Amazon.com Review

Does your 6-year-old yearn to learn the Hindi word forelephant? Or would she or he rather explore the tried and true settingof a classroom? This two-CD-ROM set from the JumpStart peoplewill satisfy both adventurers and homebodies and help them witheverything from geography to spelling.

In JumpStart 1st Grade, kids get to pal around with Frankie, ahyper yet sincere pooch who would probably be the most popular boy inthe class. Frankie is excited to go on a treasure hunt but first mustgather clues by helping out inside the school. Six activities withinthe schoolhouse earn clues: Cooking up Spelling Soup, cooking in theMeasurement Kitchen, counting funds in Money Madness, engaging in PogoStick Math, reading from the Bookshelf Bonanza, or playing a teacher'sBean Bag Science game. There's also a music room and an art room. Inour tests, the organ with point-and-click keys provided a lot of free-formfun. It also provided a welcome break when the slightly too-longeducational games begin to feel, well, educational.

JumpStart Around the World lets kids travel to far-flung placeslike Brazil and China aboard anything from a train (landmasspermitting) to a blimp (if you have enough money to buy passage). Kidsmust purchase their passage, which is a good lesson in pocketbookeconomics. Each of the four modes of transportation involves a game,and once in a country, kids can chose scrapbook souvenirs ranging frompostcards to fun facts to brief audio language lessons. We thought thebudget and the language lessons were engaging and educational tools.But the brief skimming over each of the 12 destinations got was thecyber equivalent of being trapped on a tour bus. (Ages 5 to 7) --AnneErickson ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Buried Treasure - lots of fun, lots of learning
The Jump Start series is very entertaining. My son started with Jump Start Toddlers when he was three. He has since gone through the Pre-school, Pre-k and Kindergarten. At five he is busy with First Grade and with Second Grade, although Second Grade is still too difficult.

The children are introduced to basic skills, in this case addition, subtraction, fractions, measuring, quantities, telling time, parts of speech, phonics, reading comprehension, basic science, music, art, synonyms and antonyms, counting money. Each skill is learnt with a game, Spelling Soup, Vending Machine, Lost and Found, and Bean Bag Science to name a few of the many activities. Each game is well constructed, has three levels, and the ability to track progress should this be desired.

Typically each Jump Start has a meta-game, in this case, clues for a treasure hunt. The treasure hunt is slick and adds to the enjoyment.

Though we have spent many hours on first grade reading and first grad math, we spent more time on first grade than on both these other activities together. Lots of fun, lots of learning.

Great introduction of new concepts!
This is perfect for 1st graders who want a fun way to practice the new skills they are learning, and it is a nice way to introduce new concepts to younger children.
I bought this program for my son who is just finishing Kindergarten. I was looking for something to prepare him for 1st grade and have been very happy with the many different activities that the software includes. However, I will say that unless your child has been exposed to 1st grade concepts, such as fractions, parts of speech, or counting change, you may want to walk your child through each activity before leaving them to explore the game on their own. My son has found the game easy to navigate, but the activities are a bit challenging given that he has not had prior experience to some of the concepts. This is by far is favorite game and I have seen him make great progress in the few short weeks that we have had this software. My daughter, who is just finishing up her 1st grade year, has had no difficulty at all with this game and enjoys working towards the incentives! Well, worth the money!

A satisfied Customer
I for one spend time with my sister. and ever since she was four,
she spent a lot of time playing with this game. The first time I saw it, I thought: "what a colorful, eyecatching game!"
and when I actually sat down to try it, jumpstart amazed me even more. the fun characters, the talking dog... who could not love this game? the level of difficulty is even adjustable, and it gives the parent a full report on how the player is doing in diffrent areas. so it was great for me to see that I found this game not boring and long but, amusing. even to me. :)
I would definitely suggest YOU, go out and buy this for your child.

Educational and fun!
It's tough finding something for kids to play while not spending a fortune and wasting brain space on senseless games. The Jumpstart series are great because they offer great ways to learn while keeping things simple and fun in a cartoon-like format. The software is easy to install and I found that my 1st grader could easily navigate the program without getting stuck. She sat on it for hours!! I was surprised to see the fun she had with the program and look forward to purchasing further copies. I was surprised that fractions were used, but it was in a kitchen setting where kids could bake cakes, cookies, etc., while being told to add 1/4 cup, 1/2 teaspoon, etc.. I found that interesting and a good way to get into that form of math.

Poor interface
The user interface design of this game is not intuitive. As an adult, I had a hard time figuring out what exactly the program wants you to do. Instructions were confusingly worded and unclear. Not sure all the activities have much educational value. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

In JumpStart Learning Games: ABC's, the JumpStart gang has a mystery on its hands. Someone spilled juice in the JumpStart train's caboose and didn't clean it up. Children join Eleanor Elephant and friends on a fun-filled train adventure to deduce "Who left the juice in the caboose?" As kids travel to different locations and play learning games, they earn clues and use their deductive reasoning skills to solve the mystery. Along the way, kids can also listen to six fun songs, which reinforce letter recognition, letter sequencing, and letter sounds. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Jump Start ABC's
My son really enjoys this software. He loves the cartoon characters and the fun songs that they sing and dance to. I like the way each word lights up while the characters are singing songs. That way you can follow along. He learned to recognize his letters by playing this CD. It's a good way for a young child to develop listening skills and to follow directions. My son really likes playing the sled race while finding words that begin with the same letter. I like the fact that there are three levels of play. (easy, medium, hard). When you master the easy level you can go on to the next level. I would recommend this CD to anyone with young children ages 3-5, because they will learn pre-reading skills in a fun and motivating way.

