Reviews (44)

Jumpstart Advanced toddler
We bought this as a Christmas present for our son that just turned 2. We were looking for an educational computer game for him and we already had Reader Rabbit Toddler (which he loves). When I first started Jumpstart Adv. Toddler I thought it was way too simple, then I discovered that most activities have 2 levels. Level 1 is pretty basic and doesn't require the kids to do a whole lot...my son was very bored with this. Level 2 is much better...in fact it is more advanced than Reader Rabbit. Most of the activities do not require toddlers to click on the mouse, but if you can click it goes faster. I was surprised by how fast my son figured out the activities. He can do most everything by himself, but he still needs me to help him navigate some. This package comes with 3 cd's - school time, song time and art time. THe song time cd has several fun songs that he just loves. Overall I really like this game and have found it to be very educational. As soon as my son has mastered clicking the mouse we will be getting the preschool version.

JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster
Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster... is another real winner for all children in grades 1st-5th - like is partner - Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - this program has cute, fast paced, great music and sound three styles of arcade-like games to teach your children their math facts - no more boring math flash cards - learn math on a fast paced pinball machine, or arrange math facts for the the "burpers" or "smack" space ships and and space rocks to get correct answers to math problems - fast and fun - even for an old Grandma, me - all games are controled using the arrow keys and space bar excep to the outer space game where you shoot with a mouse - like the Spelling Bee it has over 800 pre-programmed math problems - all basic subjects are covered - addition, subtraction, muliplication, division, decimals and percentages in SIX different leveals - will auto advance at your child's own speed - on screen instructions for everything - also, like its partner, Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - you can program your child's "real" weekly math problems in to this program so they can learn their "real" weekly school math lessons in a fun arcade style of learning - you will love it for the small price tag - your children will love it for all of the fun they will have - and you will love it even more when your child brings home a A+ grade on their report card in Math. The [low price] is "right" - please buy it - once again this old Grandma is happy to be able to send my first grader, and my second grader back to school this year with this GREAT study tool. Knowledge Adventure can be very proud of these two programs ther Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster and their Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - buy them both and enjoy!
A very pleased Grandmother,
Jacqueline Lee Wilson

JumpStart Spanish a winner
My 5 year old loves her new JumpStart Spanish program. She has learned to count in spanish and her colors so far. Very fun games and rewards. She is really picking things up fast. We have not had any real computer problems, it has locked up once, but that has happened on other software as well. The sound works well. For the price I would recommend this as a beginning spanish program.

My daughter simply loves it!!!!
My 2 year old loves this set of CDs. I found that it reinforces all the things we are teaching her.... shapes, colors, numbers the ABC. The duck that sings is very sweet to their ear. I found it sooo great I am buying it for my daughter's school so the other kids can benefit as well.

Jump Start 4TH GRADE ADVANCED
I rented this software from the Library. It is a 3 disc program. My 3rd grader (almost 4th grader) loves the Ultimate Field Trips and Mystery Club volume 3. The fundamentals disc is a little too hard for her right now, so it is challenging. I played it because it looked fun and it was fun for me to play. I love the "mystery" tone of the software. I like these programs because there are fun games that do not get boring, and while your kids are playing the games, they are also learning a lot. I am going to purchase this software and the 3rd grade ADVANCED program so my child can review through the summer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Toddlers ages 1 to 3 experience the joy of learning with Reader Rabbit and friends. From hide-and-seek to peek-a-boo games or playing with onscreen blocks, drawing crayons, and more, this title's delightful characters come to life onscreen and create an enchanting learning environment for toddlers. No mouse clicking or other computer skills are required; toddlers strike any key to move the activities along. Plus, a new Dreamship activity filled with funny sounds and silly animations promises to amuse even the tiniest of tots.

Reader Rabbit Toddler 2002 is part of the award-winning Reader Rabbit children's educational software series. Toddlers discover a world of fun characters, interesting shapes, and colorful graphics in the CD-ROM's 20 interactive play areas. They'll also delight in this title's memorable sing-along tunes and fun printable activities.

To ensure that you're never without Reader Rabbit, Reader Rabbit Toddler 2002 comes with a special bonus CD-ROM, Reader Rabbit's Dreamship Tales. Bursting with added activities, videos, tunes, and more than 100 printable games and activities, it's a great way to keep the fun going after you've turned off the computer. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

No regrets on this purchase!
I bought this software based on others' reviews here. What a great buy! Our son turned 2 last month. We have an old iMac we gave him, and we thought we'd buy him Reader Rabbit to introduce him to computer use since he's taken an unhealthy interest in ours. The software installed easily, and by default makes itself start up when the computer turns on to save children from having to navigate program menus. The first time we sat our son in front of it he laughed and squealed and couldn't get enough of it. Since the software can be operated without a keyboard, we removed it (he was banging on it pretty hard), and he just navigates his way through everything with just the mouse. His favorite games are the Bubble Castle and the Fingerplay Theatre. Our son is behind in his language skills, and at the end of the first day (thanks to bubble castle) he could count to five! The best part though is the overwhelming cuteness of Fingerplay Theatre. He clicks a song, such as Twinkle-twinkle, and follows the rabbit's hand motions on the screen and then goes wild at the end clapping his hands and screaming YAY. I really could go on and on here, but let me summarize by saying after one week of Reader Rabbit, he knows more about colors, counting, alphabet and songs than he's learned in months of baby einstein videos. Best twenty bucks I've ever spent. Two technical shortcomings, but I'm reaching: There should be a "sleep" mode when he walks away from it and leaves it on, and possibly a way to disable the exit star (he sometimes clicks it by accident and inadvertently leaves the program).

