The Club Penguin Game - for parents

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By tranndee

Ready or Not

"Mom, can I get a membership to Club Penguin?" If you have a kid anywhere from 6 to 14, you may have had this request. I had no idea what my 7-year-old daughter was talking about when she asked me. She's never deviates from her 3 staple Web sites. Apparently, her 13-year-old cousin had told her all about it and Club Penguin was all I heard for 2 weeks. She even got her 9-year-old brother excited. Finally, I set aside some time her and her cousin to show me around this Club Penguin game so I could consider a membership.

In this Hub:

  • What Is Club Penguin?
  • Games Penguins Play
  • Consumerism 101
  • How To Pay

What Is Club Penguin?

It is a virtual world for kids. If you are familiar with games like The Sims or virtual worlds like Second Life, you know what I mean. If you don't, a virtual world is a computer game or Web site where you take on a different persona and live out another life. Club Penguin is meant targeted to 8 to 14-year-olds, so they get to live a life as a penguin.

When you start, you choose a name for your penguin-self and a color, if you like, because in the digital world not all penguins have to be black and white. The games starts you off in the new world with your very own, simple house--I mean igloo--and then you're off to live your penguin life.

You can then waddle around and explore the icy wonderland. There are many places to visit like the ski slope, the boat dock, shops in town, a beach and many other places. In these places, there are many things to do. Your penguin can party, join group dances in the street (a la Fame), chat with other penguins, and participate in periodic treasure hunts. You can even get a pet called a Puffle. And to keep your penguin up-to-date, the Penguin Times newspaper sometimes offers polls or announces new features in Club Penguin.

Also, within these places in Club Penguin are several games to play and new ones are introduced periodically. Some are multi-player games like Sled Racing or single-player challenges like Puffle Round-Up. Besides just being fun for your penguin, you earn coins depending how you do in these activities and games. Which leads to another aspect of this penguin-world.

The Games Penguins Play

Games to Play With Other Penguins

  • Find Four (found at the Ski Lodge and Ski Attic) - the same basic rules as Connect Four, place pieces in different rows trying to get four pieces in a row
  • Mancala (located in the Book Room) - a two-player game just like Mancala
  • Sled Racing (find this on the Ski Mountain) - 2 or 4 penguins race downhill on sleds avoiding obstacles and trying for the jumps for more speed. The four different hills are Bunny Hill, Express, Penguin Run, and Ridge Run.

Multi-player games reward players with up to 30 coins per game.

Games to Play By Yourself

  • Aqua Grabber (found on the Iceberg) New as of Feb 2008 - Rockhopper the Penguin's ship is smashed to smitherens on the bottom of the sea. You take a mini-sub down and get the pieces from the bottom with a claw.
  • Barrier (found in the Dance Lounge) - like the old Asteroids arcade game (for those of you around in the 80's) where you use your ship to shoot all passing targets
  • Bean Counters (in the Coffee Shop) - unload a truck of coffee beans, without carrying too many beans or catching anything else besides beans.
  • Cart Surfer (in the Mine) - surf and perform tricks inside a mine cart without crashing
  • Catchin' Waves (see the Cove) - surf the waves, perform tricks, and avoid obstacles in Survival Mode, or just practice in Freestyle
  • Hydro Hopper/Ballistic Biscuit (check out The Dock) - waterski and pick up life rings while jumping or avoiding obstacles in the water
  • Ice Fishing (Ski Lodge) - catch fish and avoid obstacles in the water which may cut your fishing line. At the end of the game, if you catch Mullet (a large red fish) you get a bonus
  • Jet Pack Adventure (Lighthouse Beacon) - use a jetpack to fly in the air without hitting anything or running out of fuel. You get to keep all the coins you collect
  • Puffle Round-Up (Pet Shop) - round up all the puffles you see into a pen
  • Pizzatron 3000 (Pizza Parlor) - you get to make regular or dessert pizzas with specified varying sets of toppings
  • Thin Ice (Dance Lounge) - guide a black puffle on fire to safety through the ice to the goal. The more tiles you go over, the more coins you get.

Single-player games generally earn more coins than multi-player coins, usually about 10% of the final score.

Games With No Coins

  • Ice Hockey (Ice Rink) - hit a puck by walking over it into one of the two goals
  • Snowball Fights (Snow Fort) - throw snowballs between the two Snow Forts toward the other team

Free games for paying and non-paying members.