Very Average
The music was nice, but the dialogue was too long.... My three and 1/2 year old became easily bored. He was only interested in the sled game. Its good for kids who can keep focused on something for a long time.

Great for learning ABC's!
My 3 1/2 year old loves this software. It has helped him learn abc's, upper/lower case, matching, finding, letter sounds, etc. I was very happy with this. The only disappointment was that after he'd mastered the 3 different activities, there wasn't another level with new activities. Still fun, though!

Jumpstart ABC's
My 4 year old son loves this game and I don't even think he realizes that he is learning as he plays. It is exactly what I was looking for. This gives him the ABC recognizition that his preschool teacher told me to work on with him. Another wonderful thing about it is that it was easy enough for him to comprehend and figure out what to do and now he plays on it all by himself.

A delightful learning experience
This software delivers great bang for the buck. My son is almost three and he loves this program, which is designed to help children learn the alphabet. He calls it Juice Caboose. It has numerous characters that are fun and the music is charming. The exercises are challenging, but not impossible.

I believe that interactive learning software is a much better way for children to spend time than watching TV or videos. This is a good program because it holds the child's attention and creates a fun learning experience. I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

In this game, kids apply lessons in language arts, math, history, science, art, and music to rescue 13 lost friends before they turn into monsters. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My boy actually doesn't really like it.
I've usually been quite pleased with Jumpstart products, but my boy who is usually quite easy to get to go play educational games doesn't like this one. He says it keeps sending him back to the same thing over and over even if he gets a perfect score. I think he would have just liked a little more variety.

Great fun! She forgot she was learning!
I recently bought Jump Start 4th Grade for my daughter. She loved it! It quickly became her favorite computer program. She introduced two friends to the program and they went out and purchased it as well! She prefers this computer game over television, so it was well worth the money. You won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kids travel to the strange and exciting Reading Lands with Reader Rabbit and his friend Sam the Lion. In Reader Rabbit Reading, kids ages 6 to 9 embark on an adventurous learning quest filled with engaging reading, thinking, and writing activities. Along the way, they'll increase their vocabulary, practice rhyming, learn about compound words and multiple syllables, expand their imagination, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Inside the Earth - Inside Your Child's Mind!
Scholastic's name's on this selection. Not for nothing....This is another one of Microsoft's gems. I know I said it before, but this is definitely a gem! Microsoft does NOT make bad educational software. There's something of value in every package they turn out. Ms. Frizzle shines again in this one. Parents this is the closest you want your kids exploring inside the earth. Come on and break out your wallet, or purse.

Eductational and fun
My 6 year old always prefers Magic School Bus programs over his other educational computer games. Just a warning: it won't compete with non-educational stuff if they have a choice.

great learning tool
My 7 year old son loves this game! Learning and fun all in one! What more could you ask for!

Great find!

My 5-year loved it!
My son learned so much from this game. I could not get him off the computer! He learned all about archaeology and uses words like gems and minerals in context. I love his enthusiasm. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Invaluable
I've tried both Encarta 2004 and Britannica 2004. As other reviews here pointed out, Britannica is also good, but the interface leaves a lot to be desired and program is very very sluggish. I'm on a 1.6Mhz Pentium 4 Windows XP system, with 1 gigabyte of memory. So I was a bit surprised how slow it was.

I decided to go with Encarta because it's faster, has more multimedia, and I like how Microsoft updates it (and displays a list of what was updated/added). I haven't tried the older versions of Encarta so I cannot compare, but 2004 looks and works fine for me. Some have complained about the Visual Browser "carousel" on the main page of the program. This can easily be disabled in the program options if it annoys you. The Encarta interface is very clean and organized. Colorful detailed buttons on the toolbar make it very easy to access the most common tasks and the search function is very fast. It seems the more you dig into it, the more goodies you'll find. There are great interactivities, games, dynamic atlas, 3D and 2D virtual tours, thousands of quotations, an entire dictionary program, and lots more. If you're used to the Internet Explorer browser, the "Favorites" menu in Encarta is identical and a great way to bookmark and organize your favorite places in this vast program. It's very easy to get "lost" for hours just clicking around.

I haven't looked through an encyclopedia on CD-ROM since the early 90's when CD-ROM technology was just starting to take off. I'm pleased to see how detailed and invaluable they've become. I'd recommend this to anyone.

I love this product!
I've not seen Encarta before so I have no idea about previous versions. However, this version is very impressive. I'm a computer professional and I can say that very few products have a user interface that 'flows' this well. My primary reason to get this was for my 10-year-old, but I think I'll be using it a lot more than her. The maps, dictionaries, articles, and links to related content on the web are great, but how they are all tied together is what really makes this product shine.

