Universal's '4kids' Now 500 Weeks Old

By: E&P Staff Universal Press Syndicate's "www.4kids.org" has reached its 500th installment as the feature's 10th anniversary approaches this May.

The weekly "4kids" is produced at the University of Kansas by a team of educators and students with support from the Advanced Learning in Technologies Education Consortia.

Launched at a time when the Web was less prominent, the feature was originally designed as a tool to familiarize families with computers and technology. It now functions as a resource for children, parents, and teachers that provides kid-friendly, non-commercial Web sites and entertainment.

Each week, the "4kids" team focuses on three sites -- including math and science ones as part of a nationwide effort to improve children's skills in those two areas.

"4kids," which also includes an advice column and more, appears in about 75 newspapers.