Is it just nostalgia, or was the internet more fun in the 2000s?
Whoever came up with the idea for Webkinz was really onto something. Buy a stuffed animal that becomes an avatar on a super-fun website where you can play games and build a house? There’s a reason the website is still running.
Disney Channel television shows were elite in the 2000s, and so were the games available on Disney Games. From "625 Sandwich Stacker" to "Zack & Cody’s Tipton Trouble," kids spent hours upon hours on this website.
Nickelodeon’s website had lots of fun games, too. It also had polls, videos, and articles to read, making it feel less like a site for kids. Not everything the Nickelodeon executives allowed in the 2000s was good, but this website was.
Neopets was Webkinz before Webkinz existed. There was a fantastical element, though, and you didn’t have to buy a stuffed animal to access the website. Neopets was that girl.
Any kid who dressed up as a celebrity on Stardoll as a kid became a pop culture-obsessed adult. If you’re feeling particularly nostalgic and/or weird one day, you can still log on to the website.
Any kid who edited photos on Picnik in the 2000s is most likely not a graphic designer. Everyone using that site thought they were photo editing pros. In reality, they were making their photos look much worse than previously thought possible.
There was something highly appealing about Millsberry. Whether the aesthetic, the games, the town layout, or the fact that everything was based on cereals, Millsberry was the online place to be for kids in the 2000s.
There’s nothing like a business that tells you exactly what it’s offering. Addicting Games was full of games that could suck your time like nothing else on the internet. If you got bored with one game, there were thousands more to play.
Omegle was … not safe. The internet was still new enough in the 2000s that plenty of kids were logging on without parental supervision and accessing places like Omegle, which definitely resulted in horrific incidents. Thankfully, the website was shut down.
For every Omegle, there was an age-appropriate website like Club Penguin where you were still able to have fun — but safely. Club Penguin did not tolerate cussing!
Toontown was a classic Disney character lover’s dream. It was basically a digital version of the Disneyland park. Seriously, what is it that people love about online animated communities? Even kids are obsessed.
Were kids desperate for entertainment in the 2000s? Rather than going outside or reading a book, they’d queue up Stumble Upon and see what random website would take over their browser next. It’s mind-blowing that kids were allowed on this site unsupervised.
What about cereal games that had kids so enamored in the 2000s? Between Millsberry and Postopia, there were plenty of ways for them to waste time on the internet. And they definitely did.
The Barbie Girl website was the perfect transition for Barbie lovers who felt too old to play with dolls but wanted to express their love for the classic toy in some way. The games were a blast, too.
PBS Kids was the default website that kids played on at school when the rest of their favorites got blocked. It wasn’t as cool as the other sites, but kids still loved it, even if they were embarrassed to admit it.
Cool Math was another website that kids probably only played at school because it was allowed for its educational value, but there were tons of games that were genuinely fun. The website is still available for anyone who wants to find their favorite game from childhood.
Polly Pocket has had several different identities as a toy, including its digital presence. Interesting branding choices aside, Polly Pocket Games was a website on par with Barbie Girl or Stardoll. It was just part of the culture. In the 2000s, any beloved toy (or cereal) had an accompanying website full of games.
Bebo was essentially MySpace for kids. It had features and an aesthetic similar to that of quintessential 2000s. It’s another site whose existence, based on its main audience, in retrospect, is truly confounding.
Acacia is a South Dakota-based writer with a love of all things pop culture, particularly music, television, and celebrities. Her previous work can be found on Nicki Swift and Mashed. When she's not writing, Acacia is watching television, listening to music, completing a crossword puzzle, or reading.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!