Kids Next Door: where kids can learn
more about being good citizens

June 16, 1999
by Joanne L. Johnson

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is creating opportunities where kids can learn about being good citizens. The "Kids Next Door" web site is an interactive kid-friendly area on the web for children and their families. Kids Next Door introduces children to "Meet Cool People," "See Neat Things," or "Visit Awesome Places."

Meet Cool People

Have you ever wanted to volunteer and didn't know how to get started? "Meet Cool People" provides links to Youth Service America; 4H-Volunteering; Kids Care; Kids Can Make A Difference; and Habitat for Humanity International. Each link provides a valuable resource encouraging activities that will have a significant impact in meeting the needs of local communities.

One of the best aspects of HUD's Kids Next Door is the stories HUD receives from children lending a helping hand. Jennifer, age 11, from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico writes, "In the girl scouts we send clothes and food to the poor children and adults. We also recycle newspapers, old boxes, can, bottles, etc."

John, age 5, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania says, "I go with my mommy to take meals to people who can not get out of the house." And Angelle, age 13, from Salt Lake City, Utah added, "About once a year Utahans against Hunger have Share the Harvest where people donate food, and volunteer to help pass it out and carry it to peoples' cars. I have helped out the past two years."

See Neat Things

HUD not only wants to educate children, but help them have fun too! "See Neat Things" sends children on a Scavenger Hunt to learn about their community. Using the internet, children can find the name of the mayor of their town; a bus schedule; the address of their local Chamber of Commerce; map of their state; a library card; phone number of the local police department; and a list of safety tips from the local fire department. See Neat Things also allows children to build their own community. With a click of the mouse, you can build a town complete with a school, firehouse, hospital, grocery store and people.

See Neat Things invites kids to chase the Community Scrambler. The chase is to unscramble words like stop, mail, airport or police station. Each scrambled word is accompanied with an animated picture and sound effects. The roar of an airplane, the screeching of a car coming to a stop and a letter being dropped into a mailbox are just a small sample of the sights and sound kids will unscramble in this fast, active and entertaining venue.

Visit Awesome Places

Everyday kids are either in a car or a bus traveling to school and back. "Visit Awesome Places" takes kids on a virtual field trip. Every few months, kids can travel to a different place in their community. Hop on board a bus and take a quick picture tour or animated tour with sound and motion.

For example, HUD's animated Library tour starts with a visit to the local library. First stop is the Information Desk followed by visits to several floors. You can ride the elevator to periodicals, reference or fiction books section. After visiting the library, kids may want to go to HUD's virtual park and take the Nature and Historic Trails tour. Park Tours teach safety tips and how to contact the park ranger if you need help.

The Visit Awesome Places site includes an Art Gallery displaying original drawings from students across the country. HUD has taken those drawings and animated them. Rusty from Omaha, Nebraska, Grade 6, sent in a drawing of a construction truck. HUD added sound and motion making you feel as though you were on board the big rig.

DeSola from Dale City, Virginia, age 12, drew her neighborhood and HUD put the delivery truck into motion, beeping as it drives through town.

Kids can also visit HUD's Safe Places to Play. Several Federal agencies have created links just for kids including: The Department of Justice's site "Justice for Kids" includes a tour of a courtroom; The Department of Labor matches kids interest with possible careers; The Environmental Protection Agency asks kids to join their Explorer's Club and learn about recycling; and the White House offers kids a tour led by Socks, the cat.

What People Are Saying

"Well put together, visually delightful- the kids pages are a buried treasure," says Joanne M. Riley, Educational Technology Services Consultant in Needham, Massachusetts.

TeacherNet selected "Kids Next Door" as a site of the week honoree in early 1999. TeacherNet is an online network sponsored by Highlights for Children, Inc. Sarasota Florida's Education Assistance Program is preparing to use HUD's Kid Next Door site to teach citizenship and provide positive examples to children in their program.

About the Author

Joanne L. Johnson is a Deputy Web Manager at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C. You may reach her at (202) 708-1547 or joanne_l._johnson@hud.gov.

Related Resources

For more fun and learning opportunities, visit the kids corner. It's a collection of federal kids pages compiled by the General Services Administration for the Government Information Xchange.