Best toddler software I've found
We've tried Pooh Toddler, Little Bear, JumpStart and a handful of other toddler geared software and Reader Rabbit has been the favorite of both myself and my son. It's easy to skip the intros (which are short anyway) and get straight to the game; it works for a wide range of toddler skills; and it has activities appropriate to a toddler's attention span, namely short and colorful without being overly abrasive. Some of the games have more of a point than others ("can you find three matching animals?" vs. "pick a song!") but they can all be triggered by 1) point and click 2) mouse over or 3) random key pounding. This has been great for my son (who didn't get the whole mouse thing until he was 2 1/2) and means that no game is too advanced to key pound your way through. There are about eight different games on the main disc; you can pick a song to sing, match animal babies to their parents, place shapes to complete a picture, and match letter sounds to pictures -- among other things. I really like that a lot of the short tasks are rewarded with a *short* song and animation piece -- not great art, but not annoying, either. And my son loves them.

I will warn that the alphabet and the shape game can be frustrating if they accidently pick up a letter/shape on mouse over because it then has to be placed with the mouse -- random key pounding won't unstick it. Also, my son was prone to accidently bringing up the menu through key pounding and I'd have to come and fix it.

Finally, I've had the old and new versions of RR Toddler; the new one has a second disc which my son had zero interest in. On the main disc there are a few asthetic changes and a dreamship game in a completely different section, which my son loves but which has no real education value and is a little harder to access. On the good side, the new Reader Rabbit *seems* to run just fine on Mac OS X so I don't have to run 9 to get it to work. Hooray! (BTW, Little Bear Toddler has the same point and click/mouse over/random keys function, but I don't think it's as fun. The games that *require* mouse skills in toddlers have gotten shoved in the closet.)

The BEST first software program
After trying several different software programs for toddlers (including JumpStart Toddlers), I really believe this is the only way to go for the first program. The games are controlled by keyboard and mouse, so children who don't yet understand mouse movement can make the game work. When using the mouse, simply rolling over the correct part of the screen will activate the game. There are a variety of games that will improve computer skills gradually. Even after learning to point, click, and drag, my son still loves this game. My only complaint about the game is that I wish the star "button" which takes you back to the main menu is at the bottom right corner of the screen and too close to other pieces on many games. The fact that you only have to pause over the star, not click it, to return to the main menu meant that, until his mouse skills improved, my son was constantly accidently exiting a game in progress. I'd move the star to the upper right or left corner. But that is my only complaint. This is a fantastic product.

Reader Rabbit Toddler
After a bit of research, we bought this as the first computer software for our 1 year old daughter, and she just loves it. It keeps her occupied and laughing for long periods. First she was fascinated by the keyboard banging and the reactions she could cause. By 16 months she had mastered the concepts of mouse clicking and dragging objects and moving around. By 20 months she was an expert in all the games, starts and stops the program herself, and navigates to where she wants to play. This program is also educational as well as fun. She learned her numbers, colors, shapes, animal sounds, songs in large part through this software. While she is now 22 months and has moved on to a bit more advanced programs, she still goes back and enjoys playing these games quite frequently. This was a most excellent purchase. It was a very positive experience for her, not much frustration, in fact she kept pushing us away when we tried to help and show her things, she wanted to figure them out on her own. The computer has easily become her favorite toy, and the family has to fight with her just to get time of their own. I recommend this without hesitation, it is better by far than anything else I've seen for a baby/toddler starter program.

Too easy!
We bought this game for our 2-1/2 yr old last week and found that the games are too simple, the long instructions are annoying and can't be turned off, and you can't operate it without the CD. All the games are very easy, more geared towards 1-1/2 to 2 yr olds. Activities include matching letters, popping bubbles, matching animals. Although they are good for teaching mouse control, they are not intellectually challenging and our daughter is already bored with them. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Reader Rabbit Toddler is part of a curriculum-based system that is designed to keep children learning all through their elementary school years. Simple, brightly colored graphics and classic sing-along songs make all these activities a sure hit with toddlers.

This pack gets kids off to a great start with an introduction to letters and numbers, matching and patterns, music, and mouse skills. In "Follow-Me Theater," children take a physically active role with finger plays and singing along, while in "Baby Animal Bingo," sounds are matched to help parent animals find their babies. The characters of Reader Rabbit and his sidekick, Matt the Mouse, are funny and friendly--and always ready to help if your child needs a hint.

Because these characters are in every unit--all the way to sixth grade--and the basic format for each level is similar, children can dive right in to the new curriculum skills without the distraction of different graphic styles or character guides. This pack includes the next step--Reader Rabbit Preschool--as a free bonus. You'll see quickly why this series is so often used in schools, and we're sure your toddler will love it as much as her future teachers already do. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Absolutely Wonderful
My grandson just turned 3. He loves this CD. It is easy for him to use because he doesn't need to click the mouse. It is still difficult for him to hold the mouse steady when he clicks. If the mouse moves, he doesn't get a response and then gets very frustrated. This CD eliminates that problem. The activities are great fun for him. He likes the coloring and the "bubble castle" best. I highly recommend this CD.

Toddler is Great - PreSchool sucks
Imagine my surprise when I realized my 20-month old had suddenly developed pointing and clicking skills! We started him early with Reader Rabbit's Toddler (he was simply TOO interested in helping mommy "work"), and he was so delighted to be able to bang on the keys and watch stuff happen. By now (2 1/2) he can navigate through the entire program, and now amuses himself by interacting with the characters in ways the creators never imagined (he waits and waits until the mouse appears to tell him what to do, then scares her away with the pointer). Moving on, however, is a challenge - nothing quite lives up to this. We prefer Geoffrey Goes to the Fair and even JumpStart Preschool to RR Preschool, which requires endless busywork before getting rewards - even I don't have the patience!

The BUNNY GAAAAAME!
What would you like to do right now?

The Bunny Game.

It's a nice day out, wouldn't you rather come outside with me and play

The Bunny Game!

Let's go to the park instead, sweety.

The BUNNY GAAAAAME!

This is my major complaint of the game. The scene above is not an every day battle or anything, and my be a result of my daughter's personality rather than any addictive qualitys of the game. However, when she has decided to play it, well, I had better sit down with her to play.

