Dad's Fun Math Games

Since SmartyCard offers a math curriculum for tweens and uses fun games and quizzes to present the material, I thought I’d see what it’s all about. However, in the midst of my research I realized that I had a bit too much for a single post so here’s Part1.

What Is SmartyCard?
SmartyCard is a prepaid web-based educational service that provides a “learn and earn” play experience aimed at “tweens” (3rd to 6th graders). The points children accumulate, by answering seven-out-of-ten activity questions correctly, can be redeemed for real and virtual rewards – such as DVDs, music from iTunes, books, toys, and access to popular virtual worlds like Club Penguin.

The SmartyCard website is well-crafted, colorful, and easy to navigate. The characters used on SmartyCard.com are friendly and engaging, but avoid the taint of Barney and Elmo. SmartyCard.com presents educational content that addresses reading, writing, math, social studies, cultural studies, technology and science. This content was developed in partnership with e-learning leaders Learning.com, Ignite Learning, and LearnStar.

Thus far, ten virtual worlds that have partnered with SmartyCard: Bella Sara, Cartoon Doll Emporium, Club Penguin, Elf Island, Planet Cazmo, Stardoll, ZooKazoo, Zwinky Cuties, Neopets, and Webkinz, though the last two are only selling physical merchandise as rewards. Other SmartyCard partners include the likes of Kajeet, Nickelodeon, and Scholastic.

Is It Safe For Kids?
SmartyCard creates a safe and fun online environment for kids, and is compliant with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) rules.
There is no “Chat” functionality at the present time.
SmartyCard has a policy of only sending e-mail to parent account holders.

Parent Over Shoulder!
As with most subscription websites for children, SmartyCard has “Parental Controls” which allows a parent to view progress reports, set e-mail options (such as having reports e-mailed) as well as configuring Child accounts (by setting password, grade level, and funding). This is much better than peering over youtween’s shoulder.

Free SmartyCard Account?
There are essentially two funding designations for SmartyCard accounts… Funded and unfunded (read free). Anyone can create a free (unfunded) account to give SmartCard a test drive.
That said, unfunded accounts have limited access to the considerable library of SmartyCard activities. This begs the question, is what one sees in a “test drive” a representative sample of SmartyCard content?

Pay Up!
Funding SmartyCard is considerably better now, than when the service launched, due to the introduction of Subscription Service Pricing in July 2009. Subscriptions offer the best bang for the buck and are available in month-to-month, three month, and six month. At the end of every month of the subscription a new load of points is added to your child’s account. Points unlocked by your child (by correctly answering activity questions) will rollover to the next month. Subscription funding can be augmented bySmartyCard’s other funding method; pre-paid points. Pre-paid points are like buying a giftcard at a specific value (with these values ranging from $10 to $25, in $5 increments). Family and fiends can “reload” a SmartyCard too, taking a bit of the weight off of Mom and Dad.

What Now Sisyphus?
Although SmartyCard is visually attractive and has incentivized educatational tasks, it can at times feel more than a bit like real homework. So, you’ll likely have to do some poking and or prodding to get your tween to sit down and log in. The challenge for the SmartyCard staff is to create an activity that will elicit the the same kind of responses as the quizzes, but not feel so much like homework.

That said, this challenge is not peculiar to SmartyCard, but is set down to any person or company that attempts to create truly engaging educational software.

The Verdict Is…?
I like the SmartyCard concept! It has what it takes to capture the imagination of parents and tweens alike.

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