Disney MMO Club Penguin has announced a new set of tools that will allow parents to provide greater control of, and involve themselves in, their child’s online entertainment experience. The virtual world, which invites its users to create penguin avatars and interact with friends, is designed for kids aged 6 to 14.

One of the new features allows parents to logon and view their child's account history (e.g. bans, account payments), change passwords, and choose whether they want their child to chat with others using pre-approved phrases or by typing in their own messages. Later this month, parents will also have access to an integrated timer which can set the time of day and duration of their child's visit to Club Penguin.

Said Club Penguin general manager and co-founder Lane Merrifield: “While Club Penguin offers children a world of opportunity to play and use their imaginations online, as parents ourselves we understand the value of making sure kids also spend time away from the computer playing sports and being with their friends. We hope the timer and other new parent features are useful tools for parents who are looking for new ways to manage the time their children spend online.”