Apr 20, 2008

Webkinz: Interactive toys featured in celebration of their creationBy Nicole ColemanJournal-Register.com

Young fans of the plush Webkinz animals will be able to play some of their favorite online games at Rosenkrans Gift Shop & Pharmacy this weekend.

Webkinz Extravaganza will feature games, prizes, snacks and a free Webkinz with any $10 purchase. The event will be held at the store from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

“We thought it would be a great opportunity to get out there and do something fun for the kids,” said Gift Shop Manager Barb Kujawa. “Nobody is going to be turned away. … Everything is on Rosenkrans. We’re just going to have a good time.”

Families at stores where Webkinz are sold across the U.S. and Canada will help celebrate the third anniversary of the toy’s creation. Those who log on to play at the Webkinz.com Web site have been greeted with a personal invitation for the promotional affair, said 12-year-old Courtney VanBuren, a sixth-grader at Royalton-Hartland Middle School.

She has collected eight of the furry creatures, her favorite of which is a chocolate lab she affectionately calls “Cocoa.” The codes that come attached to each animal allow her to play games and activities online for KinzCash. In turn, she is able to pay for furniture in her Webkinz’ virtual home, she said.

The best part is being able to play with friends online, said 8-year-old Megan Blackburn, a third-grader at Royalton-Hartland Elementary School. Her favorite Webkinz game is The Polar Plunge, she said.

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