My daughter, who just turned 2, sees Mommy and Daddy cook, so she likes to cook. She sees Mommy and Daddy clean up the kitchen, so she likes to clean up the kitchen. She sees Mommy and Daddy use the computer.... so, having a game that lets her use the computer, I think, is mostly a good thing.

I think we got the game for her right around when she was the recommended 18 months old or so, and when we first started to play it with her we had to help her with most of the activities. I am not sure that she even really understood that she was controling the action. It was, I think, lots of pretty pictures and songs. The game is set up so that your budding computer expert doesn't have to click the mouse to make things happen; a child only has to move the mouse to play any of the games. Still, some of the games are harder than others. Some of the games will reward your toddler with a song for just ramdomly moving the mouse, while others will require a good deal of concentration, which is an asset of the game. Your 18m-3year old will be able to play the games. The hardest skill to master, and what casues the most frustration (for the toddler) is the screen where they choose which game to play.

Notice that I said that When we sit down to play the game. As I already said, your 18Month old will require help, and as you continue to help your child, they may come to expect it, and suddenly playing this game will become a bonding experience if you are that kind of parent, or a chore, if you are another kind of parent, or both if you are somewhere in between. I don't know if I want to leave a 2 year old incharge of $2000 worth of hardware, and what ever else I forgot to back up on the hard drive anyhow. 2 might be a better age to start them on this game, however, from both a cognative and a motor skills perspective. I am not sure that an 18 month understands what is expected of them by the game. You might be better off to surf Tele-Tubbie Websites with them if they want to use the computer with Daddy.

Excellent learning package for up to age 3.
My son received Reader Rabbit Toddler as a gift and we are sold on it's ability to help him learn while having fun. He loves to do all of the tasks and is learning colors, shapes and a host of other skills. The true test of a software program is the willingness to buy the next level - we are doing just that by upgrading to the Preschool program.

My Preschoolers Loved It
With its easy point and click at the pictures approach, even very young preschoolers in my day care could navigate this program. They loved the variety of activities - coloring, nursery rhyme theater, matching animals to their mother, counting and more. I loved it too - it was a great educational tool that was fun for them to explore. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

It had to happen: software is now being bundled for your little bundleof joy. Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby & Toddler will never be asubstitute for the tactile joys of real life, but this software does manage tocapture infants' and toddlers' attention with bright, happy images and a formatthat responds well to chubby, not-so-coordinated hands.

In Playtime for Baby, a game of tag between Reader Rabbit and Mat theMouse ends with Mat hiding in a toy box. With Mat's help, each of the 10 toys inthe box leads the baby into a new experience: singing, manipulating shapes,playing hide-and-seek, discovering body parts, reading storybooks, and (oh joy!)rummaging in drawers to make music. Your baby controls the action by hitting anykey on the keyboard (or just hitting the keyboard, as they are wont to do) orsimply moving the mouse. No clicks are required. The cursor is a big fat starthat leaves a trail of twinkles. Brushing it against an object onscreen willelicit anything from a childlike giggle to a kerplunk to the appropriateanimal noise.

The only critique of this CD is that the artwork is simplistic. It would be niceto see more depth and smoother movement, if only to make the program moreenjoyable for the adults who must guide their babies through it. Other thanthat, by developing cupboards with no locks, personalized storybooks with pagesthat don't rip, and farm animals willing to engage in endless games ofhide-and-seek, the creators of Playtime for Baby have managed to tap into a baby'swildest dreams.

Playtime for Toddler has a lusher look than Playtime for Baby.Again, mouse movements or keyboard pokes inspire action in nine activities thatinclude things that send most toddlers into fits of joy. One of the better gamesis Bubble Castle, where your toddler "pops" bubbles with animals in them, andthe freed creatures gallop into a castle and peep from the windows. This simplepayoff engaged one 2-year-old tester for many minutes, shouting "Bye-bye,animal!" each time she liberated a critter. Pop and Play Place teaches matchingand music as toddlers activate three jack-in-the-boxes until whatever pops outmatches, upon which they are rewarded with a song ("We are mice, we are nice. Wesay please when we want cheese!"). In Follow Me Theater, Reader Rabbit acts outhand-motion hits like "Eensy Weensy Spider" and "I'm a Little Teapot." Otheractivities include a puzzle and color tutorial called Sky Shapes; PeekabooJungle, where kids investigate animal noises with a flashlight cursor; a MusicalMeadow; an ABC Train that teaches letters with the help of slick animation andaudio; and Baby Basket Bingo, a cute bit of business that requires toddlers toreunite baby animals with their parents based on the tiny roar or peep thatcomes from the creature hidden in the basket. Rainbow Rock is the only loser inthe bunch, a coloring program that doesn't even attempt to teach colors.

One of the best features of Playtime for Toddler is that younger babiescan bang on the keyboard and automatically get "correct" results, while olderones can use the mouse to drag the cursor in a mode that involves more trial anderror. Both options are available at once; no settings need to be changed.Clicking does nothing here, which may puzzle some tykes who have alreadydiscovered that clicking gets results in grownup programs. Overall, this is adecent bundle for babies, with Playtime for Toddler being the stronger,more realistic offering of the two. (Ages 1 to 3) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Excellent educational program!
I bought Reader Rabbit Baby and Toddler for my son when he was about 15 months. He's been using it for 6 months and still loves it! There are so many different activities; we haven't even gotten to all of them yet. He has a few other CD's - but still loves "Mat the Mouse" best!

The program focuses on the basics and seems to emphasize "child interaction". For example, one of the activities is a coloring book. An outlined drawing comes on the screen (fish, dinosaurs, frog and an elephant in a boat, etc.) and my son colors in the drawing just by moving the mouse back and forth. He was able to do this very early on, but still loves the activity. Once drawn in, my son is rewarded when the drawing "comes to life". For example, the frog and elephant sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

The author has also done an excellent job with extras. I can print out each of the drawings individually (to be colored in with crayons) - so my son doesn't have to be sitting in front of the computer to play the game. He clearly associates the printed pages with the online game - feels like a two-for-one!

