Wonderful review of the Wonder Rotunda at About.com
By Eric Garfinkel on September 1, 2009
Wonder Rotunda - An Educational Theme Park Game
Wonder Rotunda preps mini-explorers for adventure travel
By Lois Friedland, About.com
Wonder Rotunda opens up the world through a theme park, reminiscent of the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Your kids can take a virtual zipline 100 feet above a rain forest, go in a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti to watch the annual animal migration, or dive the Great Barrier Reef.
From a parent’s viewpoint, it’s a fun way for their kids to learn about subjects as varied as what animals live on the plains in Africa and healthier snacks (which they can pick up at the theme park’s food stands).
Create A Virtual Self to Explore Wonder Rotunda
To start the game, your child creates a virtual self, an avatar who explores this virtual theme park. Your child can also take along a companion, whether it’s you or a friend. Once you enter the park, simply click on the adventure that sounds most appealing.In addition to exploring the world, kids can take their newly acquired knowledge on 13 “TV game shows,” search for gold coins, earn rewards and Wonder Dollars (the park’s currency), which can be exchanged for souvenirs.
While exploring the park, I clicked on Kangaroo Island and took a night-time safari during which I saw koala bears with babies clinging to their backs, kangaroos carrying youngsters in their pouches, wallabies and other animals who roam this remote Australian island. From there, I took a balloon ride over the park, then picked up a gold coin and a few Wonder Dollars. Finally, I stopped at one of the 12 food stands because my virtual self (an avatar I created choosing everything from hair coloring to clothes) was hungry. Exhausted, I signed out.
Who is Wonder Rotunda For?
Wonder Rotunda is a virtual educational theme park designed for kids ages 7-12. It was conceived and developed by Eric Garfinkel, founder of Back to Basics Toys, because he wanted to create something that replicated the sparks of inspiration he remembered experiencing when visiting the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. The annual cost is $45. The park isn’t a social network, and there are no ads or commercials. To learn more, visit Wonder Rotunda.comments(0)
What People are Saying About the Wonder Rotunda
By Eric Garfinkel on August 29, 2009
Scholastic Administrator Magazine:
"So many of the online educational places I visit are dominated by annoying ads or are a front for getting you to participate in a social networking community or are trying to sell you one thing or another. Wonder Rotunda is like a breath of fresh air with hundreds of educational opportunities, but no commercial come-ons."
See the link below to read the article.
(Writer: Brian Nadel- http://blogs.scholastic.com/techtools/2009/08/virtual-worlds-fair-of-education.html)
Travel and Leisure Magazine:
"Can’t afford to take your kids on an African safari? Or maybe you're just looking for a fun way for them to learn about different parts of the world so they have a greater appreciation when you do book that trip. Well, last week I was introduced to a new website that solves either problem: Wonder Rotunda.
As you travel, you’re given lessons—learning, say, about the formation of the moon or what makes an animal a marsupial. There are a ton of other features on the site—take a tour! Who knows? Maybe it will inspire your child to become a globetrotter, or even a future A-List travel agent?" See the link below to read the article.
(Writer: Joshua Pramis-http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/carry-on/2009/8/28/new-website-teaches-kids-about-travel)
WAMU 88.5 Kojo Nnambi Show (an NPR station)
"Every parent wonders the same thing: Why aren't there more educational computer games that appeal to kids just as much as the violent ones? We'll meet two entrepreneurial parents who took up that challenge and created new games that aim to make computer time an engaging learning experience for school-age kids." Guest: Eric Garfinkel, Creator, The Wonder Rotunda. See the link below to listen to the interview.
Fox 5 Television (DC):
"It's an educational internet game that could add some adventure to your child's life. As Fox 5s Beth Parker tells us, its a refreshing change from what kids normally see on-line." See the link below to watch the story.
(http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/entertainment/081909_va_man_creates_online_fair_for_kids)
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Fox News TV Spot on the Wonder Rotunda
By Eric Garfinkel on August 19, 2009
This aired this evening on Fox News.
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About This Blog
By Eric Garfinkel on July 20, 2009
We created this blog to keep you informed about the Wonder Rotunda as it evolves.
The Wonder Rotunda is a virtual, educational theme park designed to open the eyes of youngsters to the wonders of our world, much the way world’s fairs and expos have for prior generations. It is designed to get kids thinking about our world, finding things that they're passionate about, and exploring how they might make their mark some day.
