Digital Influentials: It's Family Day at the Digital Influentials - Cory Treffiletti - MediaBizBloggers - Cory Treffiletti - MediaBizBloggers

Published: October 20, 2010 at 05:22 PM GMT
Last Updated: October 19, 2010 at 05:22 PM GMT

That's right, this edition is dedicated to the family. Now that my son is a year and a half, I find myself looking to find more ways to entertain him (code for "what do I do with him when I'm really tired"). The web is supposedly a good place, if you know where to look!

I started with the big guys, like Disney, Nick and Sesame Street (all of which are great) but I also uncovered a number of other places to go and see. Some won't be applicable till he gets a bit older, and some are perfect for right now! Of course, it's not always about fun; some of the things I uncovered were just practical for keeping the rest of the family involved as well!

So with that, allow me to introduce to you a number of new sites and services that may fit the needs of your family today!

Do you have this unmatched desire to take all of your Facebook photos, Flickr photos and any other photos and make a printed photobook? If so, then check out PIXABLE (http://www.pixable.com/). I feel like I found this site before, but I know I've been tasked by this exact effort for my grandmother so she can see more pics of the family, so maybe I'll share it with you as well! Make a keepsake for those loved ones who don't like the computer, or just in case your computer crashes. Pixable is your real world partner for picture distribution.

Most of those photos are of your kids and your family (which is why Grandma wants them), and so is the content of EVERLOOP (http://www.everloop.com/). On Everloop, teens and tweens are given a safe space to create, collaborate and connect in any way they want. You, as a parent, can feel safe and secure knowing your kids are in a safe environment, unlike some of the other not-so-kid-friendly stuff you can see online.

Speaking of social networking for kids, you can also check out YOURSPHERE (http://yoursphere.com/). It's another social network for kids, where parental consent is needed to join. It brings the web down to a safe, close-knit environment where you can feel good about what your kids are doing and who they're doing it with.

If you want to make sure your kids are even safer when they're online, check out KIDZUI (http://www.kidzui.com/). KidZui provides a safe, fun browser for kids that's chock full of games and is curated by teachers and parents. It's a virtual PTA for your kids when they're online.

And if you're looking a little younger and social networking just isn't the goal right now, then check out all the fun and games at CACKLEBERRIES (http://www.cackleberries.com/). The site is billed as the safest place for kids 3-8 years old. The founders put up a little message about why they launched the company and the cartoon characters are cute, so why not give it a shot!

The iPhone and the iPad are wonderful resources as well (as my friend calls them, the nannies). If you have little kids, you can't live without PEEKABOO BARN and PEEKABOO WILD. If you're kids are a bit older, try SF WITH KIDS as a resource for finding fun things to do with your kids in SF.

That's it for now. This one is short because I have to get back to playing with my son!!

Cory Treffiletti is President and Managing Partner for Catalyst SF. Cory has been a thought leader in interactive marketing and advertising since 1995. Cory can be contacted at cory@catalystsf.com.

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