About Ohanarama

What is Ohanarama?

Ohanarama is a safe and fun environment where family and friends come together for great (and educational!) gameplay and a playful social atmosphere. On Ohanarama you can challenge or be challenged by family members in age appropriate gameplay. You and your family can also work together as a team and challenge other families for bragging rights. At Ohanarama, our goal is to connect families around the world with a social, fun, all-inclusive online experience.

Who are the brains behind Ohanarama?

Ohanarama was founded by parents of children ranging from 4–15. As founders and executives of technology companies we identified the need for a safe, fun, educational environment that connected our geographically dispersed families.

Who can play games on Ohanarama?

Ohanarama educational games are designed for children ages 5–12. Other Ohanarama games are just plain fun for everyone. Ohanarama is the most fun when you get your whole family involved and play games among your family members or compete as a family against other families.

For educational games, our approach to game play includes systematically tailoring content to the actual user -- so a second grader doesn't get the same game play as a fourth grader.

Ohanarama is free to play for everyone, but those who wish to take advantage of some of our advanced features or for kids to earn points they can redeem for real world rewards, you may need to purchase in game currency.

I understand Ohanarama can be played through Facebook as well as on a website. How does this work?

Facebook is the most widely used social network in the world and many of our families, in many countries, are connected on Facebook. Facebook is not a place for our children under the age of 13. Ohanarama has been specially designed to use the best of the social networking, social gaming experience that we, as parents, enjoy on Facebook and include our children in a safe and secure way.

The same application and games that your child plays with security and privacy on www.ohanarama.com is the application that your family members 13 and over may play on Facebook. We're busy Moms and Dads and we recognize you are too. We designed it this way to provide our users simple options that align with their current social networking habits so you don't have to login to another site. Leaderboards and player stats will show on the Ohanarama Facebook application and on Ohanarama.com.

What platforms and browsers can I use with Ohanarama?

Any PC or Mac computer with Internet access and Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers. We recommend you use the latest version of the browser when playing Ohanarama.

Can I use an iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad to play Ohanarama?

Because Ohanarama uses Adobe Flash, today we do not support the use of these devices. However, we do have plans in the future to allow their use.

Is my child protected from Facebook if some of my family members use the Ohanarama Facebook application?

Your child will never enter Facebook and will not see any Facebook features such as their parent or any family member's Walls. Wall posts made by family members will not use the name of a child.

Where are Ohanarama's headquarters?

Wallingford, PA USA (that's a town outside of Philadelphia, PA)

When was Ohanarama's founded?

We dreamed it up in 2008, but we started working on it in 2009.

Games and Activities

What types of games are available on Ohanarama?

Ohanarama offers educational as well as just for fun games. We offer both single player and mulltiplayer games. Our multiplayer games are designed to be played both online, at the same time and turn based, when you can't be online at the same time.

What educational value does Ohanarama provide?

Ohanarama's educational games support educational skills and standards for grades 1 - 5. Each game has an identified educational category and skill, by grade, that conforms to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and National Council of Teachers of English standards.

Each child account is identified by a grade level and Ohanarama tailors the educational content of the game based upon the skills that child should be learning and honing at their grade level.

What family games are offered?

Ohanarama includes families in the gameplay. Challenge your family members to score higher than you on MaxDamage, for example, and see your name on the leaderboard. Families can also team up to play games in a Family Contest where they compete against other families. Ohanarama also offers a family quiz game called Relativity. More family specific games and activities will be offered in the future.

Why is the score reported after the game sometimes different than what I saw before the game was over?

In a multiple level game, when the game ends during a level (either by quitting or running out of "lives"), the points earned during that level are not added to the total score. Points are only earned when a level is completed successfully.

Currency, Gifts and Rewards

What Currency is Available at Ohanarama?

Ohanarama has two different currencies, Tokens and Neuros. Tokens, the Ohanarama virtual currency, are earned by everyone who plays at Ohanarama. Tokens are used to purchase virtual items and gifts you use inside Ohanarama for you or a family member.