The program was easy to install (Windows 2000 Pro) and we have not had any trouble using the program. From an educational standpoint, he has learned everything from music, counting and colors/shapes to sing-a-long's and animals (there are 3 different activities with animals!). One of the best activities is a sing-a-long of Intsy-Winsty Spider, I'm a Little Teapot, Wheels on the Bus and others - simply awesome!

Highly recommended from a dad and his son after six months of use!

The Best First Computer Program For Any Child
This is an amazing product. My 2-year old took hold of the mouse for the first time 10 days ago and hasn't let go since. During that time he has mastered every game on the CD, requiring some rather complicated matching and sorting, as well as precision mouse movements that I didn't think he was capable of. Since the activities as well as the main menu are all "click-free," my son has been free to roam and explore at his own pace -- his Dad and I haven't lifted a finger to help him. As a result, he has grown increasingly more interested in the increasingly more complicated activities. (We have probably shot 1 hour of video of this boy using the program and screaming with delight as he discovers a new ability)! More amazing still, the strides he's made with these games have translated into a greater sense of confidence and "control over his environment" away from the computer as well. I would recommend this program to any parent!

they'll catch right on
my sweetie will be 2 in 4 weeks. she loves "rabbit". begs for him!!! it took less than 3 sessions for her to "get" the mouse skills...now she is learning to click as well...
good starter program.

A program that grows with your kids!
I like this program because it is easy for small ones to use. I have a 20 month old and a 4.5 year old. They both love this game.

I've seen better
I have to say, I let my son since before he was walking to play on my old 586 133 computer. After having the Fisher Price Keyboard and three stage game, I was very dissappointed with this game. First off, it says it only needs DirectX 4 but it comes with DirectX 7 which would not install on the machine. One must have an updated computer to run this game, or have a copy of DirectX 4 lying around. Now since my son has been using a computer for as long as he has, he has learned that keys do different things and every key has an association with the Fisher Price game, and in general computer usage. With this game, everything is controlled. The key strokes do commands that the program wants to run, and completes tasks FOR the child rather than initiating them to complete the task by pressing the correct buttons. My son gets bored with this game since it doesn't matter what key he presses it does what the program wants to do, not what my son wants to try, and the game stops and sings and won't let him do anything. My son is used to more control. The Fisher Price game actually associates the letter A with the letter A for example, so I believe he is actually learning more from a straight keyboard than this game. My son is now 20 months old. When we got this game he was 18 months old, and he was off and away on the Fisher Price keyboard at 13 months. I was looking for another game just as good if not better, or more interactive to help him grow, but I would rather see an old fashion typing game that teaches him the letters on the keyboard or something more interactive that lets him control the game, not the game controlling him.

And according to the system requirements my computer should be able to run the game, but I am still having a hard time finding DirectX get the computer game to run :( ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Teachers agree: learning is easy when you're having fun. That's the spark behind Numbers and Letters Excelerator Ages 2-5, a four-CD-ROM set of premium software titles combining amusement and education in one motivationally interactive package.

Stuffed with more than 20 individual lessons and more than 50 activities, this educational suite for children delivers endless hours of exciting learning adventure, while promising the acquisition and retention of fundamental spelling and counting skills. Whether on sing-along safari with the gang from the PBS hit "Zoboomafoo" or honing their number recognition and phonics ability, first-time readers will grow with confidence as they immerse themselves in these challenging activities, which adjust to a child's rising proficiency level.

Included in the bundle are: Chatter Buddies Ready for Speech: Making the R, S, and L Sounds (in which the Chatter Buddies cast focuses on three of the most commonly erred sounds that affect reading readiness in preschoolers and toddlers: R, S, and L), Letters & Numbers (featuring 11 sing-along karaoke songs and 15 interactive games and activities), Zoboomafoo Animal Kids (help Zoboomafoo collect googleberries while playing 10 different games at three skill levels), and Buddy Brush and the Painted Circus (a disc filled with zany activities, magical matching games, and imaginative coloring exercises). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A good value for the money
My daughter enjoyed this program. She learned a lot of different words. The animations are clever and she enjoyed completing the spaceship to get Quixel home.
This is a good program to build a foreign language vocabulary.

Beware!
I thought this would be good for my students until I tried it out myself. First I tried the Italian. When I discovered that they translated "potato chips" as "microchips", I was surprised. In telling time, they expressed the correct feminine plural but displayed the incorrect masculine singular "il due" for 2:00. Now for the French...I learned that "potato chips" were "eclats" as in "paint chips". Wrong chips both times folks - and good luck in a restaurant! I stopped there. It's a shame they never got a native speaker to check it before releasing this as an educational item. They did get native speakers to read aloud the vocab lists however. That's the one-star part. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Introduce your little one to the wonderful world of learning with JumpStart Baby. Designed specifically for children 9 to 24 months old, JumpStart Baby encourages important developmental skills in an atmosphere of fun and musical merriment. Visit the friendly, inviting nursery as you explore eight different learning activities with Teddy, your animated host. With this program, your baby will discover shapes, music, colors, clothing, animals, and cause and effect. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

after a comparison.......
I first bought the reader rabbit series from the Learning Company, my 20 month old loved it. The activities are interactive and the music is very catchy.

I recently purchased thejump start baby. My child was bored and disintersted. She kept asking me for "Reader Rabbit".

I noticed after installing the jump start baby software my computer started acting weird and malfunctioning. I should have been more aware, as I purchased a copy of jump start baby about six months prior and it crashed my windows 98 system to the point of no return.

After uninstalling jsb and all its subcomponents it seems my system is back to normal reliability.

And that is my review!

