About Us

The U.S. Department of Education recently projected that 35 million children will attend elementary schools in the upcoming 2007-2008 school year. Most will have access to the internet. Who teaches them to use this vast resource correctly? In reality, many don't receive any instruction at all.

The internet can teach our children many great things, but unless they are taught to separate the good from the bad, they frequently become addicted to wasteful and dangerous behaviors on the web. Children are now spending less time outside, less time with friends and family, and more time glued to their desktops. Participation in after-school programs and service activities continues to decline—to the detriment of our communities.

Children's Way has stepped up to the plate, and created a solution to educate, motivate, and engage children in using the internet for good, while also encouraging them to get off the internet often and participate in the real world. Children's Way is doing what most think impossible: they're getting kids to exchange many of the addictive uses of the internet with activities that create balanced living in their community.

Children's Way is a project of the Family Home Foundation—a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to helping kids achieve balanced living as they use the internet resource positively, build family strength, and serve in the community. Scott Dow, CEO of Children's Way, started the project three years ago. It has since undergone several revisions, evolving into a solution that works best for: children, parents and guardians, teachers, and community leaders. Surveying the problem, Scott discovered that "there was nothing available to engage a child in learning to use the internet properly—there was no program for adults to teach this to children." Scott saw this need clearly, and his solution is Woogi World™.

Children's Way felt the public school system was the best place to start. State by state, governors and school districts are endorsing Woogi World™ as an approved program. Learn and Serve, a federally funded organization, is an integral part of their deployment, and an activity provider for schools. America's Promise and The Foundation for a Better Life also play an active role in the cause.

Even more encouraging is that parents are excited for their children to participate. Parents recognize how Woogi World™ has taken potentially addictive behaviors and turned them into productive activities. Most parents realize their child will be on the internet. They also understand they won't always be around when their child needs help. Woogi World™ teaches children the do's and don'ts of the internet, which can be easily supplemented by involved parenting. Woogi World™ gives kids practice for common internet scenarios and even real-time coaching for those moments when problems arise, all within a safe, controlled environment. One big hit with parents is the Crash and Tell program. This series of activities teaches kids what to do when confronted by inappropriate materials online. Kids can also do these activities with a parent or guardian.

It only takes a few moments watching a child use Woogi World™ to see how potently effective edutainment is as a teaching tool. Edutainment uses entertainment as a medium for teaching. Woogi World™ doesn't just entertain and educate—it is an evolutionary step. The program actually gets kids to apply their learning in life, on their own, with family, and in the community.

After a first glance, concerned parents will ask what the difference is between Woogi World™ and other gaming sites for kids. If you ask any gamers working for Children's Way what the difference is, their answers are clear.

To reach the broadest possible audience, Children's Way offers the program free of charge to any child between ages 5-12. So how does this business model work? By choosing to focus on balance, character and community service, Woogi World™ provides an opportunity for even the largest U.S. companies to invest their support without compromising the values of either Children's Way or their investors. The project is not commercial. No product-selling will occur in the virtual environment.

As Woogi World™ is coming into public light; the existing buzz to "give back to the community" is turning into an exciting roar. Corporations are joining the mounting momentum to sponsor on and offline activities that these millions of Woogi World™ children will be playing.

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