Neuros, the Ohanarama cash value currency, may be earned by children when they play Ohanarama educational games. Neuros can be used to purchase real world items from our rewards gallery.

How can I buy Ohanarama Tokens or Neuros?

We believe you should be able to have fun without buying anything from Ohanarama, so you don't have to purchase Tokens or Neuros. However, you can buy Tokens or Neuros online through www.Ohanarama.com or at http://apps.facebook.com/Ohanarama. You must be 18 years of age in order to purchase either Tokens or Neuros, so please ask an adult if you are under 18!

How do I get free Ohanarama Tokens?

Tokens are earned through gameplay, but keep an eye out for free token opportunities in the future!

How do I get free Ohanarama Neuros?

Each player on Ohanarama is provided with 200 Neuros at registration. Children need to earn their Neuros through playing the educational games. Adults may use their Neuros to gift to children (either directly or through and incentive to play the educational games). When the adult uses all of their free Neuros, they must purchase additional Neuros if they would like to gift any to other family members. Keep an eye out for free Neuro-earning opportunities in the future through sponsored games and activities.

Can Adults Earn Neuros?

In general, only children earn Neuros for playing our educational games. At times, sponsors may award Neuros to adults who answer a survey, play a game, or other sponsored activity. The Neuros that an adult may earn from sponsors may be used for any Ohanarama activity, such as entering a Family Contest or putting more Neuros into a child's Neuro account so that they may earn them for playing educational games.

Can I transfer tokens or Neuros from one account to another?

Tokens earned by a specific user are non-transferable. However, in the future, an adult may purchase tokens on behalf of a Child Account. Neuros purchased by an adult family member may be used to enter a contest, to gift to another family member, or to sponsor educational gameplay of a child.

Contests

What contests are available on Ohanarama?

Ohanarama offers Family Contests, where families form a team and compete against other family teams to score the highest combined score for a series of games within the contest. The games included with each Family Contest will vary and may include games not currently offered in the regular game gallery.

How often will Ohanarama run Family Contests?

It is our plan to run Family Contests at least once per month. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to run one every month.

Will Ohanarama ever withdraw a Family Contest?

Ohanarama may withdraw a contest prior to its start based upon lack of entrants to the contest. If that occurs, Ohanarama will notify entrants as to the cancellation through email.

What happens to my registration fee if the Family Contest is withdrawn?

Your registration fee, in Neuros, will be returned to the account of the purchaser upon cancellation or withdrawal of the Family Contest.

How do I enter my family into a Family Contest?

To enter your family into the Contest, one adult member of your family must register and name the Family Team. Each member of your direct family is part of the Family Team for the purpose of developing the Team score.

Each family that enters the contet must pay a registration fee. Registration fees are paid in Neuros.

How does my team win a Family Contest?

A family team wins the contest by having the highest combined score. A combined score is one where the highest score for each game are combined to created the final family score. The high score for a particular game may be achieved by any member of the family team.

While typically a prize is offered to the highest scoring team, Ohanarama may award prizes to the second and third place families at its sole discretion.

What kind of prizes may be offered in the Family Contest?

The Family Contest may result in a variety of merchandise prizes such as electronics, travel packages, games, etc. or a gift certificate or gift card.

Are Family Contests on Ohanarama legal?

Yes. The Family Contests on Ohanarama consist of games that are no different than carnival games or other skill-based games that have been played for cash or prizes in the offline world for years and are beginning to become available online.

The outcome of all Ohanarama Contests is based on the player or team's skill. This is in sharp contrast to lotteries or games typically found in casinos, where every player ultimately faces the same random odds. And while every Ohanarama game or puzzle is potentially solvable if a player plays correctly, a player or team of players ultimately wins a Contest by outscoring their opponent(s), even if they don't solve the game or puzzle.

