Chuggington Help

Dear Beta Testers,

Thank you so much for being a part of our private preview! For now there will not be any new versions of the downloadable Virtual Chuggington. Instead, we've built a race track for chuggers to compete head-to-head.

Your comments and suggestions have helped guide us through all of our interactive endeavors – we couldn't have done it without you, and hope you've enjoyed the ride!

The age where you are comfortable with your child online depends entirely with you. We usually say that Chuggington appeals mostly to kids aged 3 to 6, but we know there are fans both younger and older.

The theory of cognitive development (the work of Swiss philosopher Jean Piaget) holds that children younger than 3 need to be stimulated by physical encounters — meaning that though they might enjoy manipulating a mouse or smashing a keyboard, toddlers probably get little value out of a computer screen.

Beginning at 3, however, children begin to realize their actions have consequences, and the relationship fascinates them. According to Warren Buckleitner, PhD, editor of "Children's Technology Review," children at this age enjoy mimicking what their parents do, so providing them control of their own interactive experience on a computer is a useful tool for development at this stage.

Children of all ages need discoveries that stimulate their minds, pique their curiosity, and give them a sense of accomplishment. As long as they have a wide range of opportunities to experience this — from kicking a ball to clicking a mouse — Chuggington.com can be a rewarding part of their growth.

We always encourage parents to be familiar with what their children are doing online. Besides, being present as they play helps children build confident computer skills.

In the case of the virtual world, we designed it to be so intuitive, children can have a rewarding experience without a parent hovering nearby to navigate or read instructions at every encounter. With just a little practice at the controls of their personal train avatar, children should be able to have a rewarding time playing on their own here — and they'll feel a true sense of accomplishment for doing so!

The Avatar Room is where you can organize your Buddy List. Click on the green "Plus" button and enter your friend's email address. An automated email will be delivered requesting confirmation that you're indeed a friend they'd like to race. Once you've confirmed your buddies, you'll be able to race each other if you're both online!

A chugger's parent has to qualify his friend to enter the starting room, but after that, pick as many as three online buddies and race (head to head). If you don't choose a friend, no worries; there are plenty of chuggers who want to race with you, and they'll show up in your starting room soon enough.

For a guide to the games on our site click here.

Because we don't want reading skills to be a barrier for any young fan who wants to play, we have designed simple symbols to communicate the basic actions players will find helpful. Young explorers may enjoy discovering on their own how these controls work, but we realize some parents may find it useful to guide them through the most basic of game controls. Here is a quick primer:

	"Take me back to the last page I was on." For children who start a game but change their minds.
	"Choose a level" Each time a child starts a game, they begin at level 1, the easiest version of that game. After they finish that level, they unlock the next, harder level. Once unlocked, levels stay unlocked, and children can click on any number they wish to try that level again.
	"Replay: I want to hear that/see that again." In several games, children must pay attention to a pattern or sequence to complete a game. If they miss (or forget) the colors, shapes or sounds presented to them, this button replays that sequence.