Over the last couple of years the Internet has been evolving at a breathtaking pace, with ever newer tools to enhance interaction and allow more direct participation at Web sites. To enjoy the best children’s material on the Web, here are the so-called "add-ons" and "plug-ins" to your Web browser (whether it’s Netscape or Microsoft’s Internet Explorer) that are a definite must:

Shockwave—This plug-in allows animated interaction with Web sites targeted to both children and adults. Like all plug-ins, it’s currently free for download. Visit www.macromedia.com/shockwave/ to download Shockwave Flash!, the program that brings the Internet to life. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the program, take yourself and the kids to the site’s Arcade, Jukebox and Gallery to experience its impressive effects.

QuickTime 4.0—This wonderful multimedia tool from Apple (for both Macs and PCs) will provide hours of fun and edification. It allows users to play music, view movies and streaming content, navigate 360-degree VR pictures, and access other online multimedia content. If you don’t have it, go to www.quicktime.apple.com to get it.

RealPlayer—Get live, streaming audio and video on your computer at www.real.com. Download the free program called "RealPlayer." Soon, you’ll be listening to live concerts or even watching congressional hearings on C-Span! RealPlayer plays both Real Audio and Real Video files.

Lastly, you should make sure your browser is Java-enabled. In the latest browsers from Netscape and Microsoft, interactive games and such are made possible by Internet applets powered by Java programming language. If you don’t have a Java-enabled browser, go to www.netscape.com or www.microsoft.com for their latest versions. Unfortunately, Microsoft no longer supports Java in its Macintosh browsers. If you have a Mac and your current IE browser doesn't run Java applets, go to this Apple page to get the Mac OS Runtime for Java (MRJ). Please note that you'll need at least 24 megabytes of memory to use MRJ.