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1. Webkinz Stuffed Animals Value
2. Webkinz Plush Animals
3. Webkinz Animals List
4. Original Webkinz Animals

Webkinz are stuffed animals that have a playable online counterpart, www.webkinz.com, in 'Webkinz World.' Webkinz were originally released by the Canadian toy company Ganz on April 29, 2005. The toys are enjoyed by a wide variety of age groups and are similar to many other small plush toys; however, each Webkinz toy has an attached tag with a unique 'Secret Code' printed on it that allows you to play with your pet in the 'Webkinz World' website. On Webkinz World, the Secret Code allows the user to own a virtual version of the pet for online play. Lil' Kinz are smaller, less expensive versions of Webkinz, while the Signature collection is larger, higher-quality, and slightly more expensive. Sales of plush Webkinz toys are limited to the United States and Canada, but international users can buy virtual pets from the online eStore.^[1] In 2006, Webkinz had one million online accounts, and according to one estimate published in Wired they made $100 million in 2006.^[2] In 2011, Webkinz made its first commercial on TV. Webkinz was updated in 2015 to Webkinz X, making it more kid-friendly.

Types of Webkinz[edit]

There are many types of Webkinz: regular pets, wild animals, mythical creatures, and made-up ones. They all come with codes that can be entered on the computer at www.webkinz.com Along with the regular Webkinz toys, there are also smaller, less expensive versions called Lil' Kinz as well as larger, slightly more expensive versions in the Signature collection launched in April 2009. The Signature collection later ended in December 2013. In May 2009, Birthstone Pets were released. One new Birthstone Pet was released for every month. In April 2010, Ganz replaced the Birthstone Pets with the Zodiac Pets. Again, one Zodiac Pet will be released every month. In 2011, CandyKinz were released. In June 2012, Rockerz Pets were released. In 2019, Ganz announced that no new plush pets would be released as of now, but purely virtual pets can still be purchased, accounts can be made, and the website still operates.^[3]

Gameplay[edit]

Each Webkinz stuffed animal and Webkinz accessory comes with an 8-character code. By registering this code at www.webkinz.com, the customer 'adopts' this pet in the virtualWebkinz World. Without the code, the user will not get access to the full Webkinz World, but they can create a free account. On January 19, 2011, Ganz announced that Webkinz World accounts would no longer expire, meaning users would not have to buy a new pet each year to renew their account. However, some games, furniture, and other features are limited with a free account. Young adults who had active accounts on the website, have even revisited their pets to catch up on their health as an online trend.^[4]

The Webkinz World is an online play area with its own economy completely controlled by Ganz. The user receives money (called KinzCash) by adopting new pets, playing online games, answering general knowledge questions, and through daily activities like clicking 'I love my Webkinz!', spinning the Wheel of WOW, playing Wishing Well 2, or completing jobs (minigames) available once every 8 hours. Each day, there is a Game of the Day which can be played for bonus KinzCash, and other bonuses are available each hour, full days on weekends and afternoons only on weekdays. With each Webkinz toy purchased, more KinzCash, rooms, and items are added to the user's account.

The online world also contains many rare or exclusive items. Some of these items require developing a friendship with the Curio Shop owner to purchase, while others are obtained by registering other Webkinz accessories purchased in the real world. Each type of pet gets a special item and food available exclusively for them. Also, a Pet of the Month is announced at the beginning of each month. If a person registers the announced pet in that month, they will receive other exclusive items.

Many of the tasks in Webkinz World involve collecting items. For example, recipes are released for the players through cookbooks or one of the TV shows called The Secret Chef. 'Gems' can be mined once a day at the Curio Shop, with a full set of gems being turned into the Webkinz Crown of Wonder and buy exclusive items. A similar feature called Alyssa's Star Challenge, involves users clicking on colored stars to find valuable stars.