It does take a while to load and you want to install everything on your hard drive (about 2Gig). If you don't load everything to your disk then you'll wear out your arm swapping between the 5 CDs when you look at different articles.

Good, but better Encarta Reference Library
It is better to buy Encarta Reference Library, because it has more text and features (Atlas and so on). I have reviewed it if you want extra information. The system requirements are about the same.

Encarta 2004 versus Britannica 2004
I have bought both Encarta and Britannica for years (EB in printed edition too: 32 volumes, 32.000 sheets). This is my opinion in brief: Encarta is excellent in all aspects, but Britannica's authoritative text (sometimes outdated) makes interesting to buy both.
TEXT: Britannica is a superb encyclopedia in text (not in visual aid) since 1768 (you know: an article by Einstein and so on...). Text in electronic version differs from printed encyclopedia (very large articles have been shortened). Britannica claims that it has more items than Encarta, but this is a joke: articles like "Mexico" are only one (with a lot of subdivisions) in Encarta, while in Britannica subdivisions are unconnected, and you must "jump" from one subdivision to another, which is slow and very annoying, especially if you want to copy it in "WORD". Very often, the text is not updated.
In the other hand, Encarta's text is not bad at all. Most articles have the name of their contributors (professions, works...): They are not John Doe. You can find large fragments of literary works, literature guides, a lot of sidebars and thousands of quotations. "Encarta Africana" is included. The Pop-Up (double clicking a word) Dictionary and Thesaurus has sound for correct pronunciation (by the way, it can read aloud, with a robotic and ugly voice, a whole article). The "Translation Dictionaries" to Spanish, French, German and Italian must be improved, because they are minimal. It gives you a lot of "Internet links", even if you are not connected. With Britannica you must be "on-line" and it searches in an EB Web page.
In theory you can update Britannica over the Internet free for a year quarterly (4 times), but this does not work: You can not find new files. Encarta can be updated free EVERY WEEK with new articles and additions or corrections to the old ones (till October 2004). With Encarta updating really works. Technically, is amazing to see the changes in old items.
ATLAS Britannica has not a real atlas; only a worlds map whose maximum detail is the States of USA. Statistics are very poor. Encarta's Atlas is like another encyclopedia, with a great detail (1 cm/ 4 km all over the world) and 20 types of atlas presentations (statistical ones can be counted by dozens). If you look a geographical article (city, river...) you can see in a corner where it is placed and, with only a click, open the atlas. In articles of cities, if you are on-line, you can see in another corner the weather of this place in that moment. If it is a USA place, you can read the latest news.
MULTIMEDIA: They say that "serious" or "adult" readers do not care about "pictures"; that multimedia is only for kids. I do not agree, because I think that, sometimes, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Works of art, anatomy, historical maps, diagrams ... Encarta devastates Britannica with a lot of photos, paintings, drawings, charts & tables, animations, interactivities, videos, music and sounds, pictures, 2-D and 3-D virtual tours, 360-degrees views, timeline, games... It is not only the quantity and quality. It is the easy access you have to all the multimedia, and that text and multimedia are fully integrated. Britannica is not really multimedia. It has photos and videos, but they make the program slow and sluggish. They should edit an alternative version with only text, as they did with the first edition in 1995. It worked fast and easy in old computers.
INTERFACE AND PERFORMANCE: This is the worst side of Britannica. With Encarta you only have to type a word or the beginning of a word to see all the articles and multimedia that contain it. If Encarta does not find anything, it gives you automatically alternative spellings. Even if you write the name of a small village lost in any country, you see it in the atlas. If you need to copy text or pictures, the integration with Microsoft WORD is perfect. It has additional ways to find content, including subject or multimedia browsing, "related articles" and the standard A-Z method. The "Research Organizer" is very helpful too. Encarta's TEXT FONT is very clear (Britannica's...) and you can choose 3 sizes.
Navigating with Britannica is different. 2004 edition is better than 2003 one, but still it is disappointing. I will only give you an example: if you do not know the exact and correct spelling of a name or word, it does not help you with similar spellings (unless you open a window and fight with it). As I said before, the program's performance speed is very slow and sluggish, and it must be dramatically improved. To go "back and forward" you do not find any icon and you need to open a "menu".... One "pro" for Britannica: they say it works with Macintosh.
I repeat my modest piece of advice: Encarta is excellent in all aspects, but Britannica's authoritative text (sometimes outdated) make interesting to buy both.

Good in a Very Microsoftish Way
Encarta is good. It is very easy to use. It has a web site that a registered user could access. Its world map is far superior than the Encyclopaedia Britannica's. However, its contents are sometimes not that good.

