Amazon.com Review

Make way for Babyz! Adopt an adorable virtual kid in this amazing, playful simulation of child rearing from the company that brought you Catz and Dogz. Each Babyz (that's singular, too) is darling and unique--choose one of fifteen to adopt or, if none of them is just right, check out their Web site with plenty more to pick from, changing every day.

You can have up to three in one house, and then the fun begins. Name your Babyz, clothe them, give them toys, feed them, watch them play in the backyard, or just give them a tickle when they look bored. The software runs both like a normally selected program and as a screensaver--if you're not careful, the Babyz will take over your screen when you're not looking!

The graphics are playful and imaginative, the costumes are cute, and the house itself is full of stuff for the Babyz to explore. The package comes with a headset microphone and voice-recognition software so you can even talk to your Babyz--or teach them to speak. Short, simple words will start yammering back at you before long, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without a babbling Babyz in your computer. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Good, yet bad
This game is okay, I suppose. You basically adopt cute little babyz and take care of them. You change their diapers, feed them, put them to sleep, etc. You can dress up your babyz in all kinds of clothing too. As time passes the babies will grow older, and learn to walk and talk. You can talk to them using a microphone and the software included in the game. They will recognize your voice and will learn from you speaking. The babyz also have their own personalities... some like mushed peas for food, others like mushed carrots. The babyz will cry if you ignore them, and believe me, you don't want them crying!

It is fun... for a while. When I first played it took me a while to get the microphone software to actually work. The game will freeze too. My game used to work fine, but now it won't work if I try to go to the kitchen. It will then shut down. Since the kitchen is where all the food is, that's a problem. Finally, after a while, the games gets really dull.

Cute idea, fun for a while, but it eventually gets boring.

The best game!
This game is a lot of fun! You can take care of virtual babyz! You can feed them, bathe them, diaper them and rock them to sleep. You can also talk to them by using a microphone attached to the computer! I love this game! I play it all the time! It is very fun, especially for kids, like me, ages 6-12! You won't be bored with this game!

Wonderfull SoftWare Game I every played
Me and my sister have had this game for 2 years.Its very fun and you can go other websits to get more food,clothes,toys,ect.When I read some of the reviews about no being able to get back into the kitchen and your babyz get sick,I decdei that when i get the game I will use the toybox as a first aid kit.It work until my counis came over and starter to take everything out.then one day something happen and we could not get in the kitchen.It took six month's just for us to get back in to the kitchen.Our older couis show:This is what you do first if you want to keep the babyz that you have save them on a disk than exit babyz.Second go to my computer,programs files,mindscape.Three go to babyz and delete EVERYTHING ON BABYZ than go all the back until you reach babyz and delete than reinstalle it.Or u could unstalle than reinstalle.It work for us and our babyz are not sick again what a relife

YOU SHOULD BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER.THE BABYS R SO CUTE.U CAN ADOPTED UP 2 3 BABYS.I PLAY THE GAME ALL DAY.THE BABYS GET SICK.THERE LIKE REAL BABYS.I RECCOMEND THIS GAME FOR AGES 7 AND UP

Just as good as Dogz or Catz!
This game is bascilly just taking care of your baby!You can eiter adopt a boy or girl,and you can have as many as you want!You can name them,and dress them up,feed them,bathe them,play with them(Like outside,or playroom)and etc.I think this is a fun and cool game to play,like the microphone you can use to talk to the babies.You can teach them words!My babies know how to say mommy and ball so far,Hey it took awhile.So get this game!It's fun for everyone. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kids (ages 5 to 7) discover core learning skills in this delightful age-appropriate learning environment featuring Reader Rabbit and friends. Find and repair the Dreamship before pilfering pirates get their first. While traveling to and exploring Mount CheesEmore Island, kids adventure through seven fun activities full of discovery and gooey cheese. Along the way, Reader Rabbit and friends cover grammar, reading, science, fractions, telling time, and more. It's a thrilling and filling adventure.

Reader Rabbit 2nd Grad 2002 is part of the award-winning Reader Rabbit children's educational software series. Learning activities include Insect Builder Science, Fondue Falls Vocabulary, and Final Duel Fractions. Kids also enjoy this title's fun music, stories, movies, and characters, while the program's progress reports let parents see just where their child is advancing and where they might need some help.

So that you're never without Reader Rabbit, Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade 2002 comes with the bonus CD-ROM Reader Rabbit's Dreamship Tales. It's bursting with added activities, videos, tunes, and more than 100 printable games and activities--a great way to keep the fun going after you've turned the computer off. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

good for preschoolers if you want them using the computer!
This program doesn't teach anything special that is not easily taught outside of a computer game. Success at the game will be had most quickly if the child already knows the skills needed to play the game (see below, i.e. already knows their basic shapes). If you want your child using the computer during the preschool years then this is a safe and good bet. If your child doesn't know everything this program covers already then they are sure to learn it quickly if they like the game and are not discouraged. There is much more to phonics than this program covers, of course.

We held off introducing our son to the computer until he was almost 4.5 years old. We strictly limit what he can do on the computer and he does not use it much, sometimes going 2 months or so without using it. We purchased this program when our oldest just turned 5, at which time he already could start up the computer, open a program, change CDs and close the entire system down all by himself. I thought it best to buy an easier Reader Rabbit game and see how he likes it rather than start off with the Kindergarten or the phonics Reader Rabbit. If you have a 3 or a 4 year old (or even a 2 year old) that you want using a computer game then this one is great (see section on phonics for a possible difficult part though).

Being unfamiliar with children's computer games I was surprised that much of this is almost like a video on television, there are songs that seem to be about 3 minutes long and very graphic and long introductions to the program every time it is started and before each game. The characters on screen tell the user what to do. I was disappointed it did not come with written instructions, as when my son needed help there was nothing I could turn to. Goodness knows I am not sitting with him all the time watching him play, so I miss the already-spoken instructions for the overall game. Instructions for the mini-games that they play can be repeated by simply clicking on a certain character on the screen.

I sat down to play it as a new user and we played for over an hour. I was annoyed that the instructions are not clear. Specifically, the program has the user doing a little job to earn a gem called a brillite. They wanted 5 yellow brillites to start. We did all the jobs but there was a missing brillite. There was no instruction as to how to get this missing brillite so we re-explored every area on the program's map and began repeating jobs because we didn't know what else to do. That began earning us different colored brillites. It is a little unclear to me as to how to win this game, they say to gather brillites but we really don't know how many of each and how to exactly get them except play in a random manner repeating the games. I'd much prefer them to say "repeat all the games to earn the blue brillites in order to earn the missing yellow brillite" or some other such informative instruction.

This is truly geared for preschool age (3 or 4) or for any age that already knows the 6 colors of the rainbow, circle, square, oval, triangle, diamond shapes, if they can count to 10 and follow oral directions. The hardest part of the game, which may be difficult for preschool aged children and may cause frustration, is the phonics portion. An object comes along on a raft and there are 3 sparkle shakers above it and the user must choose which sparkle shaker (with a letter on it) represents the first letter of the object. The first go round has the word written under the object (i.e. violin) but after that round is won the object comes out without a word. Shame on them for showing a giraffe and giving both a g and a j as options! Bad choice for beginners to phonics! The user will be told if they make an incorrect choice and they can narrow it down by process of elimination. The game with the train and matching the object shape is more of a fast paced game to improve hand and eye coordination and fast mouse-usage than a true matching game-if they pick the match right after the fast changes they are doomed. On the box it says this does drawing and coloring but that is a stretch: the kids are told to paint a certain shape a certain color and they simply click once on the proper color and click once on top of the shape and it is instantly colored in. There is nothing about drawing going on there! The only math here is counting up to 10 (it is advertised as having math on it).

There is nothing offensive or questionable about this game, the language is clean, etc.

