What is Always Icecream?
Always Icecream is an educational and entertaining website exclusively for girls between the ages of 7 and 12. Always Icecream is unique in the way the site motivates girls to learn.

How does Always Icecream motivate girls to learn?
By completing the learning materials and videos users can earn ice cream $coops - the virtual currency on Always Icecream. This currency can then be used to play games or access other fun content. If parents enable the “social” features of Always Icecream, girls participate in fun competitions based on their achievements. Always Icecream is the first website that combines all these aspects of online usage in an educational and safe format.

What is the parents’ role on Always Icecream?
Parents can play an active role on Always Icecream. Parents receive weekly email reports on the learning progress of their daughters. Through their complimentary account, parents can enable or disable the “community features” that enable girls to communicate with other members. In addition, parents can customize the educational content that is presented to their girls. There is also a unique way in which parents can use our site: Girls can be rewarded “$coops,” the site’s in-game currency, for accomplishing “real world tasks” such as practicing piano or exercising.

Who created Always Icecream?
Dr. Johannes and Swenja Ziegler, co-founders of Always Icecream, have three young daughters and two sons. Both Johannes and Swenja were educated in Europe, Asia, and the United States and highly value a solid education for their children. With their own children they gathered a wide range of educational experiences ranging from homeschooling to various forms of traditional and alternative education. They came up with the idea for Always Icecream when they watched the enthusiasm with which their daughters were playing online games At the same time Johannes and Swenja were concerned about the safety and the educational value of existing sites. Being the CEO of Miaplaza Inc., a company with extensive experience in creating social websites, Johannes assembled a team of educational experts and award-winning software developers to create Always Icecream.

Can boys join Always Icecream?
We recommend that boys use Clever Dragons (www.clever-dragons.com), the boys-only equivalent of Always Icecream. Some boys may prefer Unicorns over Dragons and pink over blue. In this case, we recommend to choose the "educational-only" version of Always Icecream that allows boys to access the learning games, but not to interact with other members.

Why do you offer different sites for boys and girls?
We strongly believe in equality between boys and girls when it comes to academic achievements. Therefore, both Always Icecream and Clever Dragons offer the same educational content. However, when it comes to social interaction, and expression through play and artwork, many children enjoy being in a "girls-only" or "boys-only" environment. This is similar to the tried-and-true experience of "boys scouts" versus "girls scouts."

What is the educational philosophy behind Always Icecream?
The core idea behind Always Icecream is that children learn more when they are motivated and in a positive mood. Therefore, Always Icecream "packages" drills in academic core subjects in the format of fun games. Rewards are given at all levels, including recognition of creative artwork by their peers.

Is my daughter safe on Always Icecream?
User safety is our most important concern. Always Icecream is using multiple methods and processes to ensure user safety and privacy. The site's content is continuously scanned for inappropriate content using both software and manual reviews. Users can also report any concerns or problems they encounter to Always Icecream staff. Furthermore, self-policing mechanisms are in place to encourage proper behavior and etiquette. Lastly, parents receive regular email reports about the activities and learning progress of their daughter.

Does Always Icecream teach evolution?
At Always Icecream we try to exclude content, such as evolution and the origin of life, that is contentious in some communities. There are plenty of educational subjects that are taught and appreciated by parents and teachers of any worldview. These are the areas that girls can practice on Always Icecream.

How much does it cost?
Always Icecream is free of advertising. We never sell or rent any user data. The membership fee is $5.95 per month with a monthly subscription or $3.95 per month with an annual membership. We also offer a lifetime membership. We use the funds we receive to develop, on average, one new educational game for our members every week. Your parent account is free of charge.

Why do girls have to pay for their membership?
Always Icecream is for registered members only. Membership requires a modest monthly or annual membership fee. This enables the Miaplaza Inc., the operator of the site, to keep the site advertising free, which makes for a more pleasant and safe online experience.

I have two daughters. Do I need two accounts for them?
On Always Icecream every girl should have her own account and yes, this means you'll need to purchase two separate accounts (but you only need one parent account for all your daughters). This way every girl can create her own artwork, track her own learning progress, raise and care for her own pets and earn and spend her own $coops. If you want to purchase a membership for more than two daughters, please contact us at feedback@always-icecream.com for discounts.

I have a daughter on Always Icecream and a son on Clever Dragons. Can I use the same parents account?
Unfortunately, for technical and usability reasons, you will need to set up separate parents accounts on both sites. You can, however, use the same email address for both accounts.