For example, I searched "John Rawls," a prominent moral and political philosopher, today. Its first line reads:

[ Rawls, John (1921-), American moral and political philosopher, whose major work, A Theory of Justice, has had a profound impact on ethics and political theory since its publication in 1971. ]

For God's sake, Rawls died on Nov 22, 2002. It's March 21, 2004 today. And Encarta, which supposedly should be updated weekly, did nothing to correct this mistake. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Really good children's software is fun to play with, encouragesexploration of the program, is forgiving, and teaches something. JumpStart Artist is all of those things, and more. As one might expect from JumpStart(a quality series if ever there was one), JumpStart Artist helps childrenbecome comfortable with their own creative skills, while at the same timeteaching a little bit about art history and artistic styles.

The CD-ROM revolves around a handful of activities, ranging from freeformpainting to virtual puppet making to a matchmaking game that introduceshistorical pieces of classic art. At any point in the game, the animation islively and helpful, and accompanied by a friendly soundtrack. Don't think thatthis isn't enough to do--there is plenty of material here for any little artistto explore.

Our favorite feature of the program is the variety of artwork presented in thematchmaking game. Broken down into five categories, there are examples rangingfrom Seurat's Sunday in the Park to Tanner's The Banjo Lesson, andeven Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Can. The purpose here is teach kidsthat art comes in a variety of styles, and that not all art looks like MonaLisa. Not only is each piece pictured, but there is a series of buttons onthe side that describes the style of painting, how it was done, and otherinteresting details. Also, the name of each painting and the artist ispronounced audibly by the narrator, teaching children the proper pronunciationof such names as Matisse and Seurat.

This is a fun and educational CD-ROM, with plenty of depth to keep theblossoming artist involved and interested. --Mike Caputo ... Read more

Reviews (8)

more that a kids software
This is one of our favorite jump start programs. I was not sure who likes it the best: my eight year old, the five year old who has all ready build an amusement park.(you earn parts for this as you play), grandma(she bought this one), or me who was able to create my very own piture that as became my wall paper. This art program was bought for my five year old who is into scrapebooking with grandma. There are some sections that I find somewhat hard like the make a quilt. There are other sections that are for everyone in the house to do like make your own piture or Frankie's tent where you can make pitures that will go into a story/song/movie that is where most of our ride piece have come from. There is a tent that your child will learn about shapes and mixing paints. You also will learn difern kinds of art and even a mini game where you play with CJ and Edison. My age range 4 to 100.

Fun, entertaining, different
My son really liked this artist program. We first rented it from the library, and then he liked it so well we bought it. This program is different from a lot of the other artist programs out there becaue it teaches art fundamentals (i.e. what is texture, introduces kids to the color wheel, asks kids to re-create a pictures that are already drawn by causing them to match patterns, introduces them to mixing colors, etc.) It has a movie area where the pre-drawn pictures you color come to life in a movie.

It teaches foreign language. One of the movies is about a pinata, and it teaches the Spanish words for big and small. It is extremely enjoyable for preschoolers (age 4), yet it is complex enough that a young grade school child would not think it was too easy or too young for them.

Fun & Creative
I bought this for my daughter when she was 4. She is now 5. From the start this was one of her favorites and she still plays with it once or twice a week. She likes the colors and textures and variety. I like the fact that it is a creative toy that captures her imagination and it does not contain people or situations that I feel are inappropriate for small children.

Jump Start rules
This is an excellent example of what childrens software should be. This product could hold my childrens' attention for probably hours, by having them to use their own imagination instead of just "finishing" someone elses' idea. They have even found ways to play with three of four children at a time. We have had this product for over a year and it is still the one they reach for first. Jump Start products are always way ahead of the rest and this one is no different.

Ideal for homeschooling
Featuring art curriculum based on the National Standards for Arts Education, JumpStart Artist introduces students in kindergarten through third grade to the elements and principles of art, art history, the cultural significance of art, art production and display. Featuring drawing, painting, quilting, puppets, and collage activities, students are drawn into the diverse world of art as they develop understandings of basic art concepts using a collection of more than one hundred famous artworks, folk art, and cultural crafts drawn from around the world. There are fun activities introducing students to such fundamental concepts as line, shape, form, texture, value, space, color, symmetry, pattern, focal point, contrast, mood, symbols, and style. A True Color, 32-bit palette enables students to experiment with blending tools for achieving realistic color-mixing effects for their own creations. There are three levels of complexity that provide students with progressively challenging experiences. JumpStart Artist is ideal for homeschooling, and strongly recommended for traditional classroom art appreciation curriculum supplementation. ... Read more

Features

• Timely and accurate information with up-to-date reference materials
• More than 30,000 new and updated articles
• Learn about events around the world as they occur with Live Media
• Interactive multimedia includes music, videos, audio clips, and more
• New search bar for instantly finding information needed

Reviews (1)

Not bad, but very much better Encarta Reference Library
ENCARTA STANDARD is not bad, but it is very much better to buy Encarta Reference Library, because it has very much more text, very much more multimedia and very much more features (Atlas and so on). I have reviewed it if you want extra information. The PC system requirements are about the same. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Very Helpful Study Tool for the GRE
I really found this study tool to be quite helpful in preparing for the GRE. It helped me significantly improve my scores. I followed the personalized study plan the program devised for me based on my performance on the diagnostic and my specified time table. Furthermore, I learned to master the nuances of the computer adaptive format of the GRE. Although the program is a bit juvenile at times with the cartoons and movies, it helps enliven the sometimes dull GRE content and lessons. I would definitely recommend this product.