This is a fun game for preschoolers (I found it too easy for my just turned 5 year old). It is very entertaining in that it has interludes in between games and songs with a few minutes of on screen entertainment. The songs are catchy. The graphics are very good compared to the old days of Space Invaders and such!

Good Program
I purchased this program to help my 3 year old son sharpen and develop his basic preschool skills. I found this program to have a good theme and my son was very interested in the character's various actions, songs and dances used to accompany the instruction. Skill levels can be chosen to pace the progression dependeing on the need of the child. The program is very user friendly to an adults helping their children. Progrmas are easily exited out of and information can be saved to log the progress of the children users. I recommend this software to parents who want to help their preschoolers get a head start on Kindergarten education.

Skip this one
My son (now almost 4) is pretty academically bright and pretty good with a computer mouse. We bought this game for him just before he turned 3 last year. What a disappointment! Now, we are a big computer game family, and our son has played a few other titles which we have loved (Little People Discovery Airport, Ollo Saves the Fair, Putt-Putt, and a few others). We loved Reader Rabbit Toddler and Reader Rabbit Baby, which were designed very well. Unfortunately, Reader Rabbit Preschool did not stack up.

As usual, the game has a creative story behind it, and there is a goal that involves collecting things. These are wonderful motivators. However, the game skill levels seem either much to easy (matching bugs) or pretty advanced (counting out just the right number of bugs to fill a rocket, including addition and subtraction as the game increases in difficulty) for a "typical" preschooler. I should add that I used to teach preschool and kindergarten, so I have an idea of what is developmentally appropriate. This game ranges from boring to frustrating with very little in between. Some activities, such as the "painting" activity at the waterfall, require very very good mouse control, as the shapes tend to be very small, and the child must click in just the right areas.

I highly recommend skipping this game. Our son is now happily playing Reader Rabbit Kindergarten (the Summer Camp one)with very little trouble.

Too much advertisement and lacks parental controls
I had previously purchased Reader Rabbit for baby and toddler and was thrilled with the product. However, I cannot say the same of the Reader Rabbit Preschool. This CD launches with a page that gives my [child] 6 choices of where to go. Only one is the educational program. The others are advertisements for Star Flyers, Clue Finders, Zoombinis, the Oregan Trail, and Carmen Sandiego. Each of these plays a short movie and gives my [child] the option of launching the internet to download more. I certainly do not want my child on the internet, and I did not purchase the CD so that the Learning Company could target my ...child with advertisement. I wanted him to learn something. It quickly became a fight to keep him in the educational portion of the CD. I called Broderbund, and after waiting 25 minutes to speak with a technician, was told that there was nothing that could be done. There are no parental controls. I asked to speak with a supervisor to discuss my concerns, and was told I could go to the web site and e-mail them. I would not recommend this CD.

They've got it almost right
This is the most educational of the programs I've found for the preschool set, but there are still disappointments. I wish they would do more with the alphabet - they need more variety of words, a combination of small letters and capitals. My three-year-old mastered the top level within a few weeks, simply because he memorized the words they were using, and then quickly grew bored. The musical numbers are cloying and irritating. But the rocket counting game is terrific -- a real help teaching small kids the meaning of numbers. Overall, I've yet to find better, but I hope the designers of the Reader Rabbit series keep trying. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Can't run software on a computer with 1GB memory
I have the same problem on a computer running Windows 2000 with 1GB memory. The software won't start and gives me the error message "Director Player 6.0 - This program requires at least 3MB of free virtual memory to run". I know there is more than 3MB of free virtual memory on my computer. I tried different virtual memory setting and found that setting virtual memory to 128MB would cause the software to run. It is obvious that the software has mis-calculated the available virtual memory. It interprets virtual memory > 1GB as less than 3MB virtual memory. I have sent email to the technical support at Encore and are waiting for their reply. I share the previous reader's opinion that setting the virtual memory to a lower setting is not an acceptable solution.

However, after I started the program, I like the interface and graphic. The software is better than "Mind Power Math Middle School" from the Learning Company. I also like that it has a game where you can test your skill.

I will write an update after I receive a reply from Encore.

Way around memory problem
Haven't tried this software but had same problem with some other software, the error message: "Director Player 6.0 - This program requires at least 3MB of free virtual memory to run". The only fix is to change your virtual memory settings to something below 500mb or to exactly 4000mb. Of course, I chose 4000mb since I have a large hard drive and almost 1 gig of memory on this pc.

So the full fix is:
From the Windows XP desktop, select the Start button, right-click on the My Computer icon, and select Properties from the resulting menu.

Click on the Advanced tab to bring it forward, and then select the Settings button within the Performance section.

In the Performance Options window, click on the Advanced tab to bring it forward, and then select the Change button in the Virtual Memory section.

Click the Custom size button...
Change the Initial size (MB) setting to 4000
Change the Maximum size (MB) setting to 4000

Select SET to accept the change, which will close the Virtual Memory window. Select OK to close the Performance Options window. And select OK to exit the System Properties window.

$40 + junk = angry customer
This is a faulty and buggy piece of software. It will not run on my PC (XP Home)without me changing my Virtual Memory from 1000 mb to 200 mb...what an absurdity! The developer offers no solution other than to change my VM everytime I want to use their software.

Well, forget it. They're not the only game in town.

It's Great!!
I have the Elementary Advantage, and I'm about to go into Middle School Advantage. I find these programs are excellent. I am a homeschooling parent, and the Elementary Advantage suite have done a great job in assisting me with teaching my child. I've learned a lot myself. My son is about to enter middle school grades, and as I explore the the Middle School Advantage suite, I marvel at how well its put together. I have not run into answers that are wrong as was the claim of one reviewer. But, that does not bother me because you will find wrong answers in educational books written by the best educators. I focus on the how well I am taught the subject. If I can catch the wrong answers then I was taught well. I paid only $24.99 for each suite. I also have a Dell Dimension 4600, and the programs run fine. For all those having a problem running the program. You better get a Dell, Dude! For the money, IT'S GREAT!

Not Recommended
If this program can confuse X and Y intercepts I can only imagine what else may be wrong with it. I just purchased this for my son today, but will be returning it tomorrow. He has a placement test in 2 weeks and I don't want him to blow it because of this faulty software. ... Read more

Features

• Celebrate Eeyore's birthday with Winnie, Tigger, and friends
• Develop multilingual skills with Spanish and French games
• 20 fundamental learning skills including numbers, letters, colors, and more
• Printable workbooks and flashcards for learning away from the computer
• For kids ages 2 to 5

Reviews (2)

my son loves this cd-rom
we've had this cd-rom for over a year now and my son still plays with it often. he's easily bored, so that says a lot. this cd-rom offers many activities and one can change the levels for a more challenging interaction. it also contains cute songs and is visually beatiful. this is a great product!

Pooh fan
I bought this game for my just turned 2 year old because she is a big Pooh fan. Some of the activities are a little hard for her but there are enough levels to keep her occupied. It seems like a great value because she will be able to use it for a few years and the price is so low. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Wrebbit's Bavarian Castle 3-D Puzzle gives you sharp 3-D graphics, an intuitive interface, video clips, and on original musical score. After the puzzle is built, the adventure begins--featuring Neuschwanstein Castle, Tristan, Isolde, fiery love, curses, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

If You Love Jigsaw Puzzles...
I have always loved jigsaw puzzles. But this is the first time I have ever put one together on a computer. Puzz 3D Orient Express has 4 difficulty levels, from easy to super-challenging. I started off on the third level which is the challenging level. That level is just as challenging as the 1000-peice puzzles you buy in the store. The only difference is this: once you put the puzzle together, the fun doesn't stop. The difficulty level you choose determines how much of the Orient Express you can explore. You get to meet all kinds of different people as well as learn about the history of the train. Plus, during the exploration phase, there are other games along the way as well as clues to a mystery guest who is supposed to board the train. I haven't finished the exploration portion yet, but I am already thinking about going back to rebuild the train at the super-challenging level. This way, I will have unlimited access to the entire train. This Puzzle is very addictive and fun.