Excellent first software
I'm a bit baffled by the negative reviews listed here. I used JumpStart Baby with my first son (now 4) and found it to be an excellent introduction to the world of computer software. The "dress teddy" and "color train" games provided months of fun. The fact is, babies can't mouse around (as in JumpStart Toddler) -- the best they can do is hit the keyboard and that is exactly how the games are designed to function: to respond with the next logical action when the keyboard is pressed. The comments regarding "waiting" are off-base.... if you think children hate to wait then this game is not nearly as frustrating as LeapPad products which are all "sit and listen" and very little "interact." I have just begun introducing the game to my 7 month old and he loves it! But's it's only appropriate in small doses at the beginning... still, with this softare, even before age one your child can learn that playing with computers is fun and that "something happens" when he/she presses buttons on the keyboard. What more do you want from a baby? (Note: I never encountered any of the installation problems mentioned by other reviewers.)

My kids ages 1 and 3 love it!
This is the second time I'm purchasing this software (the first disk got scratched). I bought it 3 years or so ago for my son. He used it from ages 9 months and now my daughter loves it. She loves the songs, animals and putting teddy "night-night," which makes it easier to stop playing when mom's had enough. My son enjoys helping his sister play the games now, which are simple enough to do on their own.

Would Not Install
Quite simply, the software would not install. Auto-run would run correctly, but clicking 'install' from the Jumpstart welcome screen resulted in nothing happening. A complete waste of money, since I threw out the packaging some time ago.

Limited Fun for Baby, Nightmare for Mom
JumpStart Baby Deluxe Edition was the first CD-ROM that I bought for my daughter when she was almost a year old. She found it fascinating the first handful of times that we played it together, but it seemed to get old pretty fast for her. She did learn basic cause-and-effect via keyboard banging, but she lost interest in the games quickly and some were actually quite confusing.

As lapware, this was not a fun program to use. With lapware, the child sits on the parent's lap while they both attend to the game. It's a way for the parent AND child to interact together so that the computer doesn't act as a babysitter per se. However, I found the graphics very stilted and unappealing. Teddy was much too talkative and the animals were downright scary-looking. The baby performing fingerplays and dancing in the song section was nightmarish. I don't know what the JumpStart team was thinking when they released this version of JumpStart Baby. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Yes, it's possible your baby may try to teethe on the mouse at first. And you can pretty much count on your child occasionally bringing her or his fists down on the keyboard with a smashing degree of force. Yet once your kid begins participating in the muppet-happy fun and learning opportunities packaged into Sesame Street Baby & Me, you'll surely risk a little wear and tear on your hardware. A joint project between the tech and design wizards at the Learning Company and the wise educators and artists at the Children's Television Network, this CD is an impressive example of what an adaptive medium the interactive CD can be.

Graciously hosted by popular Henson muppets such as Elmo, Zoe, and Big Bird, this parent-child program bubbles along gently and merrily from games of "Peek-a-Boo" to "Do What I Do" to "Silly Songs." Transitions from screen to screen and activity to activity are handled slowly and calmly, just as a baby needs. ("Are you saying bye bye?" Big Bird asks. "Okay, bye bye.") While the parent navigates, the child discovers the power of the mouse (to "rake up" screens full of autumn leaves, or "unwrap" presents) as well as the effects of the keyboard buttons (to make Elmo pop up in "Peek-a-Boo" or advance to new letter pictures in an alphabet game).

The only disappointment in this CD is the absence of any nod to urban culture or childhood emotional education that the Sesame Street television show handles so beautifully. Indoors and out, all the scenes have a rather bland and homogenized look. As well, there are only one or two moments that display CTW-style wit (Elmo's relationship to the doe-eyed Baby Natasha is the best). Here's hoping they crank up the playfulness, emotional sensitivity, and world culture references in version 2. (Ages 1 to 3). --Jean Lenihan ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Best Toddler Game for 12+ Months
My daughter loves this game and plays it almost every day. She started when she was about 12 months old and was able to do a lot of the activities.

The games are divided into mouse-based and keyboard-based games. What's nice about the mouse games is that she can wiggle the mouse around and get positive feedback. The mouse games consist of unwrapping presents and simple coloring games (just moving the mouse colors things in.)

All of the original Sesame Street characters and actors perform the voices in this great game. There are sing-along songs, letters shapes and numbers, and lots of other educational activities.

Unbelievable
I was astounded with watching my little 2 year old run the mouse, with such ease too! This program is great for getting little ones comfortable with the computer. The games are fun, especially, "Open the Present"! My daughter is ready to go on to more difficult programs thanks to "Baby and Me"!

too expensive by Reader Rabbit Toddler instead
My 20 month old son who really loves playing with his Reader Rabbit Toddler CD was not at all enthused by this one. I think it is really expensive and nothing outstandingly. You are better of buying Reader Rabbit Toddler, which has similar games like coloring, songs and animal sounds and also really cheap. Please try Reader Rabbit Toddler before you buy this one. I think it is not worth the investment.

Easy for ages 1-3 to use!
This is a great game for young toddlers. It is very easy for them to use. It helps ages 1-3 learn to use the mouse. The games talks to the children with a lot of encouragment. My 2 year old plays it all day. He just recently scratched up the disk...even though on a family of six budget, I am actually putting forth the money to get another one. It's that good.

Fun playing with Elmo and friends
My 2 year old LOVES this program and it has given her great confidence on the computer. She operates the whole game by herself and happily uses the mouse, keyboard and switches from one activity to the other. Highly recommended!!! ... Read more

Features

• Children enter a magical new world of learning
• Bold, bright images are combined with fun and catchy songs
• Encourages language development, curiosity, and confidence
• Stimulate your child's mind with beginning vocabulary
• Includes letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and visual differences

Reviews (2)

It COULD be good...
But this CD-ROM kept crashing my otherwise-stable machine. Anyone with small children knows that frustration is easily felt by little ones, and I finally had to stop using the game because my 2 year-old was getting too upset when the game crashed. Also, the suggested ages - 1 1/2 to 3 - may be incorrect. Only one game is well suited to little ones (Shapes & Colors) because the child can simply hit any key. The others require more sophisticated motor skills and understanding.