Crashes constatly
Impossible to use under Windows XP, since it constantly crashes.

Highly NOT recommended.

Can't tell you if it's any good--won't run on Windows XP
This program repeatedly fails to run on Windows XP Media Center Edition (on a Hyper-Threading chip)--it freezes up, even if I set it up to run in W95 & W98 Compatability modes.

Apparently, others have had the same problem, and TOPICS Entertainment (Well, ENCORE, however they're related) has recently acknowledged that it won't run on ANY XP platforms.

Sub-Par
I bought this and am quite frustrated with it. As has been mentioned there are silly/slow cartoons that you must watch everytime. In addition many parts of the program are broken and there is no patch to fix this. For example, the sound cuts in and out randomly. Also on some of the practice tests you cannot check your answers to learn what tricks were used to solve them, even though you should be able to, thr program gets confused and does not allow one access.

Could be better
I bought this set so I could prepare for the GRE, since there are not many options for CAT-specific software. While I find some of the low-budget cartoons amusing (there are segments where the program tries to make you chuckle), the software has some pretty big problems. The audio for many sections cuts in and out, which can be a bit frustrating in the middle of lessons. Also some of the word drills available in the games section don't work very well. I'd have to say that when the tutorials are working, it's a fun program that tries to put you at ease. However considering all of the glitches, I'd recommend searching more for other potential CAT-specific GRE prep programs. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great, but not without its glitches.
Even though this product was very helpful to me, it seems as if it was put together the night before it was released to the public. There are tons of bugs in this program! Sometimes, on the drills, it will tell you that you got the wrong answer when your answer was right! Or there will be GRAMMATICAL errors in the English section!! Despite these drawbacks, however, the program was a great help and was part of the reason I got a 32 on the ACT. I would highly recommend it..but perhaps you might wait until the 2005 edition comes out, which may have less glitches.

Good, but it has lots of gliches.
Even though this product was very helpful to me, it seems as if it was put together the night before it was released to the public. There are tons of bugs in this program! Sometimes, on the drills, it will tell you that you got the wrong answer when your answer was right! Or there will be GRAMMATICAL errors in the English section!! Despite these drawbacks, however, the program was a great help and was part of the reason I got a 32 on the ACT. I would highly recommend it..but perhaps you might wait until the 2005 edition comes out, which may have less glitches.

OK, but same as 2003
its a good product for average students.
if u r looking for a very high score, its not too effective.

its also almost exactly the same as last years version.

in addition, the quality could be better in that in looks really old and uses old video lessons. looks like mid-90s if u look at their clothes.

Glitchy
When you try to take the tests, the scroll button wont work right away when you click on it but your time will still keep ticking down... and i have a very good computer, its frustrating, the time ticks down at least a few seconds before the scroll actually goes down, and it might go to far then it'll take more seconds to go back up. It just is very laggy when i took it... and now i am abandoning it... dont buy it.

Works on all Platforms
I had previously thought this software only works on 98 and ME, because the specs about it suggest so. This works on all platforms though so do not be misled. Now, if only I could get Amazon to ship it to Baghdad :) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby & Toddler introduces children, ages 1 to 3 years, to singing, dancing, words, parts of the body, movement, and more. Printable activities provide developmental exercises for your baby to practice while away from the computer. Any movement of the keyboard or mouse brings an instant response of colors, sounds, and motions. You and your child can interact by moving the mouse or by pressing any key, and with just a little practice, toddlers can play the activities without help. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Easy for kids to do and FUN
Reader Rabbit Toddler is the best software I have bought so far - its easy for my son to use (if kids cannot use the mouse yet most games work just by hitting keys) and has alot of fun activities. From the main menu you move a "Star flower" to one of nine fun activities - including an alphabet train where you match the letter key to the boxcar to see it open; a musical meadow where you move a bee from flower to flower to hear them play; a bubble castle where you pop bubbles to free the animals - it has a variety of fun activities that my son has loved from 18 months to 3+.

Great fun but a bit buggy
This program is a lot of fun and has a variety of activities to delight little ones. Because the activities can all be done just by moving the mouse or trackball (without pressing buttons), even a very beginning mouser can manage it. Pressing (or pounding on) keys also causes things to happen on the screen, so even without using the mouse your child can have a great time if you are brave enough to let him or her pound on your keyboard (not necessarily recommended - my daughter made off with my Z last week!) Many of the toddler activities are simple enough to do that a younger child can enjoy them too (but they still have learning potential for the toddler). My only complaint is that the program seems a bit buggy. It periodically locks up my computer so I have to reboot, which is very frustrating for my daughter. Overall it's a lot of fun.

By the way, this program is a combination of Playtime for Baby and Playtime for Toddler packaged together. I was a little confused about how these products were related originally.