Consumerism 101

As I mentioned, new penguins all get their very own igloo when starting. All penguins and igloos are plain at first, but as you accumulate coins from various games, you can buy nicer clothes and get a fresh new 'do for your penguin. You can also or buy furniture and home improvements for your igloo. Each month, a new catalog of outfits and igloo upgrades is introduced. One month an Ice Castle igloo upgrade was offered in the catalog for 5,100 coins.

Thus, there is constant competition among the penguins to have the coolest igloo and the latest fashions. In fact, for those kids too impatient to play a game to earn coins, can buy virtual coins with real money.

The consumerism aspect of Club Penguin tends to be controversial. Personally, our children already barraged with enticements to "buy". As a parent, you go with the philosophy you already use. For me, I see my kids learning their own lessons on spending, earning, and budgeting, but the minute they ask to buy coins with their allowance, we'll have to pull back.

How You Pay, or, Where You Come In

The paid membership is $5.95 a month. You can get a discount if you pay for several months at a time (29.95 for 6 months). You can pay with a credit or debit card and get immediate access, or mail in a check or money order.

You have to decide whether it's worth it. You child is probably on the side of "heck yea!" However, you have to recognize that Club Penguin games and other virtual reality games for kids--and adults--are going to be hot for some time to come.

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Comments

amy jane profile image

amy jane Level 1 Commenter 4 years ago

Great hub! My 8-year-old loves these types of games. Thanks for the head's up!

Lyn Bell profile image

Lyn Bell 4 years ago

It's great what you learn from these Hubs. Thanks for the great information:)

Lilly Creedon 3 years ago

I am a 11 year old kid, I still havent got my mum to get me a membership. I keep asking but she isnt sure..

Thanks for this website, ill show her it!

Wish me luck! x

Many thanks x

tranndee profile image

tranndee Hub Author 3 years ago

Thanks Amy and Lyn! I appreciate the comments.

I do wish you luck Lilly. Make sure she knows there is free membership as well as paid. To be honest, I let my kids have the free membership until I really got to look around. Now they have a paid membership, but they have to reimburse me out of their allowance. Which they are happy to do.

payton 3 years ago

my mum hates me playing club penguin but i love it so i play it anyway

Stacy 3 years ago

club penguin is a good game for kids

tranndee profile image

tranndee Hub Author 3 years ago

I agree Stacy. It's even kind of cool for us parents too! :>)

Katherine 3 years ago

I agree with you too stacy. Im italyian so im new but i agree with you too tranndee.

Jamie brines 3 years ago

Club penguin is the best game in life. I think theres a game thats like club penguin but just number 2!!!!

Clubpenguin news guy 3 years ago

Today in clubpenguin there has been a damage there. You must not cuplane me this is true. First the builders are working to get it rebuild agian.

Katherine 3 years ago

i Heard the club penguin news guy say that club penguin is damaged. What do we do with club penguin? Kath, Tranndee, lyn, liily, amy, jamie? ill be back when you all anser.

tranndee profile image

tranndee Hub Author 3 years ago

I haven't seen any information about the site being damaged and as of now my account is working fine. Sometimes sites like this get hit with hacking attacks or they take the servers down for maintenance. I doubt it because I'm sure they use a ton of servers, but you never know.

johnr54 profile image

johnr54 3 years ago

My kids are forever trying to get me to let them join one or another of a series of thses site. It's good to get some hard facts like this to help decide the few that we can allow.

mimiwb 3 years ago

i like it tooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Eman Jafri 3 years ago

Heyy the same thinfg happened with my 7 year old cousin......