Although the distinctions between skill-based games and games of chance are clear, there are a few states within the U.S. that do not permit skill-based games to be played for cash or prizes. Residents of those states can still enjoy Ohanarama free games without cash or prize offerings. Please see our Terms of Service for more information regarding states that do not permit playing in contests such as these.

 

 

Video Chat

I am getting the message that I need to upgrade to Flash Player 11.1. Is this required to use Ohanarama?

Yes, with our new integrated video chat capability, you must be running Flash Player 11.1 on any machine that you use for accessing Ohanarama.

I am running on a Mac and cannot see to be able to upgrade to Flash Player 11. What is causing this?

On the Mac, you must be running Mac OSX Snow Leopard or Lion to be able to install Flash Player 11.

Why do I get a message asking me to "Allow" access to my camera and microphone?

The new release of Ohanarama has integrated audio/video chat capability that requires access to your camera and microphone. The pop-up informs you of this. The microphone and camera are only used while you are chatting.

What happens if I select Allow?

By selecting Allow, Ohanarama captures what your camera sees and your microphone hears, until you end the chat session. Capturing this information is necessary for Ohanarama to broadcast the video and audio to the other individual in the chat session. Ohanarama does not record, nor store this information for any purpose.

What happens if I select Deny?

If you select Deny, Ohanarama will not be able to function as intended and you will not be able to initiate or participate in a chat session.

Do I have to answer this question every time I want to have a chat session?

You will need to answer this question for each new session on Ohanarama. If you are logged into Ohanarama and have answered the question for a chat with a family member and, while still logged in the same session, choose to chat with another family member, you will not be asked the question again. If you logout of Ohanarama and log back in, you will be asked the question again the first time you initiate chat during this new session.

I am hearing myself echo during a chat session. How do I make that stop?

The echo you hear is your own speech being picked up by the microphone on your chat partner's computer and sent back to you.

If the person you are chatting with has an integrated microphone (not a USB-connected microphone), then echo cancellation technology should automatically reduce or eliminate this echo. If automatic echo cancellation is not available, the solution is for your chat partner to use headphones. (That way, your voice will go directly into their ears, and not be overheard by their microphone.)

Similarly, if the person you are chatting with complains of hearing their own voice echo back to them, you will need to use headphones (on your end) to eliminate the issue.

How do I start a game while chatting with my family member?

From home view, click More in the play Games section. Select the Multi Player tab at the top to see all of the multiplayer games. Choose a game to play, such as Lineup 4. When the game is started your chat partner will automatically be chosen as your opponent. They will receive a pop-up notice that you've started a game, and can click one button to enter the game with you.

If more than one family member is online at the same time, can I chat with all of them?

No, you may currently only chat with one family member at a time.

Why can't I have a real time board game open with a family member online while I am chatting with another family member?

Ohanarama makes the real time board game connection between the members that are currently chatting. If you would like to open a game with another family member that is online at the same time, then you must end your current chat session.

I don't see where I can initiate a chat with my family member. How do I call them?

If another family member is online at the same time, you will see a visual indicator on their avatar in the family area of the home screen. Click on the indicator and it will ask if you want to start a chat. It's that simple. If no one else is online at the same time, you will not see an indicator on their avatar to start a chat.

I am having problems making the chat connect, it seems stuck. What could it be?

Do you have another application, like Skype, open that may be using your microphone or video camera? If you do, Ohanarama will not be able to make a connection.

Can I use video chat if both players are playing on the same computer?

First, you will see that other players are logged in if they have logged in under another browser tab on the same computer. You can click to initiate the chat, but it will not be able to successfully complete the connection since there is only one camera and microphone, it will get stuck in the connection.

Are there any tools that can help me diagnose my problem in connecting?

Yes, our partner Tok Box, who provides the video chat function, recently introduced a Web-based video chat diagnostic tool. When you go to the following page, your computer is scanned to see if it has the required software and hardware for video chatting with OpenTok: http://www.tokbox.com/user-diagnostic/

Payment

Why was I was notified that tokens or Neuros have been removed from my account?

