Safe and fun play in Build-A-Bearville is our #1 priority; we encourage you to participate and monitor your child's play on the Internet and to partner with us to help keep the Internet a safe and fun place to play. For more information, and for tips on talking to your child about how to play safe online, please visit our
Internet Safety section at buildabearville.com.
Thanks for playing with us!
Chat
An important part of the buildabearville.comŽ experience is chat. We have partnered with parents, teachers, children and industry experts to develop a simple to use, filtered and fun Chat system:
- Safe Open Chat: Children using Safe Open Chat can type their own phrases, provided they are included in an approved dictionary of words and phrases. This system uses the approved dictionary combined with filters that prevent the use of numbers, symbols and inappropriate communications.
- Instant Chat: Instant Chat allows users to choose what they want to say from a list of prewritten approved phrases. This is our default chat type and will be automatically on your child's account.
- Silent Chat: Silent chat is also available if you do not wish to use or see chat in Build-A-Bearville.
We believe all options are safe and fun, but to use Safe Open Chat parental permission is required. If you would prefer that your child not chat or view others chatting in the world, you can set their chat type to Silent by selecting the "Change Chat" option in the PDA.
Parent Advisory Panel
Build-A-Bear Workshop was founded in St. Louis in 1997 and grew as a business based on integrity, value, fun, and giving back to our community. We have been successful because we have listened to our Guests -- children and parents, every step of the way.
We believe that parents play a significant role in helping to ensure the online safety of their children. We have always had a Parent Advisory Panel. The Panel - a parent group that from time to time is asked to review and give input on products, services and online features - has been a source of important input since we launched our online community.
If you would like to join our Parent's Advisory Panel, please send an email to parentadvisors@buildabear.com.
It is interested and engaged Guests, like our Parent Advisory Panel, who help us do a better job!
Jr. CyBearGuideT Program
We launched an online Jr. CyBearGuide program in buildabearville.com in August 2008. The program allows qualified members of the online community to act as guides by answering questions, providing information and even giving tours. Each Jr. CyBearGuide member's online character receives a unique Jr. CyBearGuideT Cap - a blue hat with a star - to help distinguish them within the online community and let others know that they are there to help and answer questions. In addition to providing assistance and answering questions for buildabearville.com visitors, the Jr. CyBearGuide members will also be asked from time to time to lend their opinions and suggestions on improvements that can be made in the world.
If you or your child is interested in becoming a Jr. CyBearGuide member visit the Bear University in Build-A-BearvilleT. Click the paw under the big Jr. CyBearGuide blue star to learn all about the program. If you meet the qualifications, visit the Classroom to take your test to get started.
If you do not have an account at buildabearville.com yet, email vwhelp@buildabear.com and ask about how to create an account and become a Jr. CyBearGuide member!