Real Challenger of a Jigsaw
The Bavarian Castle puzzle, at the "beginner" level, was the most difficult jigsaw puzzle that I've ever attempted--but I had never constructed a 3D puzzle before. Once I got familiar with the program design and controls (pieces can be rotated in two and three dimensions, construction lines help snap completed sections into place, sorting trays can be labeled and made "recloseable"), the jigsaw became deliciously challenging. I could barely tear myself away from the computer, once I got going.

As of now, I've completed the castle at the bronze and silver stages, and have enough understanding and memory of how the pieces fit together to consider skipping to the platinum level on my next attempt, to get full access to the castle interiors and puzzles. Despite having considerable experience with challenger jigsaws (both real and virtual), I doubt that I could have put the Bavarian Castle puzzle together if I had begun at the highest level, which offers no construction helps like architectural guides. (The Victorian Mansion puzzle was much easier, by comparison.)

The video clips of King Ludwig annoyed me, because of the actor's condescending approach to his character. However, the sound clips of selections from Wagner's operas are very nice.

The puzzle ran beautifully on my Pentium-100 machine with 128megs of RAM. The only problem with using this slow machine was that the movie clips ran with the audio and video slightly out of sync. In fact, I was totally impressed with the program's design and freedom from bugs, at least on my equipment.

Highly recommended challenge, but frustrating
The idea here is to give the user a virtual jigsaw puzzle building experience. The puzzle, when completed, is a three-dimensional reconstruction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

In the beginning, the user chooses a difficulty level, which determines how many pieces the puzzle is broken into, as well as how the pieces are laid out on a semi-circular virtual table. Using the cursor and mouse, the user brings the pieces together, sorts them in areas of the table, and gradually constructs the cathedral. Visual clues are available, as well as views of the completed puzzle, from any angle.

The level of difficulty chosen has another effect, in the type of payoff at the end. When the puzzle is completed, the user gets a tour of the cathedral, including historical trivia, on virtual placques, and ghosts, surprises, and a guide. However, the higher the level of difficulty chosen, the more access the user gets in the completed cathedral. More difficulty = more rooms, more secrets, more trivia.

Oh, and by the way, the graphics are truly great here including clarity, color, and resolution, and the sound effects are pretty good, too.

Puzz 3D: The Orient Express
you have to like putting puzzles together or you won't like this game But if you do then its a great game but not for a 128.00 thats way to much for this game i didn't pay that much for my.

Have patience!
I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle and gradually increased the difficulty as I grew accustomed to manipulating the pieces and connecting the sides. Having recently visited Notre Dame, I had a ball putting together this puzzle and look forward to trying the others by Wrebbit. Working this puzzle requires a good computer and, as another on-line reviewer noted, frequent saves to prevent lost work. The software taxes the computer memory and sometimes causes crashes. I've updated my machine since playing Notre Dame, so, now that I've ordered Bavarian Castle from Amazon, I'm hoping the new puzzle will be better tolerated by my hardware.

Good luck to all who love a challenge! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed specifically for preschoolers, Elmo's Art Workshop provides hundreds of ways for children to create beautiful artwork and fun creative projects. Paint pictures and add your favorite Sesame Street characters. Create birthday cards, finger puppets, masks, posters, and more! Oversized buttons and helpful creative hints from Elmo ensure that every effort leads to a masterpiece. (Ages 2-6) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Hours of fun!
This has been a great game for my 3 year old daughter--she loves to draw and color and this game seems to tickle her creative interests. It has been an exceptional, inexpensive purchase and one she can play over and over with new challenges. I guess I'm writing this review because we have purchased some duds and it is always nice to see a ringing endorsement of something that really works! Hope this helps you.

Elmo is a Winner
Of all the software, our five-year old likes this program the best. It's 'user friendly' and can entertain for a long period of time. Projects include Stickers (where the child can complete a picture using point and click), Costumes (dress up characters in outfits and outrageous accessories), and Coloring Book scenes with an 'automatic fill' feature. These can be painted or colored, rubber stamped, or personalized and can be printed out. Hours of fun. Wonderful graphics. The sticker pages include scenes for both boys and girls: outer space, picnics, birthday parties, snow scenes, beach, etc. I highly recommend this software.

SS Art Workshop enhances a child's creativity.
Sesame Street Art Workshop (SSAW)is one of the best loved CD-ROMs in our collection. SSAW enhances a child's artistic ability by having activities a mouse click away that would otherwise be limited by the child's fine motor coordination. The strengths of the program are that it is easy to use by a pre-reading child and offers numerous activities including coloring, stamping, and free drawing. Some of the more clever pages include finger puppets and birthday cards. The weakness of the program is that it does not allow color mixing as, for example, the Madeleine Classroom Companion does. This is a great starter program for ages 2 on up and one you will not regret buying. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Graced with the most adorable voice since the animated Linus, Mercer Mayer's Little Critter has become one of the most popular interactive storybook characters around. In this classic title, L.C. and his Dad head off on a multimedia camping trip that features dozens of clickable images, merry songs, and a 22-minute, Critter-made video.The staying power of this quiet, technically unremarkable CD-ROM lies in the consistent, reassuring message it delivers. On each page, there are both adorable clickables (dancing chipmunks, sunbathing mice) and surprising and/or spooky ones (volcanic eruptions, rearing sharks, burning logs that launch skyward like rockets). As well, Little Critter's own internal world is a mixture of eager joy (tents! hiking boots!) to huge, looming fear (of the legendary "Big Paw"). In the company of his dad for the weekend, however, Little Critter undergoes an important shift. By story's end, his fearfulness has been gently replaced by newfound confidence and acceptance. A must-have classic for all families. (Ages 3-8) --Jean Lenihan ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Just Me and My Dad
This item is rated for 3-7 years old. However with this age group it does not automatically run when placed in the CD Drive. This make it impossible for the younger this age group is to use on their own. It seems an auto run command should be used on software used for children to provide them with hassle free use of the product.
If it does't run what use is it no matter who the writer is. I have Windows 2000.

doesn't work on XP
Just me and my Dad is an excellent children's book, and this software version does an excellent job of reading it. I bought it mainly to help my 5 year old son learn to read, and I find it very useful. However, it gave me tremendous frustration at first when I couldn't get it to run at all on my one year old Windows XP machine. I own many children's software, such as the Magic school bus series, Jump Start, Reader Rabbit, DK software, and other Living Book series such as the Cat in the Hat, and they all run well or at least partially on my machine. This one doesn't open AT ALL, and every trick I used that worked in the past failed. Luckily, I was able to borrow a friend's computer with Windows 98, and it runs beautifully. My son particularly likes the little movie on it. It is surprisingly well done and captivates his attention. Highly recommended for those who can downgrade.

Grandma & Me at the Beach
Someone purchased this cd by Mercer Mayer for me. My grandson who is 3 years old today just loves this story. He also enjoys the stickers and playing in the sand. I have looked all over the place for other cds by Mercer Mayer along the same line. Everyone seems to have heard of them but do not know where to purchase them. Could you help me with this. How many cds does Mercer Mayer have besides Grandma & Me at the beach and Just me and my Dad.

Lots of fun!
My 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 year olds both love this one. A fun story with lots of funny hidden surprises. Only one complaint: the movie shows up too small. Otherwise it's perfect.