Other features of Webkinz include:

• The ability to create shows with the Webkinz Studio, and enter to be chosen to appear on the Webkinz TV.
• Buying a swimming pool, a trampoline, and a treadmill where Webkinz can improve their health.
• Sending gifts or letters to friends on a peer-to-peer network.
• Inviting a friend over to your house, where you can chat and interact with some board games and items.
• Participate in the hourly events, which can earn you prizes, KinzCash, and coupons, among other things.
• Brushing, washing, and bathing your pet.
• Setting up a party, inviting guests, playing games and giving out loot bags. (a Party Pack costs 750 to 1000 KinzCash)
• Playing a variety of games such as gem mining.
• Trading items with other players in a safe and fun way.
• Reading virtual books exclusive to the Webkinz World.
• Enrolling your virtual pet in school, or 'The Kinzville Academy' where your pet can learn and develop skills to help them compete in tournaments.
• Decorating your pets' home. Furniture can be purchased via the W-shop in the Webkinz World.
• Interacting with other players via the Webkinz Clubhouse, where players can play games such as 'Link'd' (Connect four), Checkers, and much more.
• Shopping for clothes with your pet.

Webkinz Studio[edit]

• The Webkinz Studio generally costs 1000 KinzCash in the W Shop.
• There are currently 18 characters and 9 sets. One can buy more from the W Shop.
• In 2008, a very strict dictionary was added to secure the words used in the studio.
• In March 2010, Webkinz announced that the Studio had been 'enhanced' with more features, including 'slide transitions', the 'who speaks first' option, and character entrances and exits.
• Also, the Studio can be found in the Curio Shop on a rare basis for less than 1000 KinzCash.

Webkinz Stuffed Animals Value

Membership[edit]

When a pet is registered at www.webkinz.com (or 'adopted'), it gives or renews an account's full membership features for one year. When the membership of a pet expires, the account becomes a free account, missing the ability to play some games, buy certain items, and do other things in the world. However, a player can renew their account again whenever.

There is also an upgrade to regular memberships called the Deluxe Membership which is available at the Ganz eStore. This is a premium membership with many features, benefits, games, and prizes to which regular accounts do not have access. Deluxe Members also receive free Webkinz eStore points at the time of purchase and at the beginning of each month afterward for the extent of the Deluxe Membership.

If one wants to register an account at www.webkinz.com without a pet code, they are permitted to select from 9 Ganz eStore Pets. Several limitations exist on free accounts that make many challenges and activities impossible. Free accounts can be upgraded to regular memberships or Deluxe Memberships at any time.^[5]

W-Plus & Trading Cards[edit]

Aside from the Webkinz, Lil' Kinz, Signature, and Rockerz Pets, Ganz also has made other toys that can be used on Webkinz World. These are called W-Plus items, and all W-Plus items come with a secret code that can be used in the Code Shop in Webkinz World. These codes unlock items for the Webkinz Pets, like new room themes, clothing for pets, KinzCash, and other prizes.

W-Plus[edit]

These are all of the W-Plus items Ganz has released:^[6]

• Body spray and lip gloss—unlocks a piece of furniture for the Glam Boutique theme
• Clothing for the Webkinz stuffed toys—unlocks the KinzStyle bag, which can be used to access the KinzStyle Shop. The KinzStyle Shop contains clothing that can't be found anywhere else.
• Charms—gives access to Fairy Falls and Magic Mire.
• Bookmarks—unlocks a Book Bag, allowing the user to choose one free book in Webkinz World.
• Mousepads—unlocks an exclusive Mouse Pad Art Print, a hanging poster of the mouse pad.
• School supplies—unlocks exclusive KinzPost stationary.
• Pet carriers—allows the user to assemble an exclusive wardrobe from four choices.
• Figurines—unlocks a virtual figurine and a unique prize (varies by figurine); also unlocks a display case that can be used to hold all the figurines.
• Wacky Zingoz plush toy—gives access to Wacky Zingoz Extreme, an exclusive version of the game Wacky Zingoz.
• Webkinz Trading Card binders—unlocks two exclusive podiums to hold the virtual binders.

