Tuesday, 21 December 2010

Kids make a difference in the real world with "Coins for Change" on Disney’s Club Penguin


9-year-old Sophie absolutely loves the Club Penguin website. If you don't know anything about it, it's an online world for kids (and sometimes their parents when they've been sent off to bed but shhh, we won't tell Sophie about that !) where you create and customise a penguin, then go around, discovering new places, playing little games and undertaking challenges and missions. It's all great fun and to keep you motivated, you win virtual currency for all of these actions, which you can spend in the boutiques on the island.

But Christmas is a time for giving and this year sees the 4th annual "Coins for Change" operation on Club Penguin. From December 17th to December 27th, your little penguins can waddle up to the "Coins For Change" area in Club Penguin and vote for their preferred cause (Provide Medical Help, Build Safe Places, or Protect the Earth), using the virtual money they have earned.



I just told Sophie about this and she said "Oh, I've been giving them loads of money, but I didn't know it really helped people in the real world for real". (How many times can you say real in one sentence ?!) Well, yes, it isn't just one more fun thing to do on Club Penguin. Your virtual currency is converted into real money by the lovely people behind Club Penguin (otherwise known as Disney Online Studios !) who use the votes made in the virtual world to divvy up a $1 million donation to charitable causes, such as Warchild, Free the Children, Wildlife Conservation Network, Partners in Health, Children’s Surgical Centre and Rare.


Now that I've told Sophie that, she wants to go and give them even more of her virtual money ! The final results will be revealed on 4th January, when kids will find out how much each charity got and see that their actions, however small, do make a difference in the real world.

If your kids want to get involved, just go and sign up and start amassing money by playing the games. I don't know if I'm really allowed to share this with you or not (!) but on the December Club Penguin newsletter, they actually gave out a code that will credit your penguin with 500 coins (just put the code DECNLR10 here - it will come up in French but you can change the language afterwards !) so if that works, you can instantly go and make a donation at the Coins for Change booth !

Help spread the word by tweeting : Kids make a difference in the real world with #coinsforchange on #clubpenguin : http://reallykidfriendly.com/coinsforchange


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