Terrific interactive story!
Little Critter is a sweet, sometimes mischevious, well behaved little critter. In this story, Little Critter and his dad go camping. The software is easy to play with and each page is loaded with fun things to click on. It also contains the hidden animated image then will have your child laughing when he or she pushes the button. All of the Mercer Mayer software, Me and My Mom and Me and My Grandmom plus the books and even movies are terrific. This is a great piece of software to read with your child. Girls will also enjoy it. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Features

• Polish and improve language skills with a set of games for English proficiency -- covers Vocabulary, Composition, Spelling and Reading & Comprehension
• Develop a basic working knowledge of Spanish, French, Italian and German
• Expand problem-solving capabilities with a complete guide to Pre-Algebra, Algebra I & II and Geometry
• Retrace the past to better understand the present with presentations on Ancient, World and U.S. History
• take a virtual, visual journey through the natural world and beyond, with guides for Astronomy, Physics and Wildlife & Nature

Features

• Gameplay combines racing and platform-type elements with an insane stunt system
• Choose from authentic Hot Wheels Highway 35 cars from the special 35th anniversary collection
• Race against your opponents through a volcano, across ice mountains, and bump them off the huge loops
• Original theme song performed by the multi-platinum selling band Smashmouth
• Challenge your friends to some of the most intense head-to-head Hot Wheels racing action

Reviews (7)

overall a good purchase, but could be better
pros:
1) Fantastic looking tracks and cars in awesome settings.
2) Good sound and music; intro video music worth playing just for itself.

cons:
1) It supports steering wheel, but I found steering wheel control to be more difficult than keyboard control. Perhaps it is the steering wheel that I have, but then again there is no way during setup to fine tune steering wheel control.

2) All tracks should be available without qualification. I will likely never get access to half the tracks which remain locked. If steering wheel control was better than keyboard control then I could win more races and unlock the additional tracks.

Great game. LOTS of fun for all ages!!
I just purchased this game for my sons who LOVE Hot Wheels, especially the Highway 35 series. They are crazy about this game. It's easy enough for kids to play, but with tracks that will challenge adults as well.

The previous reviewer was correct about how to solve a problem with this game. I'm running a high end machine with Windows XP, and could not initially get the game to work. However, if you are having trouble installing/running the game piece, close it down and then right-click on the game icon. Click on properties and then click on the compatibility tab on top. Choose run in compatibility mode.

I have XP and chose 98 compatibility mode and it worked fine.

Tip on installation
We don't know why, but THQ doesn't include this tip on installation issues in there little manual. If you are having trouble installing/running the game piece, close it down and then right-click on the game icon. Click on properties and then click on the compatibility tab on top. Choose run in compatibility mode ... we have XP and chose 98 compatibility mode and it worked fine. Also, using THQ's website for technical support was excellent, they responded within 24 hours via email with the correct answers to our problems. http://www.thq.com/support/

After we got the game up and running, our 5yr old was off and going with the game ... he loves it. We changed our keyboard controls to be all with the numbers pad on our keyboard. Much easier for little fingers!!

Enjoy.

Absolutely no Tech Support
I bought this game for my nephew for Xmas. My PC meets and exceeds the minimum requirements listed on the box for this game. Yet it will not intall on my sytem as it claims the Athlon cpu is not supported. The box states clearly that Athlon processors are supported.

The website www.thq.com is worthless. There is no tech support. There isn't even a forum where you can post a complaint.

This is unforgiveable.

Will not run on my computers
I have 3 computers at home, this game will not run on any of them. I have a high end Dell laptop, desktop, and an older dell desktop. Program crashes on all three. Buyer beware! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Children ages 2 to 4 join their favorite Little People friends for a day of fun and learning at the Little People Discovery Airport. Players visit the control tower, help sort suitcases onto planes, learn about the weather, and even build and paint a new airplane! Five activities teach colors, shape and number recognition, differentiation skills, spatial relationships, and logic. The Little People characters and Pilot Paula will keep children busy for hours as they encourage imaginative thinking and curious exploration. Together they will discover an airport full of fun and wonder. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Creative & intellectually stimulating
Intended especially for preschool children ages 2 to 4, Little People Discovery Airport a creative, intellectually stimulating, and very highly recommended educational software package that helps teach preschool through first grade children about colors, shapes, sizes, number recognition, spatial relationships, cause and effect, and more. The playful and multi-ethnic child characters featured add warmth and appeal. With five different activities, multiple difficulty levels, printable activity Fun Pages, and a colorful and friendly setting, Little People Discovery Airport is a quality experience to share at home, during day care, or in preschool. The teacher edition contains a CD-ROM for use on two computers; also available for this title are a lab pack ($149.95), a site license ($325.00), and an add-on licence ($10.00).

Great first game
My son recieved this when he was 2 1/2 as a gift. It was one of his first games and he ,one year later, still plays this game on a daily basis. He sings the song at the beginning, loves making the airplane and seeing it fly across the screen and enjoys the animals. I highly recommend this game.

stable, sunny software for preschoolers
This software installs easily and is very stable. A main screen shows five Little People characters at work; each one leads to an activity -- sorting luggage to be loaded on the plane (three difficulty levels vary in sorting by color, shape or multiple features); putting animals in carriers (levels vary by relying on simple number recognition, counting or identifying numbers verbally); designing, building, painting and decorating an airplane; using arrow keys to navigate mazes that vary in complexity; and matching airplanes that vary by one, two or verbally-identified features.

Kids are fascinated by planes and airports, and this software keys in to those activities little ones find of interest. Happy songs, friendly characters, and cute puppies and kittens will charm your child, though the game is probably not challenging enough to hold their interest for hours of play. Our toddler enjoys playing this occasionally but gets bored after a time and puts it away for awhile before wanting to see it again. Despite a lack of overall challenge, there are a couple of very nice touches: in level 3 of the luggage sorting, the child determines which of multiple features will determine the sets; after a child has built and designed an airplane, it appears flying across the sky whenever the main screen is visited; and the child's name appears on a banner being pulled behind an airplane.

Pros: easy navigation, stability, multiple difficulty levels, printable activities, lots of positive feedback

Cons: no keyboard volume control, no written instructions, confusing sign-in, not entirely engaging, maybe a bit too much positive feedback

Great for 2.5 year old new computer user
This is a great program. This is my two and a half year old daughter's favorate along with reader rabbit preschool. She has about ten games and these two hold her interest and she can play them by herself with no help. She got a computer for Christmas so is very new to computing.

Great Supplement to the Little People Discovery Airport Toy
I bought this for my 4 year old twins and my 2 year old little girl. I also bought them the Little People Discovery Airport Playset for Christmas. The twins love to play the games on the computer and then go play with the playset. The computer games gives them ideas for play. My 2 year old can't handle the mouse, but she loves to watch her brothers play. They games are pretty easy for my twins, but they still like to play them. If your kids love Little People, they will like this game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Gentle jungle murmurings overlaid with Robert Guillaume's gleeful voice give this solid, well-conceived typing program an unusual degree of appeal and staying power. While smacking bugs, catching grubs, and tearing away from dangerous enemies, kids are actually practicing the same fundamental skill-based keyboard activities as covered by such adult titles as Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing.Some terrific components of this program include shadows that display which finger should be used to hit each key, a clock ticker that counts the seconds in each two-minute game, and the blissful fact that hitting the space bar will fast-forward you past the opening and closing credits. The mysterious, leafy jungle setting is delightfully alive, yet you'll likely need to turn the brightness on your monitor way up to see all the vital buttons hidden in the dark corners of the scene.Be forewarned: to truly conquer touch-typing, you need to drive those keyboard strokes deep into the body's muscular memory. Endless repetition is the only proven method for this. That means that while this program boasts five unique activities (for example, Rafiki gives "lessons" while Timon and Pumbaa play "games"), it is all keyboard practice, again and again. Kids receive encouragement with an enticing visual environment, progress reports, certificates, and frequent enthusiastic comments from Guillaume, but it is ultimately going to fall upon the parents to see that their children continue with this when the going gets, well, boring. Don't expect your child to see this through without your support. Stay involved, and they will. (Ages 6-10) --Jean Lenihan ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Good Game... Parts of it are a bit monotonous for young kids
This game was purchased for my six year old. She is a pretty active kid...not a lot of computer experience yet. When she first began to play, she was very tempted to look at her fingers...I sat beside her and held a lg. piece of paper over her hands, which solved the problem. The first night she learned to type f,d,j and k. She liked to "shoot bugs" (by typing the correct letter) but mandatory pages of just letters was a bit frustrating for her. I think that this game should go a little slower and therefore be more of a game and less work. I rate this game a solid B. It seems that it would be perfect for an 8 or 9 year old.