Trading Cards[edit]

There are 4 series of Webkinz Trading Cards, of which 2 can be used (in virtual form) to play the challenge game. The cards come in booster packs, with 5 playing cards and a code card in each pack. In these packs, there are also chances of getting special cards as well, like free pet codes. In Series 1, you can also get Curio Shop Curiosities and Webkinz Doodlez.^[7] In Series 2, there is At Paw Level and W-Tales Snapshots instead. These special cards are foil. For Series 1, 80 base cards have been released, 12 challenges, 8 Curio Shop Curiosities, and 8 Webkinz Doodlez. In Series 2, there are 85 base cards, 15 challenges, 8 At Paw Levels and 8 W-Tales Snapshots.^[8] The cards are also W-Plus items, and they each come with 2-5 codes. 1 code on each card is for a virtual pack of Trading Cards, while the other 1-4 can unlock prizes like rare and exclusive themes or coupons. Series 3 changed the format, with only 1 feature code per pack, and no code for a virtual pack. The packs also included stickers and a chance to win a previously unheard-of Pet, the Magical Retriever. Also, Ganz has said that each Series 3 code gives you an item you cannot find anywhere else in Webkinz World. Series 4 has also been released, and the prize Pet, the Mystical Panda, replaces the Magical Retriever.

Ganz eStore[edit]

The Ganz eStore is targeted to an older audience of the website, it can be used to purchase virtual pets, furniture and items with real currency. Sales of plush Webkinz and Lil' Kinz are limited to the United States and Canada, however, virtual pets can be purchased from the Ganz eStore by international residents. Secret Codes issued in conjunction with virtual pets can be used the same way as Secret Codes attached to plush pets.^[1]

Deluxe Members get free Ganz eStore points every month.

Webkinz games[edit]

Webkinz World has many games in which players can play to earn KinzCash. The website also has a wide range of multiplayer games for users to play against their friends and anyone else who wants to play at the time. There are some games specifically reserved for a premium tier of users, called Deluxe Membership.

Criticism[edit]

Concerns have been raised about children's use and overuse of the toys. Parents may worry that children will become addicted to the game.^[9] Some parents have voiced concerns about the website's online chat system. The KinzChat chat system has various safety precautions, with restrictions on who can send messages. Additionally, users cannot type, but can choose phrases to say from a list.^[10] Concerns have also been raised about the toys being a distraction in school, occasionally resulting in them being banned from school grounds.^[11][12] Concerns were also raised when the once advertisement-free site ^[13] started displaying advertisements, previously only for their own additional game-related products, but now also for movies, such as Alvin and the Chipmunks and Bee Movie.^[14] There is an option that members can use to block ads that promote sites not sponsored by or affiliated with Webkinz or Ganz. However, if enabled, this option can not be changed until 30 days have passed.Rumors have circulated that malware is present.^[15][16] In 2007 rumors spread about a character that would kill Webkinz on the site,^[15][16][17] supposedly inserted by a disgruntled employee or a rival site.^[16] These claims were dismissed by Webkinz.com^[18]

Errors[edit]

There has been problems in the past with connecting to the Webkinz World site. These range from technical problems with customer's internet browsers and unresponsive customer service^[19] to programming problems at the Webkinz World site.^[20] Changes made to the Webkinz World site have resulted in many disappointed users as newly introduced features often limit access to a small fraction (less than 1%) of users ^[21] and programming errors often reduce the ability of the remainder of the site to function at prior levels.^{[citation needed]}