One of the cutest games you can
My granddaughter has grown playing this game from watching the screen on my lap, until she was 2 1/2 she learned how to actually pop in the CD and clicking on all the cute links herself. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Any new parent who is experiencing the inevitable chaos a baby bringswill appreciate Baby Matters. Properly used, this program will prevent thatblank feeling that occurs when the new daycare provider asks for an immunizationlist. It can help you say goodbye to cryptic notes scribbled on Post-Its for thebabysitter. It may even alleviate the guilt that occurs when you glimpse theincomplete baby book that fell behind the changing table months ago.

Baby Matters is a tool for recording both sentimental and practical informationabout your baby or babies. This no-nonsense program (no audio, only a tad ofanimation) gets right to the point with three main areas. All About Babycontains pages to enter birth stories, the family tree, photographs, anddevelopmental milestones from "lifts head" to "potty trained." Medical Mattersis where parents can keep track of pre-partum joys (or woes), immunizations,dental and medical history, family health history, food allergies, and thebaby's growth. The third section, entitled Resources, contains varioustemplates: one for important phone numbers, another for vital information aboutthe baby--these are the ones that efficient parents could print up and hand tothe babysitter--and a medical release form. Resources also contains links tomore than 100 parenting Web sites--everyone from stay-at-home dads to adoptiveparents will find a useful site on this list.

This program is an efficient way to centralize all of your children's medicalinformation, but it's no replacement for that dust-covered baby book. Thoughthere are dozens of milestones listed to track, the program grudgingly sparesonly two lines per milestone to describe the adorable details of exactly howlittle Gloria achieved her first diaper-free day. But, if you desire a no-frillsmethod for keeping practical records, Baby Matters is your tool--if you canovercome baby chaos long enough to enter the pertinent information into theprogram. --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Thin
I am sorry, I was disappointed with this software. Maybe my expectations were unreasonable but I thought there just wasn't a lot to this software. After reviewing it for 15 minutes with my wife there was nothing left to do with it but shelf it.

I thought it would be useful to track shots etc. but we were given a booklet (looks like a passport sort of) to record shots etc. As far as tracking milestones, maybe I will use this software but I don't see myself digging out the CD to update a date in the milestones list. Couldn't this application fit on a hard drive? Is the disk required to prevent piracy?

I did not like the fact that I had to enter the same information more than once (birthday, name, etc.)

I imagine there is a subscription service Internet site that would have been a better buy for me, I would rather have a web based information resource for the progress of my baby than this small database of dates with a semi-cute front end.

I love baby matters
A friend gave me baby matters when I had my son Leo. Both myself and my husband have really enjoyed keeping track of his development. The software has been a great tool in assisting us as new parents and it makes me feel secure that I have it to keep his records organized. I am definately getting this product for my other friends who have babies.

All new parents... trust me on this!
This product is amazing! I was given this as a gift for my newborn child and I found it so easy to use, even for someone without a lot of computer knowledge - like myself. I also learned all of kinds of pertinent information that I need to know as a new parent. I can't say enough good things about this product!

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR NEW PARENTS
This is the most delightful and responsible gift for new parents. It's not only an adorable baby book (which they personalize) but an important resource of instructions and information and an efficient means of recording all medical records. I used to give baby clothes as a gift but now I give BABY MATTERS, a terrific parenting tool and treasure. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

From spinning planets to shining stars and whirling pizzas, lovable Baby Newton guides parent and baby through five fascinating activities filled with sights, sounds, and words. Vibrant colors, interactive animation, and the music of Vivaldi help you teach your baby about basic shapes. Using real-world objects, Baby Newton: Fun with Shapes introduces baby to circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, and more. Parents can incorporate photos of family members, pets, and household objects to personalize the play. Two fun modes, learning and guess, extend the educational play. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Baby drugs
I call this baby drugs because when my child plays this game he becomes completely involved and will watch it forever. However, this is not really and interactive game as much as it is a video on the computer. True, the child must press some key for the game to continue, but it is highly irregular. At some points in the game pressing the keyboard will do nothing until the entire scene has been played. In my opinion this leads to the child not truly understanding the cause and effect of pressing the keyboard. The child never has to "point and click" but they can drag the mouse over the item desired to select and it will automatically choose it. The problem this leads to is if the mouse stays in the correct spot the game will continue to move forward with no requirement of the child. Its rather difficult to explain, but the best way to put it is that this turns into a video for the child to watch. It does not require any parental control so if you need to do a chore and keep your child interested without your supervision this game works. However, if you truly want your child to have an interactive game I would advise Reader Rabit. This game will keep your childs attention but it would be cheaper to just buy a DVD. You child will learn just as much from that. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Toddlers explore a bright garden world where they can make snails count and critters with instruments play the Blue Danube Waltz. Their playmate is an engaging duckling named DeeDee, who's visiting her grandmother. DeeDee's gran has a heck of a fun place: there's a Treehouse of Shapes, a Numbers Pond, a Garden of Colors, a Musical Waterfall, a forest full of Peek-a-Boo Animals, and ABC Toadstools in the garden. Go inside and there's Gran, all set to play Picture Playtime. All seven activities can be initiated and played with a sweep of the mouse or by hitting random keys--no clicking required. Parents should plan on guiding younger toddlers around this program. DeeDee's explanations are no substitute for seeing Daddy do it.

JumpStart Toddlers sneaks the learning in everywhere. While you're counting in the Numbers Pond, sweeping the feather cursor over a lily pad makes a letter of the alphabet pop out, and DeeDee cheerfully interrupts her counting to utter "A!"(or whatever the letter is). Letters also appear like subliminal advertising behind the Musical Waterfall. Music is everywhere on this CD-ROM as well; each activity has a corresponding song, belted out in DeeDee Duckling's Broadway best.

We occasionally find JumpStart's characters a bit cloying, but whoever designed DeeDee gave her some of the very same qualities that make toddlers so endearing. DeeDee fidgets, rubs her nose gleefully, and chews on the ends of her bonnet ribbons.