Time to give Mavis her walking papers!
This is not one of those cutesy titles that only pretends to be about education. This is an extremely well-designed, well-thought-out program that effectively teaches typing (i.e., keyboarding). Anything even remotely associated with The Lion King may trigger the gag reflex in survivors of the whole Lion King blitzkrieg, but rest assured: Timon and Pumba do not have center stage here; the lessons do. Never sacrificing the functional for the cute or gimmicky, this program is structured, yet adaptive, and uses a gradual progression of exercises to provide just the right degree of challenge as the user progresses. In other words, the program captivates by providing variation (to keep things from getting dull) and by making the goal seem easy while maintaining just the right level of difficulty. Both my wife and nine-year-old were instantly hooked and have progressed dramatically. I do have a few minor complaints (for example, icons for navigating through the program could be more intuitive or--Heaven forbid--identified with actual words), but overall, this is a finely crafted tool that condenses a one-semester high school typing class (of yore) onto a single CD-ROM--but without the boring teacher.

Unhappy
I have had a terrible time getting this program to run. It constantly shuts down or comes up with errors. It was a total waste of money as far as I am concerned.

Great game, tons of fun!!!!!!
This game includes four fun-filled levels. It's great for kids of all ages. But I am sorry that it is SO difficult to find in stores. I recomend this item to anyone who is looking for a very, very fun learn to type game for children.

Boring! Boring! Boring!
While this program appears to be cute and engaging at the onset, it quickly becomes very boring. My daughter likes the ONE game, but can't get past the first row of typing because it's so monotanous. There is nothing to challenge her to keep going and improving - no incentive. Just more boring repetition like we had to do in high-school. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

With brain-teasing graphics and puzzling riddles to solve, this spooky addition to the I Spy series will keep elementary-agestudents occupied for hours at a time. A skeleton host rewards players with a secret message puzzle piece upon successful completion of each riddle. Those clever enough to collect all the pieces can solve the bigger fun house mystery.

With ten different rooms ranging from an inventor's laboratory to a library--and text that is written entirely in rhyme--the world created here is utterly absorbing. No matter how many times you explore a room, there's always new details and creepy clickables you hadn't seen before. Particularly well done is the attic, where you can explore in the dark with only a flashlight to light your way.In the study, you can even create your own riddles to send to your printer!

This software concentrates on critical-thinking skills,problem-solving abilities, and acute observational techniques that are centered around a mansion. This software takes a well-loved series to a whole new level--it's perfect for the die-hard fan or as the first member of what we're sure will become a large I Spy collection. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A Family Favorite
My son is only three and a half, so my husband bought the game with the intention of saving it until our son was older. I got it out for him, and even though it is rated for ages 6-10, it is one of our son's favorites. Given that he can't read, I had to help him at first, but once I showed him where to click to get the riddles read to him, he could play independently (for hours on end). I keep two different user files -- one of a completed game so that he can make all seven ghosts (which requires completing the game); and one uncompleted, so when he completes puzzles the skeleton gives him new puzzle pieces. Other reviewers said that the game was not interesting once played through, but we have not found that to be the case. Our son was _more_ interested in the repetition once he'd got the hang of it. Also, of all the games we have, this is the most pleasant and interesting for the adult helping the child.

Great education and entertainment value
My son had loved the "I Spy Junior" game so I thought he might enjoy trying this challenge, recommended for ages 6-10. He's 5 but a very strong visual learner with great memory skills. The beauty of this game is it not only plays to his strengths but encourages building lesser skills with words on many levels. My favorite aspects: beautifully detailed graphics, a fun laboratory animation with 7 ghost experiments, and the concentration games which are a challenge at many levels. You get the sense that the creators enjoyed making this product. I find the best children's computer games (eg. Learning Company's Cat in the Hat series) reach parents as well making shared learning opportunities a joy!

My students enjoy it!
I am a pediatric occupational therapist who used this game as a fun way to develop eye-hand coordination, visual perception, thinking, and reading skills. They were so motivated! Unfortunately after you "win" the game that is all there is; not another more challenging level to explore.

Spooky Mansion...unrevisited!
Santa brought this game for my 6 yr. old for Christmas. She and I and her 3 1/2yr. old brother opened it the day after Christmas. It is very interesting with 10 rooms to explore and 26 riddles to decipher. After completing each riddle, you're given a piece to the final puzzle which in turn instructs you how to finally get out of the mansion. My daughter stuck with it for the first 13 riddles, and suprisingly my 3yr. old wanted to keep playing until the end. We received the "certificate of completion" that very day. When we signed back on to play a "new game", we were soooo disappointed - there isn't any new game. Same 26 riddles to solve. We'll have to wait a year or so, in the hopes that we'll forget where everything is. (Or just give it to all our neighbors, family, shool chums etc.). Obviously, the I Spy books have limitations, but the software could and should give many additional games/levels.

Very clever
Purchased for my grandson's 5th birthday. Incredibly clever, well designed, plays without a hitch on iMac. He played for over 2 hours the first time out of the box and is still loving it. The adults are fighting over a turn. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

mediocre software for avid Rescue Heroes fans only
Meteors have hit the planet, resulting in a series of widely scattered emergencies that require the Rescue Heroes to intervene -- and they need your help!!

The graphics are good, the intro is exciting .... but after that the game is totally mediocre. Four activities have three levels of difficulty, but they are quite tedious no matter what level you play. (1) Move around a water maze to rescue people in a flooded movie studio, and shoot a life preserver over a moving line of floating objects. (2) Navigate a maze on a rock face as you rescue stranded climbers while avoiding vicious eagles and snakes. (3) Aim a hose at brush fires so you can find and rescue animals on an African preserve. (4) Snowboard down a ski slope without hitting the shrubbery so you can dig people out from under an avalanche.

The hype is here, but the games are very boring. Your child has little flexibility or independence when performing tasks, and those tasks probably use only 2% of your child's brain power. For example, in order to dig people out of the avalanche, you click on the snow cave over and over, it doesn't matter where, until the person trapped within tells you how great you are -- and every time it's the same person in the snow cave. Each game is rather mindless in this way. There is little reasoning required and no skills acquired.

This is lame software that has neither educational value nor excitement. When there are so many worthwhile children's software titles out there, don't waste your money or your child's time on this lazy stuff. It may be worthwhile for the truly avid Rescue Heroes fan, but even that is doubtful. This was our first Rescue Heroes title. It is also our last.

Lava Landslide
I gave this game to my son as an early birthday present. He's almost four and loves the Rescue Heroes. The reviews I read were mixed so I decided to buy it anyway. I'm really glad I did. Sure it's challenging, but it's a good excuse for the parents to get involved. First I did the hard parts for him, to show him what needed to be done. Then I guided him through them and finally he ended up doing it all by himself. He was so proud when he accomplished the hard tasks that he couldn't do at first!

Unlike most computer games this one requires the use of the arrow keys instead of the mouse. Well, it's always nice to learn new skills.
I can't wait to give my son the two other RH games I baught for his birthday. I have no doubt he'll love them too.

Inaginext Pirate Raider
I gave it a 1 because they did not have a 0, to give. I bought this game for my son and I try to install it and it tells me that it has encountered an error. I go to the web site and it tells me what to do with that error, but after I do what it told me it does the same error thing again. My son and I both got so frustrated and finally gave up. I am returning it to the place where I purchased it for a full refund. Good luck for those of you that also bought this Horrible Game.

