Seven-year-old Joshua Smith has surfed the Internet before, but nothing compared to Kidz Place.

"The other ones don't have games like this," Joshua said about Augusta-Richmond County's new children-themed Web site. "I like playing the soccer game and the board games. It's fun."

The city's Information Technology Department created the Web site to open up a fun and safe environment for children to learn, director Tameka Allen said.

The Web site was launched July 10, and has already received more than 900 hits. The idea has been years in the making, Ms. Allen said.

"Kids are so tech savvy nowadays, so we wanted to give them something that would be a one-stop shop," she said. "It's a kid-friendly Web site to give them links to the community, education and other activities."

Kidz Place offers homework help, safety tips, links to fun activities going on in Augusta and numerous links to games.

The first children to test the Web site were those involved in Camp Data, a technology camp offered by the city. Campers have enjoyed using the Web site for everything from storybook time to playing their favorite soccer game, said Annette Coker, a database administrator and helper at Camp Data.

"This is something that really triggers their interest," Ms. Coker said. "They can see just how diverse this world really is. They just see videos on things, but this shows them even more that there's a whole world out there."

Ms. Allen said she hopes Richmond County school teachers will use Kidz Place as a learning tool in their classrooms this fall.

"Our whole goal is to really promote it," she said. "It's their link to everything that makes it great to be a kid in this city."