CLICK & DOUBLE CLICK: CHILDREN ARE NEVER TOO YOUNG TO FIND EXCITEMENT ON THE INTERNET (COLUMN 134)

When it comes to the Internet, toddlers and preschoolers can find lots of fun and educational sites. With just the click of a mouse, any number of games come to life for these youngest Web surfers.

Reading skills aren't necessary for many of the games, and familiar faces and characters fill the screen.

Joni: Today, I have an expert assistant, my 3-year-old daughter, Bailey, who loves the computer.

Peggy: Let's take a look at one of the newest additions to the toddler hit parade, the Teletubbies.

Joni: I have to admit, I don't know that much about the Teletubbies, but my daughter does. We played some Teletubby Shockwave puzzles that were a big hit.

www.bbc.co.uk/education/teletubbies/tubbies.html

Peggy: You can visit the Tubby home, the Tubby playground, the Tubby Gallery and a section for grown-ups with advice for using Teletubbies online. The folks at the BBC say the Internet can be enjoyed by children under a year old, if parents participate. Like reading a book, they recommend sitting together in front of the computer to play the games.

Joni: We also had fun with Po's Scooter Game. It also takes Shockwave and was a big hit with Bailey. It combined movement with those silly little Teletubby sounds. You have to go up or down to get around flowers and a fuzzy brown bunny.

Peggy: If your child is a big fan, you can download Teletubby screen pictures for your computer. You can also submit photos of the Tubbies to be displayed on the site.

Joni: You can also paint pictures of the Teletubbies online or you can see a 360-degree picture of Teletubby land.

www.nickjr.com

Peggy: Also high on the toddlers' hit parade is Blue's Clues. Actually, my older kids like Blue also.

Joni: Bailey loves Blue. She talks right into the computer screen and even we have fun. You can't help but answer the main character, Steve, and his little dog Blue.

Peggy: You can play games with Steve and Blue online. There's lots more to do also.

Joni: On the Frequently Asked Questions, there's one I've always wondered. Why doesn't Steve change his clothes? The answer is he does every day. He just has 10 green-striped shirts, 10 of the same pants and shoes. But why?

Peggy: I've had weeks like that with my children. They want to wear the same clothes over and over. I wish I had 10 matching shirts. Maybe Steve has the answer.

Joni: I also learned more about Steve, and we even printed out an autographed photograph of Steve and Blue. Blue's a girl, you know, and so is her best friend, Magenta.

Peggy: Every week you can download a game from Blue. This week's is a fairy tale matching game. You download it to your hard drive so children can play it again and again.

Joni: Or you can play online to test it out. Bailey loved it. It's hard to write this column with Bailey. She wants to play EVERY game at least three times along the way. Hey, the Internet IS fun.

Peggy: And Bailey is proof that preschoolers certainly are not too young for the Internet. Another popular preschool pal is that purple dinosaur, Barney.

www.pbs.org/barney

Joni: We're ready to play Barney games, such as Connect the Dots, Color Me Fun Pages, Paint the Town and Sing-a-long Songs.

Peggy: I know that Barney sometimes gets a bad rap, perhaps because parents are tired of watching episodes over and over. But children really love to sing along. They're not alone. I started humming a Barney song in the office the other day, and three other moms joined in. Scary, huh?

Joni: I certainly know more Barney songs than the current hit parade. But hey, what's wrong with a guy that teaches good manners and respect for others? Bailey made a barn with dots to dots. Let's play it again.

Peggy: If you wonder about Barney, Baby Bop or BJ, you can read their bios along with an explanation of the Bar.

Joni: You can also sing one of four songs with Barney. We picked Silly Sounds. It was the whole song and quite a hit. We're ready to try a different one. You need RealPlayer 5.0.

Peggy: Another children's favorite has made the Internet a part of its educational mission. Sesame Street is online at

www.pbs.org/kids/sesame

Joni: There are coloring book pages, storybooks and other activities to build skills for kids both online and off. You'd be amazed how well my 3-year-old can paint a picture with the mouse. It's hard to imagine what the world will be like when they grow up. Bailey liked the hide and seek game with the Count. We found birthday packages, a cake, balloons and even a cozy fire.

Peggy: You can read a whole Sesame Street book online. Today's selection is "Elmo Minds the Farm." Children get to help Elmo check on the animals, and children choose what happens in the story. Fun.

Joni: The fact kids can choose makes the story more fun. These animals have their sounds all mixed up.

Peggy: You can also link over to the Children's Television Workshop for more Sesame Street fun.

Joni: What is your favorite children's site? E-mail us at click@semissourian.com

See you in Cyberspace.

~Peggy Scott and Joni Adams are members of the Southeast Missourian online staff.