Set on an island in New York Harbor, the Wonder Rotunda’s fifteen, interactive, animated adventures cover topics as diverse as tropical rainforests, African wildlife, marine life, the human body's digestive system, money and business, American government, nutrition, globalization, film making, classical music, performing and visual arts, space exploration and, making a difference in the world. The adventures move briskly and with excitement, while affording youngsters the option of probing more deeply where they have the interest.
To navigate the Park, youngsters create a personal avatar. They learn as they travel by hot air balloon over the Serengeti, zip-line through a tropical rainforest, steer a submarine through the human digestive system, dive the Great Barrier Reef or maneuver the command module of Apollo 11 to the Moon. Kids test their newly acquired knowledge on "TV game shows," search for gold coins, earn rewards and Wonder Dollars (the Park's currency) and shop for souvenirs. Keeping their avatars energized requires youngsters to make healthy choices at the Park's 12 food stands. Kids have personal TreePods in the Park which they customize and use to display the certificates, souvenirs and badges they earn.
The Wonder Rotunda is unique in that it allows parents to create their own avatar and join a child on a visit. The Park blends game play with rich educational content. With an emphasis on stimulating curiosity and learning, the Wonder Rotunda is an alternative to the internet’s typical offerings for kids. The Park is not a social network and is without ads and commercials.
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Inspiring Youngsters to Find their Passions
By Eric Garfinkel on June 14, 2009
There has been much written about the value of helping youngsters find their passions or sparks.
Two wonderful books that explore this topic are: "Sparks, How Parents Can Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers" by Peter Benson Ph.D., and "Your Child's Strengths, Discover Them, Develop Them ,Use Them," by Jenifer Fox Ph.D.
These authors point out, that it doesn’t matter whether the sparks relate to playing a sport, a love of music, caring for animals or tinkering with cars. What matters is that it ignites their inner flame. When that flame is burning, the author's say, youngsters feel good about themselves, have a zest for life, and a sense of optimism.
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Taking Science Out of the Lab and into a Park-like Setting for Kids
By Eric Garfinkel on June 10, 2009
Recently visited the Clore Garden of Science at the Weizman Institute of Science in Israel. The recipe behind this innovative learning environment is to take science out of the laboratory or museum into a park like setting. Putting the exhibits outdoors imposed no limits on what the planners could do. Everything is large in scale, and children's actions are the central element of each experiment. At the solar furnace, for example, a thick piece of wood bursts into flames seconds after a parabolic shaped mirror is turned toward the sun. Water sprinklers create a rainbow in a cloud, and the Trampoluna lets kids feel what gravity conditions are like on the moon. Would love to see something like this built in the United States.
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New Capitol Visitors Center & Museum is Worth the Visit
By Eric Garfinkel on June 5, 2009
Recently visited the new Capitol Visitors Center here in Washington. It hard for a child not to get goosebumps walking into the Capitol Rotunda and hearing the guides tell stories about the Capitol Building’s role in our nation’s history. The new Center (it’s free) has a wonderful film about the history or the Congress and its role in making laws. A museum hall houses historical documents, artifacts and an software based, interactive history experience. This a place where any young person interested in government will find a spark or two of inspiration..
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An New Children's Museum in the Works in DC
By Eric Garfinkel on June 1, 2009
Read today about the announcement of new National Children’s Museum being developed here in the Washington DC area. Children's museums inspire kids and ignite sparks of interest in different subjects. The newer exhibits at these museums do a great job of incorporating computers and software into the experience. At the Newseum, also in Washington, kids use interactive software to learn what it is like to be a reporter. Before they can file their story they must uncover facts and corroborate the information supplied by their sources. An opportunity to appear on camera to report a story, and then watch themselves on TV is a big hit with young visitors.
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Wonderful Museums and Places to Visit With Kids
By Eric Garfinkel on May 30, 2009
Our kids, with the exception of our youngest, were not voracious readers. So, we tried other ways to expose them to different subjects. Taking our kids on trips and visiting museums seemed to work best as a way of stimulating their interests. Our kids seemed to get excited in a hands-on environment where they could “experience” something. Once their curiosity and interest in a topic emerged, they began to ask for books to learn more. See our compilation of Museums and Places to Visit with Kids. Click the yellow button on the "bulletin board" of our home page.
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