The Learning Scrapbook that comes packaged with this CD-ROM is simply a series of printable templates that parents can use to build a baby scrapbook in that cutesy JumpStart graphic style. (Ages 18 months to 3 years) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (27)

What are you thinking?
Ok.. I do not own this title. I am looking for something to buy for my 18 month old since he's bored with jumpstart baby. I have a major issue with most of these reviews --- MANY people say that a big problem with this software is that it requires the parents to be there and do it. DUH. These are toddlers - little kids! Of course a parent should be sitting right there helping out!!! My son loves moving the mouse around because I taught him how to do it, not some software. (white curser on black blackground did the trick, btw). I have no intention of plopping my baby down in front of the computer and walking away. It's just like watching the TV - a parent (or other adult) needs to be sitting right there explaining stuff and interacting with him. I don't understand how you can give a bad rating simply because it requires an adult to interact with the child. If there's something wrong or bad with the software, I want to hear it. But saying it's bad because it forces a parent to spend time with the kid is not a good reason for a bad rating!

Great start for beginning computer users
At around 2 years old my son began showing interest in computers. His dad is an IT Administrator so our son was around computers all the time. Also, he was (and still is not) interested in learning the traditional way (through books, play, etc.), but rather through computers. We were NOT disappointed with this piece of software! Through this program my son has learned most of the alphabet, shapes, numbers and colors. We have had this one for about six months and he has not lost interest in it.

However, there are some things that I was not pleased with. First, this product is recommended for children 18 months-3 years. It would probably be more suited for children 2 1/2 to 4 simply because it requires basic knowledge of how to use a mouse and the program does NOT teach this skill. Also, the concepts it teaches (letters, numbers, shapes, colors, music, animals, memory skills, etc.) are more geared toward the preschool crowd. Second, the layout is "busy" and it is hard to see all of the different entrance areas (even for me an adult). Finally, another minor complaint (it is very minor) is that the duck's voice can get annoying after 15 minutes or so for me, but my son enjoys it so this is tolerable.

Overall, I highly recommend this software, however, for children over the age of two.

Teaches Mouse Skills
Regardless of what other reviewers said this is THE ONLY SOFTWARE WE HAVE FOUND THAT TEACHES MOUSE SKILLS. We bought this software along with toddler verisons of Reader Rabbit, Winne the Pooh, and Sesame Street when our oldest child was about two. For over a year she was frustrated with not being able to make the games do what she wanted. Then one day we helped her 'find the animals under the leaves'. The game responds to mouse movement so clearly that in less than an hour she had it down. Now she can use the mouse to do what she wants in all her computer games with little assistance. Unfortunately, the kids stepped on and broke our Jump Start Toddler CD. We have been trying to teach mouse skills to our younger children using the other games we have, but the games just aren't cutting it. We'll be getting another copy of Jump Start Toddler soon.

My advice is to buy it at 18 months. Play the 'find the animal' game once every 3 weeks. When your child is able to understand how the mouse works, they're ready to play more often and try the other games on this software. Then get the preschool versions of Jumpstart and/or Reader Rabbit ready for the day they get bored with the toddler games.

Very disappointed
Jump Start Baby was fantastic so when my twins became toddlers I decided to buy Jump Start Toddlers. The graphics and sound quality are fine the but usability is not easy and very erratic. Take the counting game for example. 10 fish are displayed on the screen and it is supposed to count from one to ten so the child can learn to count. What happens is if the keyboard is clicked (which it is all the time) it goes on to the next group of fish to count. So basically your child is just hearing the number 1. This also happens with the colors. The flowers change color and as soon as the keyboard is clicked it goes on to the next color to change cutting Dee off in mid sentence. I think the product would be really good if this feature were fixed. We have stopped using this product.

Diappointing
This game is very disappointing. There is actually very little to do and see. It requires a parents help to point and click the mouse and has very little interaction. Other CD's capture my 21/2 year olds attention for 3x as long. It is rather expensive and keeps a young childs attention for only 10-15 minutes. I read several other reviews saying it would be better for older kids - but my 5 year old daughter complains the CD is boring with nothing to do. I suggest Reader Rabbit or Fisher Price Little People instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Recognizing that there are many ways to learn and that children can use different intelligences to comprehend a skill or concept, the JumpStart Advanced series provides a personalized learning environment that suits how each child learns best. In addition, the JumpStart Advanced series offers greater play value with an enhanced motivational game-reward structure that empowers kids to create and express their creativity, along with fun activities that encourage active learning to reinforce skills beyond the computer, and advanced curricula to better prepare kids for the next grade. A valuable new feature in this series is more sensitive skill leveling that automatically adjusts gameplay and educational content to each child's increasing abilities.

In JumpStart Advanced Preschool, kids help Frankie organize an adopt-a-pet program and place seven baby animals in new homes. As kids successfully complete curriculum-based games in JumpStart Advanced Preschool, they can earn toys, treats, grooming supplies, and lullabies, and care for their chosen pet. Once all four reward items are collected, the child can take the baby animal to its new family. As a thank-you, the new family will send the child a postcard that they can add to their scrapbook. ... Read more

Features

• Provides superior interactive game play tailored to each child's individual learning style
• Fun activities that encourage active learning through movement games
• Skill leveling that automatically adjusts game play and content to each child's growing abilities
• Enhanced motivational game reward structure
• Advanced curriculum to better prepare kids for the next grade

Reviews (4)

Ok but not great
I think the makers of this game tried to accomplish too much by attempting to cater to children of too many ages. My two year old loves the songs (the quality of the recordings is great) but they are too fast for him to sing along. He's learning how to use a mouse but this game doesn't allow you to drag items in the traditional way and that's very frustrating for him. The games are challenging for him because he's just beginning to show an interest in numbers and letters but I can't imagine him wanting to play this when he's 4 which is the sentiment of some other reviewers that have older children. I think an early 3 year old child would get the most out of this game.

