Virtual Worlds for Kids - Creating virtual worlds for kids is a growing trend that presents opportunities for companies to engage kids in new ways and monetize them through subscriptions and in-app purchases. A new doll hitting retail shelves this week is familiar in many ways — she’s got outfits galore — but she also has some unusual features: this Barbie, who is smaller and less shapely than her standard namesake, functions as an MP3 music player. This month Zizzle, the company that makes Pirates of the Caribbean toys (not to mention Lucky the Incredible Wonder Pup, perhaps the first stuffed Labradoodle) is introducing an online/offline toy. Between 2007 and 2008 six different MP3 players were released: the Pink, the Gold/Blue and the Green. com and its 22 or so other Web sites as advertising forums, places to showcase toys with the hope that children will nag their parents for them.

This Barbie Girls MP3 player, made in China by Mattel, was named as one of the top toys of 2007 by the Toy Retailers Association. I've looked at all the archived versions of the site where you can still play the games but I can't seem to find it anywhere. We have an advantage as a media company because we have all this, where toy companies have to create content. Join 322,509 entrepreneurs, innovators and CEOs who rely on our weekly trend report to stay ahead of the crowd. Yeah, sometimes I agree the glitches can get annoying, but overall I like the fact its something your child will want for a long time, unlike a barbiedoll, or etc.

Funky BarbieGirls devices look like cool fashion dolls and come with loads of changeable fashions and charms so you can create a totally new look everyday. Each element of Barbie Girls--from safety to music--is designed to help Barbie win back market share from the brash Bratz line, said independent toy industry consultant Christopher Byrne. com, a new Web site where girls can interact with one other in a manner reminiscent of Second Life, the virtual world for adults. With over two quadrillion wicked looks and styles to choose from, you can create a totally cool avatar and design your own funky virtual bedroom. One noteworthy attempt came from The Learning Company, an educational software company that was owned for a short time by Mattel.

With children’s leisure-time habits shifting online, toy companies are responding with new products that can be construed as fun both online and offline.Filters also prevent users from giving out personal information, including names, phone numbers or even the cities where they live. The music players are available in three styles, take the form of the company's new Barbie Girls pre-teen characters, and feature removable faceplates that allow the devices to double as customizable dolls. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries.

The game allows up to four people to play along with various songs using physical instruments hooked into an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.The general chat function, B-chat, works via the selection of pre-written phrases to communicate with others players in the Barbie Girls world. com is a bubblegum-pink Web site with games (that people can play free) plus a collection of girly images (pussycats, hearts) that can be made into round physical tokens. Social Networking - Companies can create social networking spaces for kids that offer a safe and controlled environment for them to connect with each other and share their experiences and preferences.