Frustrating game for my almost 5 yr. old
I agree with other reviews that the mouse clicking is very difficult. It's difficult to maneuver the men around. My son tried for a few minutes, became so frustrated, I finished the one mission, but couldn't get him to do any more. Would recommend the I Spy software - ages 6-10, but he loves it! Don't have to know how to read.

Yeah Pirate Raider!
My 7-year-old LOVES this game. He'd play from sun up to sun down if I let him. I hear him cheering and clapping in the other room and he's having so much fun!
I'm VERY anti-violence, so when he got this game I was concerned. I was pleased to discover that although the ships sometimes fire on each other, no people are ever involved. This makes it so much more abstract and less about killing. When you capture forts, you fire on canons only and never see people. When you capture other ships, your knife is used only to chop up fruit that's thrown at you by skeletons. Once you capture their gold, you're on your way to fulfill another mission.
Frankly, this game is so much fun I have to admit to playing it myself! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Dig deep into sixth grade skills on a mystery-solving adventure in the empire of the plant people. Go underground to find the missing ClueFinders, and take on an army of mutant plant warriors to save the town above from certain doom. Kids will need all their smarts to tackle this title's tricky challenges. From cleaning up toxic pollutants to building bridges, every activity brings kids closer to solving this underground mystery, while mastering essential sixth grade skills.

Explore 15 interactive games and exercises designed for kids, ages 10 to 12 and older. Build more than 150 key sixth grade skills in math, language, science, social studies, and problem solving. Four levels of difficulty and a variety of tricky challenges keep ClueFinders 6th Grade Adventures 2002: Empire of the Plant People fun and fresh. Detailed help features guide kids throughout, and built-in progress reports help parents navigate their child's learning fun.

In addition, an all-new for 2002 bonus CD-ROM doubles the mystery and clue-finding fun. In ClueFinders: Mystery Mansion Arcade, our adventurers are lured into a spooky mansion by an ingenious mastermind and his four villainous henchmen. Kids help the ClueFinders escape by choosing the best ClueFinder for each arcade-style hazard. Speed through the Ultimate Deep-Dish Pizza Skate Park, stay cool through the High-Voltage Circuit Zone, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Clue to Making Learning Fun
I purchased Cluefindes 3rd Grade Adventures about 6 weeks ago, and since have watched my child use it to completion. She has played it 4 times and will probably play it again in the future. In the meantime, she has moved onto the 4th grade game.

Setting up the game is pretty easy, and the directions are clear. Starting up is a cinch as well. You have the options of taking the test drive which is a placement test. It is not as much fun as the actual game, but it is not too boring either and it gets the child started at a challenging level. The first time my child "played" it she started at the beginners level, and finished it in two days. The second time, I set it to level two and it took her a week to complete. The third time I had her do the test drive. This is where the real value came in.

When she started the game on the lowest levels she was basically reviewing what she had learned the previous year, which is a good thing. But, when she played the game after the placement test, she was truly challenged to learn more. I never imagined in a million years that a child would follow me around begging to be taught long division. She could not cross a bridge in the game without being able to divide. So I taught her and she practiced and cemented the skill by playing the game.

As a homeschooler leaning towards self directed learning, I found this game to be invaluable. It gives me the freedom to wait for a child to be ready to learn a skill while at the same time ensuring that such comes quickly through constant challenges. After all, the best time to teach a child a skill is when they want to learn it. This game provided that want for me.

This game does not teach skills your child must know, but provides challenges. The way I use it is to wait for a challenge to be presented, and then teach that child whatever they need to succeed and overcome that challenge.

The only problems I had with this software is that each time the child finished the game, they had to start again with a new member name, it would not let us back into the game as the same person. This did allow me to compare the membernames records to check for progress which was evident.

If you purchase the 2 cdrom version of this game, with the personalized learning center, you will be able to print worksheets according to your childs strengths and weaknesses and to see where the child needs more practice. You will also be able to spot where your child may be gifted.

The personalized learning center disc, however is not formulated to give a child a "grade" based on how well the child did in the program, but to show progress over time. Therefore, If you are a homeschooler and grades are important to you, you will want to "test" the child separately perhaps using the worksheets or making up your own exams.

Great teaching game
We are a homeschooling family. I bought this game along with the fourth grade and fifth grade versions for my nine year old. She sailed through the other two, but found this one challenging. It is great for reinforcing math, introduces chemistry, addresses the pollution problem, history, spelling, vocabulary and reading comprehension. There is a level selection area in which you can choose how hard or easy the game is, but this is also handy for letting parents know where your child may need some help in or where they excel. It has a practice mode where the child can just do the activities without having to play the game. I found this great for reinforcing some of those areas my daughter needed more help in.
Even though my daughter has finished all three games, she still plays these.

Never Too Old To Play!!
It's great I'm 14 going on 15 in a month but I don't care
because that doesn't stop me from having fun. It's the greatest game. I've only played the 3rd and 4th grade one but they're still and always be my favorite software. If you've never played any of these games and you love computer games; buy this then even if you're older then me. Who cares? Just remember HAVE FUN!!! You won't regret it!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Could you make one for 10th graders or do you already?

Thank You

Cluefinders 6th Grade Adventures
This product provides an excellent source for preparation or reinforcement of what a 6th grader is expected to know. Players are put into a mystery situation where they have to solve clues in order to figure out the answers. Various aspects of the 6th grade curriculum are covered, and the computer adjusts for the skill level of the player, making the games increasingly more challenging. Areas covered include logical thinking, mathematics, science, geography, social science, and language arts. The games are fun, and since they get progressively harder as the student masters a skill, they do not get boring. At times the transition time from one activity to the next can be a bit long, and instructions are repetitive, but this seemed to bother adults more than children; this should not deter the buyer, however, as the positive aspects of this game far outweigh the negatives. Graphics and sound are excellent, and help includes a map and a reference section. Levels can be set manually, or the program can be adjusted to automatically determine when to advance to the next level as a skill is mastered. On the whole this is an excellent product, and a great way to make learning fun. Highly Recommended. Reviewer is a teacher and a librarian.

Cool
This game is fun and VERY educational... I even forgot I was
learning while playing it! The games are fun and have different levels, so if one level is too easy you may make is
harder and more challenging. It explains the mini-game
and how to play. The charactors are click-able and they seem to talk and help you throughout the whole game.
You meet cool alien type things, and in order to survive, you must figure out the answer to the mini-games.
The backround music is pretty cool, but it may get annoying
you can turn off the music, too! before you begin the game, it shows a mini movie of what's happening and it tells about
your mission.I love this game! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Based on the Fox television series, American Idol: The Search for a Superstar brings the intense talent competition to your home. Designed for ages 10 and up, the game immerses players in the life of an American Idol contestant. Experience the celebrity lifestyle and create a superstar image. Shop for hip fashions and accessories, practice singing skills, and perfect dance moves. As players compete to be at the top, they must prove they have what it takes to be the best. Just like the TV show, this game features three tough judges who will praise or preach after each performance. Great tunes, super sets, and much more make this game as close as you can get to being there. And for the real test of talent, contestants can record and post their performance on the American Idol Web site to garner first place in a nationwide online competition. ... Read more

Features

• Become an American Idol contestant
• 3 judges rave or rant at your moves
• Refine your superstar style
• Post your performance in American Idol cyber competition
• Includes 20 hip tunes and cool dance moves

Reviews (26)

AMERICAN IDOL ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey everyone! I just wanna say that THIS GAME RULES!!!!! You get to choose from songs like: From AM to PM by Christina Milian, Feelin Is Right by Samantha Mumba, Angel by Shaggy, Free by Mya, I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor, Bouncing Off The Ceiling by the A*Teens, S Club Party by S Club, Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down, Escape by Enrique Englasias, and those are just a few of my favorites out of the 20 SONGS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM!!!! You get to choose your look. There are 4 skin tones: Light, pale, asian, and dark. There are many hairstyles and looks to choose from, and there are soooooooooo many more that you can buy along the way! But you can only buy CLOTHES (shirts, pants/skirts, and shoes), not new hairstyles and colors. You also get to pick a stage name for your contestant!!! The computer randomly puts you against one of the contestants that the game made up. You have to get 1000 star power by buying clothes, stages, lighting effects, special effects, dance moves, and camera angles. The game comes with a FREE MIC so that you can sing into it!!!!!!! There are 2 types of dance performances and 2 types of singing performances. You'll learn more about them if you buy this game (and I hope you do!!!). There are 2 hosts (but you only hear their voices), a boy and a girl. The boy's name is TC and the girl's name is Kat. I HIGHLY RECOMMENED THIS GAME!!! GET IT!!!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR MISSING OUT ON!!!!!!!!!!