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abWebkinz eStore
2. ^'How to Take Money From Kids: Sell Toys Both Physical and Virtual'. Wired. August 13, 2007. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
3. ^'Official Statement on the Future of Webkinz Plush Toys | WKN: Webkinz Newz'. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
4. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBgF8l08SR4
5. ^http://webkinznewz.ganzworld.com/announcements/help/
6. ^Webkinz Collection Catalog
7. ^Webkinz - Webkinz Trading Cards
8. ^Webkinz - Trading Cards Series II Available Now! Read all about it!
9. ^'Is the Webkinz Craze Bad for Kids?'. ABC News. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
10. ^Pardo, Steve (2007-04-11). 'Kids hooked on Webkinz world'. The Detroit News. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
11. ^Seltz, Johanna (2007-04-08). 'Toy causes classroom distraction'. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
12. ^Lazarowitz, Elizabeth (2007-07-30). 'Webkinz: Big money lessons for little kids'. New York Daily News. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
13. ^Barakat, Matthew (2007-07-13). 'Review: Webkinz pleases parents and children'. NBC News. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
14. ^CCFC News - Webkinz takes heat for taking advertising
15. ^ ^abDavis, Lisa (28 September 2007). 'Interactive Toys Like Webkinz Are Drawing Young Kids, Worrying Some Parents.' Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
16. ^ ^abcMikkelson, Barbara; David Mikkelson (3 January 2008). 'Webkinz Murderer'. Snopes.com. Urban Legends Reference Pages. p. 1. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
17. ^Schoberg, Diana (9 February 2007). 'Virtual Pet Threat: No Need to Worry, Kids Assured'. The [Quincy] Patriot Ledger.
18. ^Webkinz.com='Webkinz' 'Concerned About a Rumor?'. Webkinz.com. Concerned About a Rumor. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2007-02-25. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
19. ^Family Experiences Problem Interacting With Webkinz Online :: WRAL.com
20. ^Morris, Keiko (2007-12-29). 'Tots have trouble logging on to Webkinz site'. Newsday. Archived from the original on 2008-12-07.
21. ^Webkinz stadium sadness - Gamertell

External links[edit]

A stuffed toy is a toy with an outer fabric sewn from a textile and stuffed with flexible material. They are known by many names, such as plush toys, stuffed animals, plushies, or stuffies. In Britain and Australia, they may be called soft toys or cuddly toys. Textiles commonly used for the outer fabric include plain cloth, as well as pile textiles like plush or terrycloth, or even socks. Common stuffing materials include synthetic fiber, batting, cotton, straw, wood wool, plastic pellets, and beans. The toy originates from Germany in the late 19th century and has been marked by fads in popular culture that sometimes affected collectors and the value of the toys.

Stuffed toys are made in many different forms, but most often resemble real animals (sometimes with exaggerated proportions or features), legendary creatures, cartoon characters, or inanimate objects. They can be used as comfort objects; for display or collecting; or given as gifts, such as for graduation, illness, condolences, Valentine's Day, Christmas, or birthdays. They are commonly gifted to children, but can be given to anybody.

Description[edit]

Stuffed toys are distinguished from other toys primarily by their softness, flexibility and their resemblance to animals or fictional characters. Stuffed toys most commonly take the form of animals, especially bears (in the case of teddy bears), mammalian pets such as cats and dogs, and highly recognizable animals such as zebras, tigers, pandas, lizards, and elephants. The popularity of stuffed toys is such that one can almost always find a stuffed toy version of any fictional character from a movie, TV show, book or other entertainment form, so long as it is animal-like. Stuffed toys of both real and fictional humans are also seen on shelves regularly, given that the individual or character is famous enough.

Stuffed toys come in an array of different sizes, with the smallest being thumb-sized and the largest being larger than a house. However, the largest somewhat commonly-produced stuffed animals are not much bigger than a person. The majority of stuffed animals are between a few inches tall and a foot tall or more. They also come in a wide variety of colours and fur textures.

Stuffed toys are commonly sold in stores worldwide. Vendors are often abundant at tourist attractions, airports, carnivals, fairs, downtown parks, and general public meeting places of almost any nature, especially if there are children present.

History[edit]

The first commercial concern to create stuffed toys was the German Steiff company in 1880. Steiff used newly developed technology for manufacturing upholstery to make their stuffed toys.^[1] In 1892, the Ithaca Kitty became one of the first mass-produced stuffed animal toys in the United States.^[2]

In 1903 Richard Steiff designed a soft stuffed bear that differed from earlier traditional rag dolls, because it was made of plush furlike fabric.^[1] At the same time in the US, Morris Michtom created the first teddy bear after being inspired by a drawing of President 'Teddy' Roosevelt with a bear cub.^[3] In 1903, the character Peter Rabbit from English author Beatrix Potter was the first stuffed toy to be patented.^[4]

Types[edit]

Handcrafted[edit]

Amigurumi is a Japanese type of handcrafted knitted or crocheted stuffed toys. Amigurumi are typically made to look cute with oversized heads and undersized extremities.^[5][6]

Sock monkeys are a type of handmade stuffed monkey made out of socks, which first appeared in the US during the Great Depression.^[7]