A joy for my 20-month-old daughter
My daughter Catherine enjoys this software package far more than the other two computer games we have for her (Lego Preschool MyStyle and Disney's Mickey Toddler, both of which are good in their own right). There are lots of activities involving cute animated animals, and Catherine never gets bored -- even Daddy is entertained. Some of our favorites are the Kaleidoscope at the Baby level, and the Bubble Castle and the Musical Meadow at the Toddler level.

The sounds, colors, and animation are excellent throughout. Many activities allow use of the keyboard as well as the mouse, a very nice feature for youngsters who can pound on keys with more facility than they can navigate by mouse.

At last, something my little girl can do on the computer!
Emily was dying to "work" on the computer, but she kept hitting Windows buttons and crashing the machine. We bought Reader Rabbit and suddenly, hitting buttons actually made things happen (besides Mama yelling "stop!") and the "bad" buttons were disabled. Even the mouse is fun to use, because you can reunite lost baby animals with their parents, color a picture that sings to you, create music of your own, or many, many other great activities. Great software, very well done.

So cute!
This game is adorable! My 11 month old son loves it and it keeps him mesmerized. He especially like it when he can 'interact' and pound away on the keyboard. Even my 4 year old son begs to play this game! Highly recommend! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Exotic animals disappear. A world-famous scientist vanishes. Something fishy is afoot! Join the ClueFinders on a clue-searching trek into the depths of the rain forest. From reading maps to building bridges, every activity brings kids closer to unraveling this astounding mystery, while mastering essential third grade skills.

Explore 30 interactive games and exercises designed for kids, ages 7 to 9 and older. Build more than 75 key third grade skills in math, language, science, geography, and problem solving. Four levels of difficulty and a variety of tricky challenges keep ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures 2002: Mystery of Mathra 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

Reviews (3)

Great combination of fun and learning!
Both of my children have thoroughly enjoyed the Cluefinder Series, especially this 3rd Grade Edition. I have tried many similar products but have found them to be either to heavy on the education, thereby losing the kids interest, or too heavy on the fun and they don't really learn much. In this product, the children get to work with a small group of kids (whom they may know already from other Cluefinders adventures)as they seek to solve the story/mysteries. I love the way the kids get rewarded for progress during their journey, providing even more incentive to continue. And the best part of all: they really do learn! During dinner one evening, my daughter showed off some of the math skills she had learned quite far in advance of her school classmates. And it wasn't just rote memorization. She had really learned the concepts. My hat is off to The Learning Company!

You're the ClueFinder in this game
The ClueFinders' are four kids who as a team gather clues and solve a mystery. They solve fractions, solve English problems, and many more educational games. It is a fun way of learning, and it is intresting, easy, and awsome. I highly recommend any ClueFinder's game there is, because they teach you and let you have fun at the same time. This product is defienitly worth its' money.

Highly Recommended
Probably most important with any educational software is finding something you're child really likes. My son loves to play this game!

He especially likes playing geography and maps. He loves choosing were in the world to send one of the characters. If he sends the character to the correct place, then he wins a "crypt tile". Crypt tiles are important because they are used to solve the games overall puzzle.

The math section makes doing fractions fun. Cylindrical tubes are aligned on the ocean floor by putting fractions in their proper place. If all the tubes are correct, then a "tube worm" coughs up a "crypt tile."

Navigation in the game is easy. Playing is fun - yet challenging. We recommend this one highly. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good value...Not great
We bought this for our 4 year old daughter. The real "plus" here is that this set is a great value -- 3 games in one package.

The "Artist" game is by far our dauther's favorite. It has a lot of different activities, including making your own movie. The "teaching" component mostly consists of very basic instructions about lines and shapes.

The "A,B,C" disc has a few games related to the alphabet that introduces the child to the letters. It also has some songs that aren't really very interactive.

The "1,2,3" disc is, well, to put it mildly, dumb. There are only 3 different games -- matching numbers (which is sadly the most interesting game), matching quantities (gets kinda tedious after a while), the last one involves maneuvering a dog around to find objects in a sequence (unfortunately, the dog doesn't always go where you tell him).

Overall, don't buy these games because you think they will make your kid smart. Just buy them for fun.

OK, for what it is.
The main advantage of this package is that you are actually getting three different modules in one box -- ABCs, numbers and art. So, from an economic standpoint, it's a good deal.

These games are suitable to begin with a 4 or 4 1/2 year old. (They are a little advanced for my 3 1/2 year old, but she can muddle through as long as Mom or Dad are nearby to help her out of a jam.)

One unfortunate component of this software is that there is no way to turn off the on-screen instructions (in the form of animated characters). After a while, it gets kind of annoying, but our daughter doesn't seem bothered by it -- yet.

The quality of the animation is so-so. The lip sync is chronically off, but I've seen worse on kids' software. It will play on Windows NT without any problem, as well as on Macs (but only in Classic mode).

My main criticism of this kind of product in general is more philosophical, than practical. In my opinion, it's important to look on "edutainment" software as a fun supplement to bookwork and parental interaction, not as a substitute for them. My husband and I work with our daughter every night on her letters, numbers, drawing (fine motor skills) and aural skills (reading novels aloud) for at least 30 minutes. If we were relying on edutainment software for her education in place of our one-on-one efforts (as well as restricting her television intake), then all she would be learning is how to be desensitized by annoying music and flashing lights.