Absolutely Worth the $$
I bought this for my almost 4 year old. She played it joyously for about 3 weeks. The songs are great in it, and the graphics are beautiful; the pets are adorable, you earn rewards so you can feed, pet, brush, and play with each different pet. If your child needs to learn to use a mouse, this is a perfect, throughly enjoyable game. My almost 4 year old, now, is bored of it, though; it's not challanging enough - does not advance to a high enough level for a four year old. But since it is 'preschool' it's done its job. My 4 year old has her choice of about 40 (yes forty) different educational games that range from preschool to grade 2 and she loved this one the best out of all of them. If you want to purchase this as a gift for someone who has a 2-3 year old, your gift will be the hit of the party, and the whole year, in fact. It's extremely well-done. Children advance quickly in home computer games -- faster than they do in school because they have so much time to access it. So even a 3.5 year old would adore it. What is important, i found, was this game gave my child the emmense *confidence* to throughly learn a _whole_ game! Something her 5 1/2 year old sister does on a routine basis. It would take a two or just-turned-three year old a good long while to tire of this game. Of all the jumpstart and reader rabbit games i have bought, this one was kindest, gentlest, and most entertaining (the "I am a Horse" song is worth the cd alone.)

A nice feature added to the 'advanced' jumpstarts is the 'assesment test' -- which, after you childs name is typed or clicked into the box at the beginning of each game -- you can click on and you child can take a quick 'test' to determine which level the game should set each catagory of learning at. Each catagory (shapes, music, colors, alphabet) can be set at a 1-3 level. When you take the self-assesment test, the computer will show you what level your childs responses earn her. And then will autmatically adjust to each level for you, or you can over ride it and set them yourself manually. All the Advanced jumpstart products have this. It's helpful to a parent. There is also a 'report card' like thing inside which shows what part of the game your child is playing and how many guesses and right responses she or he is earning. In preschool it's a nice feature, but as you go up in Jumpstart Advanced, it's a real eye opener as to what your child is doing and learning.

Do not confuse this Jumpstart program with any other jumpstart preschool versions. All versions differ completely. It must say Jumpstart _Advanced_ preschool. It is only one disc. Highly recommended. I can't wait to move her on to the Jumpstart Advanced Kindergarden game. I have the Jumpstart Advanced Grade One and her five 1/2 year old sister loves it!

THE BEST PROGRAM OUT THERE FOR LITTLE ONES!
I GOT THIS PROGRAM FOR MY 5 YEAR OLD NEICE RIGHT BEFORE SHE STARTED KINDERGARTEN AND SHE LOVES IT MORE THAN ANYTHING!
IT IS A GREAT TOOL TO START OUT WITH BEFORE THE KINDERGARTEN ONE BECAUSE IT BUILDS THEIR CONFIDENCE AND SETS THEM UP FOR SUCCESS WHEN THEY REACH FOR THE NEXT LEVEL.IT IS ALSO VERY GREAT IF YOUR CHILD LOVES ANIMALS AS MUCH AS MY NEICE! SHE IS VERY AWARE WHEN SHE'S BEING TAUGHT AND DRILLED BY OTHER PROGRAMS AND HATES IT, BUT WHEN IT'S DONE HERE IN THE MOST CLEVER WAY YOU'VE EVER SEEN SHE LOVES IT AND LOVES LEARNING! IT HAS EVERYTHING YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO GET A SOLID FOUNDATION THAT IS CRUCIAL BEFORE MOVING ON. MY NEICE HAS TRIED THE KINDERGARTEN ONE AND SHE DOESN'T LIKE IT AS MUCH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE KINDERGARTEN ONE HAS RACE CARS AS THEIR REWARD FOR LEARNING AND SHE WOULD PREFER WORKING FOR PET SUPPLYS THAT YOU GET ON THE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM. WE LOVE THE MUSIC,THE ANIMALS,THE LESSONS, THE REWARDS, THE GRAPHIC DETAIL,AND THE WHOLE PROGRAM!

Cute, but below preschool level
This is a definite improvement over the previous versions. The pet aspect is really cute and the colors/graphics and activities are better. Although this is called "preschool", the age says "2-4". This is definitely at the lower end of preschool...I think it is more accurate to call it "Toddler". My four and a half year old daughter, who is in preschool, loves playing with the pets, but there is absolutely no challenge for her to learn. It is way too easy, so I went out and bought the kindergarten version which is more appropriate for her age. Again, my mixed review is it's cute and improved, but if your child is over 3 years old and knows her A,B,C's, skip to the kindergarten one. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

It's About Time!!!
It's about time someone offered a software that I can journal in as well as create a baby album.

This is it folks, no fluff, easy and a great solution for categorizing all those digital pictures AND VIDEO!!.

Great Baby Gift!
I LOVE this product! It's easy to use, I can save pictures of my baby and catalog them, I keep track of her accomplishments and growth,and it's so much fun! I received this as a gift and I am going to give one to each of my friends when they have their babies.

Don't waste your money
After reading the other review, I went against my better judgment and I took a chance on this software because I imagined the potential coolness of it. It was a [$30] lesson. As someone who is fairly computer-savvy, I figured I would be able to figure this out pretty easily. I didn't have any trouble loading it onto my computer but was very disappointed with the product. You can't change the font size or type, you are limited to only a certain amount of space per line and it isn't easy to navigate from one page to another. What a rip-off. Run from this product. Get a traditional baby book until someone writes a decent electronic baby book (potential business idea?)

Not worth the Money
I have to say that this is not a very user friendly product at all. I took a chance buying it because I didn't see any reviews posted. Initially I had trouble loading the software because of the quicktime verison that I already had on the computer. Then I had troubles seeing the entire product because you have to set your computer screen at a higher resolution than we have. There are also mulitple windows that open when you open the program... one window doesn't even have anything in it! It doesn't come with a users manual and it's difficult to add pictures or navigate through the software. I don't recommend this at all. ... Read more