Brands[edit]

Brands of stuffed toys include Pillow Pets, whose toys can be folded from a pillow into a stuffed animal; Tickle Me Elmo, a laughing and shaking plush toy based on the character Elmo from the Sesame Street television show, released in 1996;^[8]Furby, a robotic talking plush toy with its own language, released in 1998;^[9] and Zhu Zhu Pets, a line of robotic plush hamsters released in 2009.^[10][11]

Some brands of stuffed toys, such as Rose Bear^[12], Beanie Babies, Puffkins and Cute Plushies,^[13] used marketing strategies to encourage the collection of a series of stuffed toys.^[14]

Virtual brands[edit]

Webkinz stuffed animals were created by Ganz in 2005. Each Webkinz toy comes with a unique 'Secret Code' that gives access to the Webkinz World website and a virtual version of the toy for online play.^[15][16]Disney's Club Penguin and Build-A-Bearville from Build-A-Bear Workshop are other online worlds with content that can be unlocked from codes found on associated stuffed toys. In 2013, Disney launched its first collection of Disney Tsum Tsum stuffed toys based on characters from different Disney properties, inspired by the popular app of the same name.^[17]

Impact[edit]

Stuffed toys are among the most played-with toys of children. Their size and softness makes them ideal for toddlers, since it is almost impossible for them to be injured by one. However, they are not exclusively for toddlers, and are often played with by children right up into their pre-teens. Their resemblance to characters or animals allows for imaginative free play, especially with other children, and there is no real limit on the amount of time one can spend playing with them. Stuffed toys do sometimes tear, but with a sewing needle and rudimentary sewing skills, damage is often easily repairable. Their low price, combined with their demand, means that it is common for children to possess tens of stuffed toys at a single time. Some households report having stuffed toys numbering in the hundreds.

See also[edit]

Webkinz Plush Animals

References[edit]

Webkinz Animals List

1. ^ ^abGary S. Cross (1999). Kids' Stuff: Toys and the Changing World of American Childhood. Harvard University Press. pp. 93–94. Archived from the original on 2016-01-04.
2. ^Sachse, Gretchen (2016-07-28). 'Ithaca Kitty was a success across America'. The Ithaca Journal. Ithaca, New York. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
3. ^'Teddy Bears'. Library Of Congress. Archived from the original on 2009-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
4. ^'The life of Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit'. peterrabbit.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-17.
5. ^Mary Beth Temple (2009). Hooked for Life: Adventures of a Crochet Zealot. Andrews McMeel. pp. 40–41. ISBN978-0-7407-7812-4. Retrieved 2010-03-20. Amigurumi.
6. ^Mary Belton (2006). Craft, Volume 1: Transforming Traditional Crafts. O'Reilly Media. pp. 41–42. ISBN978-0-596-52928-4. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
7. ^Boschma, Janie (2007-11-05). 'History of the sock monkey: Stuffed animal created during the Great Depression'. The Spectator. Archived from the original on 2009-12-18. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
8. ^'Just Tickled'Archived 2014-06-02 at the Wayback Machine. People, January 13, 1997.
9. ^'New toy an interactive fur ball'. CNN. 1998-10-05. Archived from the original on 2007-06-16. Retrieved 2007-07-13.
10. ^Vicki Mabrey; Kinga Janik (November 20, 2009). 'Zhu Zhu Pets: Hamsters to Save Christmas?'. ABC News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2009.
11. ^Anderson, Mae (November 27, 2009). 'Robotic hamsters are holidays' unlikely new craze'. Denver Post. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
12. ^'Rose Bear'.
13. ^'Cute Plushies'. Cute Plushies. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
14. ^Wickman, Kase (August 30, 2017). 'The Life and Death of the Princess Diana Beanie Baby Market'. Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
15. ^Pardo, Steve (2007-04-11). 'Kids hooked on Webkinz world'. The Detroit News. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
16. ^Barakat, Matthew (2007-07-13). 'Review: Webkinz pleases parents and children'. NBC News. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
17. ^'Disney Store Releases Alice in Wonderland Tsums!'. Tsum Tsum Central. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-10-08.

Original Webkinz Animals