I LOVE CLUBPENGUIN..IT ROXX BOG TIME

but you know they should seriously consider nott making us pay for amemebership...itz not fair some kidz get too buy cool new stuff while the rest of them, have 2 sit and watch them waddle around in their piratey clothes "(etc)....to their hugee igloos!!

lucky for us our cousins have memberships and we share accountz =)

toney 3 years ago

my lil bro loves this game

mariana 3 years ago

heeeeay thanks my daughter loves this club

dryHalo 2 years ago

lol

Juju 2 years ago

I love club penguin and i agree with you Eman. My mom lets me have a membership because it keeps me busy but its not fair for non members. They should be aloud to get clothes and huge igloos etc... It shouldn't only be at special events like party's.

kelise 2 years ago

i agree with eman it is not fair for non members i am a non member i dont like it they shud have big igloos and clothes and white puffles yellow puffles pink puffles green puffles black puffles purple puffles thats all the need really so i think thats what they should do about it i love club penguin but please do somethink its not fair on us non members i mean so please please do it

Club pengiuin#1FAN 2 years ago

i love cp it is nice and fun i am ten and love it!

apersonwholovescp 2 years ago

i love club penguin

hayley 2 years ago

i AM a member or was but I need a free game and i need it fast... :) thanks for the help though

parker 2 years ago

im 9 ive played cp for 1 year + and my mom still won't let me get a membership!

Ayva LaLorn 2 years ago

I think that club penguin is an excellent site for kids of all ages. Though, it can become a big time killer. There is nothing wrong with Club Penguin and i understand how interested kids can get into it.

*Laura* (name is not real to protect identity of the real person) 2 years ago

I love going on Club Penguin. It is an awesome fun site for me! I like their games and i find all the new pins every time. There are missions that i can complete and they are fun! I am on quite alot and i am usually on server "Snow Plow". My penguin's name is Rosie Baby. Come chat to me someday! Go Club Penguin!!!!!! Whoever invented Club Penguin, it is one of the most fun games i ever played! Thank You!

Ilyas Mukashev 2 years ago

Hi I'm Ilyas from Kazakhstan I'm a 9 years old kid and I know everything about Club Penguin! My dad made me a membership on Club Penguin CP For short and I really like the game so I play it everyday and never stop playing it its so awesome and fun and interesting I hope to other adults and they're kids to enjoy the game too!

~Ilyas~

PS: I also have a Youtube Channel!

chloe 2 years ago

I LOVE CLUB PENGUIN IT IS THE BEST, I WOULD PLAY IT ALL DAY AND ALL YEAR. IT IS THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

melissa davon 2 years ago

my child loves this its great fun and safe for my 9 year old

AGENTJOHN1 2 years ago

HERES A SECRET HOW TO GET A FREE MEMBERSHIP FIRST GO TO THE PIZZA PARLOR THEN GO TO THE GIFT SHOP THEN GET YOUR PUFFLE (the red actually) then go catch some waves then score 300 coins THEN YOUR A MEMBER HOPE I HELP

liz 2 years ago

well hi

Samantha R 2 years ago

i play club penguin and when im at school i ask my mom to earn me coins playing games, she likes to do it, then i spend almost all my coins and then she playfully freaks out. when my friends told me about club penguin they wanted me to join. thats what i did and u can find me anywhere. my user is Dogiez and i like to hang in the forest.

Samantha R 2 years ago

you can find me also at the gift shop spending my 12,000 coins after school and as any 9 1/2 girl would wanna say, i wish i had more membership. all i have is a 1 year membership card. if you like ill tell you people more about membership cards if you havent already. you can find membership cards at a Target store near you. they come in one month ($30) six months ($60) and one year ($80) it may sound like alot, but then you dont have to PAY CLUBPENGUIN FOR SO MUCH MONEY! no offense clubpenguin but still it works. you need a dime to scratch off the code. then go on clubpenguin, and click membership. click membership card and type your penguin's name. then type the code you found on the back of the card. it may take a few hours to process the membership, or you get it at the moment you type it in. its so cool and if you turn into a member you can go to the new mine cave river, its so cool and u get a divers suit for 50 coins, minimum amount ive ever paid on something in clubpenguin

Silver 24 months ago

I Play club penguin its a fun game i have 4 memebership cards so i dontb need to pay for the memebership

IceCream1128 23 months ago

Wow, i think you put a lot of work into this! These past years That came by!