As long as it's viewed as "fun" and not real education, then this software serves its purpose -- light-hearted reinforcement of already mastered concepts. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Jump on board the Magic School Bus for another one of Ms. Frizzle'sinteractive field trips--this time to explore the Costa Rican rain forest.You'll explore seven ecological zones in the rain forest as you collectsamples for the class science project. Watch videos, play games, check outmultimedia reports, and hear fun facts about the rain forest. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Great fun with the Frizz
My daughter (age 6) loves the Magic School Bus television series and she loves the computer games also. These games mirror the educational series while adding a great deal of interactivity and fun/educational games for children. My daughter saves her allowance in order to purchase these titles on her own. They are great fun.

Spotty
This is not the jewel in the crown of the Magic School Bus CD series (Animals, for example is much better), but it does have some good features. In particular, the activity on ozone & the greenhouse effect is excellent- our 2nd grader really grasped the concept after playing with it for a while.

The plot, however, is to find Ms. Frizzle, which our kids found frustrating. You get clues by earning tokens from an arcade-type game- the only MSB title we've seen that requires you to play an arcade game in order to complete it. It may be that the Microsoft progammers figure that space=boys=arcade game, but our kids were annoyed about it. They were even more annoyed when they worked out from the 1st clue where she was and found out that you have to get all 3 clues anyway.

On the other hand, kids who like arcade games might be induced to learn a bit about the solar system.

MSB does the ocean... not as well as I'd hoped!
I am a MSB fan and am trying to get my young children interested too. The Ocean was the first MSB software we got, and I'm afraid it will be the last. It's ok, but I'm disappointed that the software doesn't load correctly (on 3 different computers and 2 operating systems (win98, XP)! None worked right!). It will start, but it is very difficult to navigate the first few times until you "learn" where things are. Finding out where to go and what to click on is trial and error for the most part. Maybe I just haven't "found" the good stuff yet, but I was hoping for better!

Dinosaurs Never Looked So Interesting...to a small child!
For the price. For the value. For the impact. For the utlility. For your child. Buy it....

Rainforest!!?
The rainforest comes alive with this MSB issue. Microsoft shows us why most of the cures for our maladies, etc. comes from rainforests. And, why we shouldn't keep destroying them. Kids learn all about the value of a rainforst. My seven year old played the heck out of this selection, and when we visited a real rain forest in Nov. 2003, he knew what to expect. And, of course, MSB helped... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kids learn about everything from polynomials to polygons with Middle School Math Excelerator's Algebra and Geometry CD-ROMs. Students develop math skills through interactive lessons. The Algebra CD-ROM engages kids using high-quality graphics, animations, and live-action video that help them connect with the concepts and make graphing, algebraic equations, variables, and slopes easy to understand and retain. The Geometry CD-ROM provides detailed illustrations and real-life examples of concepts. With five lessons, 24 exercises, and simple explanations that reinforce topics like angles, postulates, and more, your child will learn the fundamentals needed to excel in geometry class. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This trailblazing adventure builds real-life skills, such as decision making and problem solving. As the leader of a wagon party, you can choose your team and supplies, read maps, plan your route, and guide your team through the unknown wilderness. Tough choices lie ahead, but with the help of your wagon party and people you meet along the way, you'll conquer this challenging journey and arrive in a new land. You'll need to build a team with the skills you think are important for survival on the rugged trail to Oregon. To find the best route, you'll rely not only on maps and guidebooks but also advice from fellow travelers and your gut instinct. On the trail, you'll face all the trials and tribulations of the first pioneers: raging rivers, buffalo stampedes, sickness, and gunshot wounds. Your adventure comes to life with 3-D travel, 360-degree panoramic views and full-motion video. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Great game... maybe I got lucky?
I remember playing Oregon Trail as a girl in elementary school - recently I saw it here on Amazon.com and decided to get it, even after reading all of the negative customer reviews. Maybe I got lucky or something but there was absolutely nothing wrong with any of the software and everything loaded up and installed great. My computer's pretty new, too... I didn't have to go through the hassle of downgrading anything (I have Quick Time 4.0), like some people had complained about in their comments. I definitely recommend the game - brought back lots of memories, only with better graphics and easier game controls. And you can't beat Amazon's price. Awesome game!!

oregon trail
it is a fun game for all ages for people who just want to have fun. it is also a good learning experience for all students learning about the oregon trail. it gives true accounts of how hard a journey the trail was. i give this game five stars.

Not so good.
I got this as a gift, because I loved playing Oregon Trail in grade school. This version, though having much prettier graphics, isn't nearly as fun. Half the fun of playing it was naming all the people after your family, and reading the dirty limericks people wrote on the gravestones. Save your money, don't buy this.

A Classroom Favorite
My third graders study the Oregon Trail every year and enjoy playing this game. It is educational and exciting! Kids take a small party on a covered wagon trip from Independence, Missouri to Oregon. First, they buy everything they need, from oxen to bullets. They must provide their own food along the way (by hunting, trading, or buying at a fort) and are often faced with illness and even death. If someone does die, you can write their tombstone, and maybe see it on your next trip!