This can be due to a number of reasons, such as:

• a problem with the credit card
• payment cancellation because they did not recognize the purchase on their credit card bill. Ohanarama purchases look like this on credit card statements: AWL*Ohanarama.com".
• In order to get currency returned to an account an adult will need to purchase it.

So what fees might Ohanarama charge?

Currently Ohanarama does not offer tokens for purchase.

Ohanarama charges for the purchase of Neuros, depending upon the amount of Neuros purchased. The cost is clearly stated on the screen where Neuros are purchased.

Ohanarama also charges a registration fee, in Neuros, for special events, such as the Family Contest, should you choose to participate.

What if I still have a Payment or Fee question that wasn't addressed on this page?

Please contact us at support@ohanarama.com

Rules of Conduct

What are Ohanarama's Rules of Conduct?

Show Respect: Ohanarama does not tolerate any swearing or other disrespectful behavior toward any user of Ohanarama.

Be Safe: Never reveal your personal information such as your real name, phone number, address, email or passwords.

Set an Example for Your Family: Ohanarama will not tolerate racial or sexual comments, references to drugs and alcohol, or other inappropriate comments made on the site or directed at another player.

Violations of these rules may result in temporary or permanent suspension from Ohanarama.

Safety & Privacy

Is Ohanarama safe for kids to use?

Ohanarama is designed for children and their families and is compliant with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) rules. We take privacy very seriously. Please read our Privacy Policy for more details on how we collect and store information.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding our Privacy Policy and/or practices, please contact us at the following e-mail address: privacy@ohanarama.com

Is my personal account information protected on Ohanarama?

Yes. Ohanarama follows industry standards and practices to protect and secure personal account information.

Does Ohanarama offer chat?

Ohanarama offers messaging among family members only. The Parent Account holder is responsible for approving individuals connected to the family and able to send/receive messages with children. An individual, adult or child, will not be able to message a child within Ohanarama without prior approval of the Parent Account holder.

Does Ohanarama make promotions or advertisements available to my child without my consent?

Ohanarama does not collect e-mail addresses from children. Parents are able to enter an email for the child in the account setting. If a parent has provided an email address for the child, then Ohanarama will send standard in game messages to the child account holder. Ohanarama is in full compliance with the CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) Act that prevents unsolicited promotion of adult content or marketing materials to children under the age 14.

Your child may be exposed to in-game promotions from our sponsors. When/if that occurs, Ohanarama will follow Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) guidelines for transparency of the company's intent. A sponsor may offer tokens or bonus Neuros for a child to play a recess or curricular game. The availability and terms of those offers will be prominently displayed within the game.

By way of being in the reward gallery, a consumer product company's offering will be presented to your child.

We encourage you to talk to your child about their interaction and game play on Ohanarama.com. We want your feedback also. Please provide any feedback at support@ohanarama.com

While Adult Account holders may receive Ohanarama newsletters and marketing materials, we never contact Child Account holders directly. Each marketing-related e-mail we deliver will include instructions for subscription removal. You can either opt-out through the link we provide or change your e-mail settings through your parent account.

 

Registration and Account Management

How do I create a Ohanarama account?

Click here to create a Parent Account

Who can create a Ohanarama account?

Adults may create an account on Ohanarama. Parents setup child accounts for their children.

Do I need a credit card to create a Ohanarama account?

You do not need a credit card to create a Ohanarama account and start playing. However, certain activities require funding by the Neuro, our cash value currency. Adults do need a credit card to purchase Neuros.

What information must I provide to create a Ohanarama account?

To create a Child Account on Ohanarama, we ask for a first name, last name, gender, birthdate, username and password.

To create a Parent Account on Ohanarama, we require a Facebook account for authentication.

Can I include more than one child on my Ohanarama account?

Yes, Parent Accounts can be linked to more than one Child Account.

What do I do if we forget a child's password?

A password rest capability is available.

Can you delete my son/daughter's account for me?

Please contact our support to deactivate an account at support@ohanarama.com.