AJ 23 months ago

bvnnxhuvuuhdhjkb gygygvgyg8uxygyv

lol 23 months ago

how do i play old clubpenguin???

colton541 23 months ago

dude you cant go to old clubpinguin its to old its not cool but can eneone fiend rockhopper!!! besids i bet you cantgo to difrent club pinguin games i not ciding its gust not cool DUDE!!!

lamisilHP 23 months ago

im a nonmember on club penguin i wanna get a membership

cause i been playing club penguin for 3 years now i wana membership NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack 22 months ago

Don't laugh at me please :) though I am 17 but I still love club penguin it's fun to play with kids, but a lot of friends said that I am kiddy : (

emma 22 months ago

i love cp it rocks i am 11 and my penguin is 1 year and 1 month so when my penguin was 1 year old my mum got me a 6 month membership! she said it was a present for my penguin LOL ROCK ON CP

also WADDDLE ON

Abbey 22 months ago

I'm 8 and i go on club penguin. I got a membership card for 6 months. u can get them at walmart and get a card. It's really easy.

Samantha R 21 months ago

Ok now...

Samantha R 21 months ago

Now that I'm 10, I can say this.No offense Abbey,but look up at my SECOND comment I've made on here.I already said how to get it.And besides,Walmart,well the one I go to..they don't sell them anymore. Target does,and they always have alot of them in stock.Sorry but I have to say, sometimes youngsters get caught up and say a fact already said. Tsk Tsk..... ~.o

DINA MARIE V 21 months ago

I GOT MY NAME BUT NOT MY ACOUNT. I ALREDY GOT ONE BUT BYAXIDINT I MENT TO PRESS LOGIN BUT I PRESSWD FORGET MY PENGUIN.

confuzzled 20 months ago

I paid for membership last year, but now I dont want it anymore, I have been on loads of websites, but none of them are right....so then I went onto CP parents billing/membership, and it didnt say anything about stopping it, it just said about unrelevant locating plz help!!!!!!!!!!

rashel 20 months ago

hi i am 9 years old i like club penguin but i get virues from it i dont know what to do someone help me

ANETH 20 months ago

IM 11 AND I GET VIRUESS FROM CLUB PENGUIN ANYONE KNOW ANOTHER GAME LIKE IT PLZ SOMEONE HELP ME I NEED IT OR ELSE I WILL DIE FOR IT PLZZZZZZ HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARIANNA 20 months ago

ME TOO I GET VIRUES YOU GUYS RASHEL AND ANETH YOU WERE RIGHT YOU DO GET VIRUES THIS IS MY NAME CUTIEPIE246 PASS COOKIE5655

CP GTL 20 months ago

I LIVE FFFOOORRR CLUB PENGUIN I NNNEEEEEEDDD ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP MMMMEEEE NOW HA HAH A

bailey 20 months ago

cp is cool and it would be very cool if it had a ranbo puffle.

Jane 20 months ago

Club Penguin Is Starting To Become Boring Ever Sine Disney Bought It......Im Starting To Hate Disney....

coolpapal 19 months ago

ZOMG i love cp but i wish there was something new.....

Theres only this new game called "puffle rescue" witch is a VERY VERY fun game except i cant play it because of my STUPID KEYBOARD. It does the opposite of everything!!!

I also play runescape, and webkinz isnt much help, i need something else!

not tellin my name 16 months ago

i keep asking my dad to make me a member on it i have been a member on club penguin before but im not any more usaly every year i be a member for my birthday but this year i thought of something else and i regret that but he says he might make me a member byeeeeeee

wolfiey 15 months ago

tranndee i got banned on cp for no reason cos when my mum

looks on the parent thing it says banned for 72 hours and the reason why is blank my banning is neally over and i think i have still got my member ship

Nicole (Not going to give away my real identity!) 12 months ago

Well you can find Club Penguin membership is Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, Rite Aid, and Ralphs. Probably a lot of the stores here don't sell them anymore but Club Penguin membership is totally worth it once you get it!

AJ 10 months ago

I have some corrections:

- Club Penguin is made for 6-12 years olds

- Players can not purchase coins with real money. They can purchase merchandise like trading cards or plush toys, which come with a coin code they can redeem online for items or coins.

Here are some comments:

It costs of lot of money to keep Club Penguin running, and they need memberships to keep the website even up. Think production, maintenance and support costs. $5.95/month is cheap, about the cost of renting a movie but instead of 90 minutes of entertainment, your child gets a month's worth of creative and social time on an ultra safe website.

Players are never banned for no reason.

Be careful what you learn about Club Penguin from internet websites. If you are ever unsure, you can always email their support. They have been super helpful for me.

WillSteinmetz profile image

WillSteinmetz Level 1 Commenter 7 months ago

Fun hub!This is surely a fun game to play.

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