Super cool & lots of stuff to do!
I watched the American Idol TV show and then I went out and bought this game. This game actually has MORE stuff in it than the show did!

First, you get to create your own character. There's not too many choices at first, but if you play for a while you can collect a lot of stuff.

Then you get to play singing and dancing games! The dancing games are pretty cool and my favorite is the singing practices where someone sings to you and you have to sing back. You can record a song with your voice and use it in the game too.

After you win a game, you go make a video of your performance. I think this is the best part. All kinds of dance moves, cameras, lighting and special effects. Then, if you want, you can put your video up on the website and people can vote on it, just like in the show!

It takes a long time to get enough stuff to make a really cool video, so don't give up.

I'd recommend this to anyone who liked the American Idol TV show and also to anyone who likes to sing or put together dance performances.

rocks
The songs rock the clothing rocks the game rocks.
Its like the sims because you get to create your charecter but instead of walking around you get to compete and it is so much fun to make a music video with friends you really should try the game

NOTHING LIKE THE SHOW BUT THIS GAME ROCKS
This American Idol Game is 10 times better than the one made by Codemaster!!!! I see people talking about how, "Oh, I don't know these songs" or "These songs are old" but if you don't know them the words flash across the screen and if they are old....tough!!!
I'm an 11 year old that should have been born 20 years ago because I love those kind of songs!! I love the way that you can make that person your own! You are NOT trying to make th next American Idol!! It's a game people!! Come on!!! The clothes, hair and all around point of the game is definetly the best game I have ever played and that is truely sincere!!

Hope you like the game!!!

§~Vanessa~§

Ok but not awesome
THe game is good preety much except that a micro phone doesn't come with it!! IT only has 21 songs and unless they do and expansion set the game will get boring. there are only two judges that don't critique you they give you compliments!! There are only a few dance moves and closthe I'd wait to buy it until they make an expannsion set IF they do!! ... 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

Features

• Before Clifford's birthday celebration can start, Emily Elizabeth has to plan out 18 different activities -- everything from taking Clifford to the Dog Groomers to going to the Post Office
• They'll have fun helping Emily find her missing jewelry while sorting, counting and matching
• They'll also get to bake a cake, play a soccer game, and much more
• Adjustable skill levels
• Ages 4-8

Reviews (5)

LOVE it!
This is the best of the games I've recently purchased for my 4 year old. It's an adventure game in which the player must search various locations for specific items, people or tasks. Within most locations, there are little games the child must play to find the item in question.

The thing I really like about this game compared to some others: There are only a handful of locations and there is a map the child can access at any time to jump to the desired location. This makes game play soooooo much faster. As soon as I got the package open, my son took off with it and required no intervention from me to complete the game. He really enjoys playing it even now that he knows all of the "answers".

Clifford entertains!
My 4 & 5 year old daughters have been playing this one for a year now. It has never hit the bottom of the CD game pile! It is fun, while it teaches - which is the best part! You search for 4 jewels while you try to get things done for Clifford's party. There are games along the way as well as thinking adventures. One game involves sorting grocery items into their correct places on the shelves - which helps teach counting and spatial skills. There are plenty of activities to keep your child busy, and teach them something too! I highly recommend this one! Who doesn't love Clifford! "Woof!"

Play, play, and play again
My three year old daughter loves to play this game over and over again. She plays by herself now, only needing help the first couple of times she played. It has a lot of activities to keep her busy and she has a blast playing. It's definitely one of the best computer games she has.

Watch your child learn
Our son started playing this game when he was three and loved every minute of it. The game "teaches" logic and computer skills in the context of a story rather than with the curriculum of games like Reader Rabbit and Jump Start (nothing against those products, this is just different). Even though he has finished the game many times and understands the order in which you need to do things, our son likes to play the game over and over. I particularly liked a sorting game that requires the child to clean up the grocery shelves and put matching items on the shelf that has the correct number of spaces. We have given this game as a gift and would do so again.

Good for hours and hours
This is a little-kid adventure game which is similar in nature to big-people adventure games like Myst, but obviously much more simplified.
My 3 year old daughter loves this game. She needed some help when she first started playing, but now she can go to the computer, start the program, and play all by herself. She has solved the adventure many times and she still has fun with it. We have gotten many hours of enjoyment out of this game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Stuart Little, that lovable, little mouse with a big personality, is back for more adventure, fun, and learning. This double CD-ROM set offers kids, ages 3 to 7, two amazingly fun titles: Stuart Little: His Adventures in Numberland, and Stuart Little: His Adventures in Wordland. Filled with 29 learning activities covering math, language arts, and critical-thinking skills as well as award-winning content designed by educators, kids will revel in a range of adventures and heroics with Stuart and friends. And for parents, progress-tracking tools and reports let you celebrate your child's learning victories. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Wonderful!! Real learning in a fun environment.
Of all the educational software my girls (currently in kindergarten) have played, this is easily my favorite - and theirs too. Much more engaging than similar titles in the JumpStart and Reader Rabbit series.

First, there is more variety in the two CDs in this package than in similar educational software for this age. And the activities are more compelling and less repetitive. My girls are sticking with each activity for a long time rather than always moving on to the next one because the current one gets boring quickly.

Also, this software has competitive games that can be played with the computer or with another player (a child or a parent.) So I get to play. And some of these games actually involve some strategy. For example, in one game, each player controls two pieces that have to move from the start to the finish. The player has to determine which piece should be moved since different actions will result after the move is made. Also, this game uses two dice, so the child gets used to quickly adding two numbers (shown as dots) instead of relying on a spinner pointing to a single number.

Next, the production quality is very high. The games and activities use a 3D environment, and are always interesting to look at. My kids frequently say "Cool" when they see the special effects.

One more item: This game uses the metaphor of Stuart Little's "brainpower" (visually filling in areas of his 'brain') to keep track of what activities have been played and how much more is needed to get a special reward. My kinds understand this, and it motivates them.

I think this is a great kids title. My kids do too.

this IS the best ever-- and no wonder why
I got Stuarts Adventures for my three grand daughters and what a success. This game is amazing and like nothing we have ever seen before. There is a scale model of an ancient sailing ship where the children can play, and a scale model of an old steam engine the children ride to a mining town. The adventures are fun for young kids and must have been tested with lots and lots of young children. There is pretty music from different countries, and games with a lot of refreshing variety, cute rewards, and great content. In one game the child learns the letters that begin the names of beautiful children from many cultures. As the game progresses these children whose letters and names are being learned are seen in their own cultures. The game culminates with the child learning famous landmarks on each continent and seeing where these different cultures are located on a world map....an amazing example of the way gifted kindergarten teachers can teach language in a cultural context. The highest level rewards are meaningful because as the child moves through the games they accumulate "brain power" that lets them create toys on one CD, and on the other that lets they decode a mystery note so Stuart can follow his aunt Polly on an adventure. Its SO addictive, and the kids learn SO easily and don't get tired of it, that I became curious about who could have created such a masterpiece. I went to the website on the box (and also the interactive manual on the CD)and read all about it. These games were made by a research and development team at a top university. The team was a cognitive psychologist, two developmental psychologists, a linguist, an art teacher, a prize winning composer, an experienced kindergarten teacher, and several computer scientists and graphic artists. This is why the games keep the attention of kids and actually teach them things that coordinate with school. It must be why it all appears so hand crafted and beautiful. This is a really great achievement and I agree with the other review I read here. Its the best value to date -- and its no wonder why!

