for studying. Sounds nerdy, but it's true. Even if it's been years since I graduated from college, I still love learning new things - be it a new skill, a new language, or even facts and trivias that are unknown to me before.
And the way I see it, my little man has the same enthusiasm for learning, too. He loves flipping through books, he loves asking all sorts of questions, and he absolutely loves school. For a three-year-old, he's quite an eager beaver - even refusing to skip school (he's in Kindergarten, by the way) despite heavy, incessant rainfall. Which is why I'm always on the look-out for new and fun ways to feed his mind and keep the enthusiasm burning.
Just recently I discovered a hidden gem in the virtual world of learning.
I came across
Tropic Mind, an educational virtual world for kids. Here, you will find many different islands, where each island is devoted to a specific educational topic.
Topics include
Math, Physics, Biology, Anatomy, Health and Nutrition, Ancient History, Astronomy, Ecology and the Environment, and a whole lot more.
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| Physics made simple. |
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| Health and Nutrition emphasized. |
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| History made alive. |
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| Math made fun. |
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| World History in animation. |
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| Caring for the environment. |
These topics are discussed in a fun and unique manner - either through an educational cartoon, an animated game, or both. A team of highly-experienced teachers and educators provide the site with its educational content, while a pool of creative animators and graphic artists make the learning experience fun and enjoyable.
As for the kids, they have these guys to guide them as they explore the different islands and go through the lessons.
To make the learning experience a more personalized one,
Tropic Mind allows you to create your own character and style it up to your liking. You also have your own island, which you can decorate as you wish. You even have the option to keep and take care of a pet, too!
There's a clothes shop, a furniture shop, and a pet shop where you can buy all sorts of items for you, your pet, and your island home. The coins needed to buy from these shops can be earned through the educational games.
Learning becomes more fun and exciting when you have friends with you.
Tropic Mind feels the same way, which is why the site provides you the option to interact with your friends by chatting, sharing virtual items, or sending gifts.
Best of all, child safety comes first in Tropic Mind, and parents are assured that all content found in the site are appropriate for your kids. Uploaded material and created items are strictly-monitored, while comments and messages go through a language-filtering system prior to posting.
I'm glad my son and I had been given the chance to experience Tropic Mind first-hand. While the topics are ideal for kids aged 6-12, I'm proud to say that my three-year-old had a pretty good grasp of some of the lessons. He had fun recognizing letters and numbers, learning about the food pyramid, exploring the world map, the solar system, and even the parts of the body. All these he did under my supervision, of course. Once he starts playing, it's quite difficult to pry him away from my laptop - which is my only gripe, haha!
Needless to say, if my three-year-old can finds this site fun and engaging, what more for older kids who can actually read and work their way through the site with less supervision? I'm sure it'll be twice more fun for them.
Tropic Mind is free for kids to play and explore. However, to maximize and enjoy the full features of the site, a paid membership is required. Rates begin at $5.95 a month, $29.95 for six months, or $49.95 for a whole year. Should you wish to cancel your paid membership, you can do so anytime.
To know more about Tropic Mind, visit their Parents' Page
here. Like them on
Facebook, and stay updated on
Twitter, too!
*I have been provided with a free trial membership for the sole purpose of this review. However, the opinions stated above are entirely my own.