It never ends! A great learning tool, but a game for kids
This is the best value in computer software to date. The games never end and are incredibly educational. But your kid will never know it! The games include board games, dot to dot, matching, tetris-like adding game, crosswords and more. My daughter can't get enough of it. We read the reviews and yes, I'll agree it is advanced for a 3 yr old. My daughter is 4 and recognizes her letter (but doesn't yet know their sounds) and knows numbers by sight up to 10. If your child doesnt know their numbers or letters you'll have to play with them. But isn't that fun, too?! Really, this is a great game.

A Little hard for 3 year olds
My three year old enjoys seeing Stewart on the computer, but I think she doesn't understand the concept of most of this game.She likes doing the dot-to-dots and then coloring them but it was to hard for her.I found no setting to make it easier for her to play.

If there were academy awards for educational software...
If there were academy awards for children's educational software, Stuart's Learning Adventures would win all the Oscars -- for best educational content, for best graphics, for cleverest characters, for best motivation for kids, for best music. This was a spectacular surprise. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

If You Want To Disappoint Your Child Buy This Game
Being the purchasing parent, I got to play the Waste Your Money game with Disney. I like The Wiggles, I have no problem sitting through hours of Wiggley fun, but goodness gracious Disney Interactive! How could you allow this to be put on the market - for 20 dollars no less? My son actually said to me, "Daddy, it's not doing nothing?" (I'll work on his use of double-negatives later) Uhh, Merry Christmas Son?!? It offers NO stimulation for the childs mind and has NO entertainment value. Basically, it's the PC game equivalent of a cardboard cut-out.

Let me give you an example of how bad it is: You can choose to watch three little Wiggles video clips, well, the problem is when The Wiggles sing their mouths don't match-up to the song being played - none of the three videos are in sync! I mean seriously people?!?

The one good thing about Wiggle Bay is that it gets my son off the computer. Now THAT'S worth 20 dollars.

Don't Waste Your Money!
Trust me when I say, don't waste your money, this game is not worth it no matter how much of a Wiggle fan your child is. My son is a huge fan so I got this for him thinking it would be the perfect thing to introduce him to the computer. After we played each game just one time he was bored and wanted to get down to go play and that isn't like him when it comes to anything dealing with The Wiggles, he eats, breathes, and sleeps The Wiggles.

Should have been called "Dorothy's Cheap Mini-Games"
The voice of Dorothy the Dinosaur provides instructions as you navigate around an island-shaped menu of 8 mini-games. Unfortunately, the games themselves (Tic-Tac-Toe, simple jigsaw puzzles and mazes, etc.) are very short, unimaginative and look cheap. They are of the quality that you can easily find for free on websites like Nick Jr., Playhouse Disney, or PBS Kids.

One of menu options isn't even a game at all - it's just 3 short clips from the "Wiggle Bay" video. Another game where you water four of Dorothy's flowers, is actually quite frustrating -- each plant starts dying if you remove the water for more than a split-second, so the only way to get them all to bloom is to be in a ridiculous constant motion.

And besides those three video clips, the Wiggles themselves are barely present at all in the game. Comic-book-style renderings of their faces appear on the screen, and you'll hear an occasional "Hi I'm Jeff" or "You're very good at this game", but Dorothy is the voice who provides all the instructions.

Overall, a very disappointing product.

NOT WHAT I EXPECTED
This is not high quality software.The program is slow and to simple even for my 18 month old daughter.I have a top of the line Gateway computer,and I have never seen anything move as slow as this.She loves the Wiggles so I feel we got are moneys worth she can look at the one of the three videos included in the software ( they are only small pieces). I thought we would get a better program with Disney names on the product.

Better for Older Kids and No Wiggle Music
No Wiggles music is incorporated in the game. The computer games are better designed for older kids. Games include Tic, Tac, Toe and maze games. Not the best children's computer game out there. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Power up your army of supercharged dinosaurs to save Jurassic Park. An evil scientist with an army of equally evil dinosaurs has taken control of Jurassic Park. Battle them back with your customizable team of specialized dinosaurs--each with its own awesome fighting moves and cool combinations. Build your dinosaur army and dominate opponents to become dinosaur fighting champion. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Highly recommend this game for kids
I am basing my positive review of this game Dinosaur Battles on the following: 1) I am a parent of a 9-year old boy who loves dinosaurs 2) I want him to play games that are fun for him yet don't contain violent content or inappropriate situations. With regard to both of the above, Dinosaur Battles is a winner and I strongly recommend the game. The game is a 3D real-time action fighting game, on par in terms of graphics with console titles, yet available for the PC. The dinosaurs are very realistic(true to the Jurassic Park brand on the game) and they fight other dinosaurs on Jurassic Park Island. Even when the dinosaurs are defeated, they just slink off with their tails between their legs--there is no real violence and certainly no blood or gore that I see in other dinosar-fighting games on the market.

Another reviewer gave Dinosaur Battles a negative review, recommending some X-Box dinosaur fighting game instead. While everyone's entitled to their opinion, please keep in mind what's really important when deciding what software to buy for your kids. I don't know this X-Box game, but I'm almost certain that it is probably not designed to be fun and non-violent for my 9-year-old like Dinosaur Battles is. So make up your own mind--just know that I am glad I bought this game, it works great for me, my kid loves it, and I will be looking for other games like it in the future.

This Game is Really Fun but Hard
My twin 5 year boys love this game. They can do everything except activiate the DNA in each skill. I have to do that for them. However, they can handle all of the battles and they have completely solved the game. I really enjoy playing it too! For those of you stuck on the aklosaurus, the online help of this game will get you through it. There is NO WAY we would have figured out how to complete this whole game without the online help. I strongly suggest printing it off and keeping it on hand. Anyway, the only way to defeat any armoured dinosaur is to use the piercing skills. They are usually the yellow skills with the word pierce or piercing in their name.

hours of fun
I gave my eight year old son this game, and he has been playing it with enjoyment for the past six months. He has played it with each of his friends on playdates, and several of them have purchased it and play it at home now. It is essentially an exercise in optimization -- how to configure the dinosaurs so they will battle most effectively. It takes patience, strategy, and skill to create winning dinosaurs. I believe my son is learning while he plays. Fortunately, the battles are realistic enough to be satisfying but not gory or upsetting -- the defeated dinosaurs don't die, they just moan and slink off. An additional plus: some of the key human players, including the evil scientist, are smart girls and women. My only problem with the game is that it is so fascinating that I have to limit my son's time at the computer!

Jurassic Park Dinosaur Battles: reveiw
I think this game is great in many differet ways because there is no gore or violence, the game has 3D graphics which is the best, you gain dinosaurs like T-rex, Spinosaurus, Velociraptor and much more, you also gain attacks along the way, and it doen't need a scanner like scan command does because Dinosaur Battles already has 500 or more peices. So I rate Dinosaur Battles a 5 is because almost anyone can play it and it's fun!

Fun, but....
This game is fun, going around collecting dino's and teaching them moves with DNA. I suggest this for children 10-15. It lacks in interest after you beat the game once (and believe me, will take you less than an hour), even if you are the biggest jurassic park fan on earth. Buy this if it's under $10.00. Just in case your curious, you gain control over (in order) a velociraptor, stegosaurus, tricerotops, pteronodon (which flies away), maybe an ankylosaurus (i'm not sure), a t-rex, and a spinosaurus. I hope this helped! ... Read more