This game turns textbook learning into reality. It is hard to make it all the way to Oregon (Hint: it goes faster if you have a lot of oxen). But along the way, you will learn to take care of your party and to appreciate things like good water and good weather. I happily recommend this game to kids age 8-10.

I love this game
I got this game for baby-sitting we loaded it on and the people did not work. We got with the technical support and they told us to got to broderbrund.com they told us how to get the people to work the only thing the didn't tell us was to totally delete the game when you are done with the process. Most people don't like this game true Oregon Trail 2 was the best yet with lots more trails to go on and such. There is some difficulties with this game but all in all it has only exited twice on me. It probably is just the peoples computer. Note the disapering people usally only happen with Windows. I also think that you should read the box that's says 10! and up seven year olds should not play this game enless they know the reason people got those illness's. This game is very educational and great for older kids. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Reader Rabbit Kindergarten Classic delivers learning fun for ages 4 to 6. Kids journey to Camp Happy Tales with Reader Rabbit and friends, where they explore and play through 17 interactive activities. Four difficulty levels help kids build early reading and arithmetic skills, practice letters and numbers, as well as develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In all, 50 age-appropriate skills are covered at Camp Happy Tales, making for fun and confidence at home and in the classroom. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Great Educational Fun!
When my 6 year old was struggling with new math concepts, I bought a lot of software. I wanted something for her that was both educational, and fun. This program is by far the best we've tried. You can set the difficulty levels, so kids don't get frustrated, but also they don't get bored. The characters are really cute, and because there is an overall goal of building the boat, kids want to keep playing! For each 3-5 question activity they complete, they get a boat part as a reward. The various activities cover all math basics, including fractions, money, and time.

With other programs, my daughter would play, and then get bored or overly frustrated very quickly, but because of the ability to customize this game to your child's skill level, she played for hours and hours. The skill levels on it vary widely, so it can teach concepts from a 1st through 3rd grade level, unlike so many games that are only relevant for one grade. My daughter's gotten tons of fun math practice out of this game, and she's still playing! I'd recommend it to anyone.

A kid favorite!
My sons will be in 2nd and 3rd grade in the fall. They just love this game and would rather play it than any of their other games. I hope to find a sequel for they will be done with this game before long.

we love it
We got this software for our five year old daughter and she loves it. At first she needed some parents' help. But soon she likes to play by herself, occasionally asks some questions. She got it a few weeks ago and has already learned so much from it. Her favorite parts are actually pretty challenging for a five year old -- fraction, money and time. She will need to learn some more from school to play the difficult part of this game, but she can already "play" most of it. she enjoys play and learn at the same time. we are very happy about this game. Our daughter is a very advanced five year old who joins 2nd grade reading group in her school everyday. This software helps her catch up with the math part and really enjoy it.

Reader Rabbit 2nd grade Rules!!!!!!!!
I'm a 2nd grader and my friends and I play Reader Rabbit 2nd grade at school and we love it! Everbody in the class says, hey can I go on the computer. It is fun and educational. I asked my mom to get it for home, so I could play more.

I LOVE THIS GAME!
Okay, I'm in sixth grade- a little old for a second grade game, but I DON'T CARE! This is a really great computer game that features my favorite Reader Rabbit character, Sam the Lion. He's so strange. And if any of you get stuck in the skillways because you can't get past the trapdoor (this happened to me), you can jump OVER the trapdoor by pushing the Up arrow and the LEFT arrow. (Many thanks to my eagle-eyed little sister for discovering this.) In short, this is a really great game that is not just for second graders. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade Classic delivers learning fun for ages 6 to 8. Kids journey to an enchanted castle with Reader Rabbit and friends, where they explore and play through 37 adventurous learning activities. Three difficulty levels help kids develop reading comprehension and problem-solving abilities, while building vocabulary, spelling, and math skills. In all, 85 age-appropriate skills are covered on the enchanted educational journey, making for fun and confidence at home and in the classroom. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Great Educational Fun!
When my 6 year old was struggling with new math concepts, I bought a lot of software. I wanted something for her that was both educational, and fun. This program is by far the best we've tried. You can set the difficulty levels, so kids don't get frustrated, but also they don't get bored. The characters are really cute, and because there is an overall goal of building the boat, kids want to keep playing! For each 3-5 question activity they complete, they get a boat part as a reward. The various activities cover all math basics, including fractions, money, and time.

With other programs, my daughter would play, and then get bored or overly frustrated very quickly, but because of the ability to customize this game to your child's skill level, she played for hours and hours. The skill levels on it vary widely, so it can teach concepts from a 1st through 3rd grade level, unlike so many games that are only relevant for one grade. My daughter's gotten tons of fun math practice out of this game, and she's still playing! I'd recommend it to anyone.

A kid favorite!
My sons will be in 2nd and 3rd grade in the fall. They just love this game and would rather play it than any of their other games. I hope to find a sequel for they will be done with this game before long.

we love it
We got this software for our five year old daughter and she loves it. At first she needed some parents' help. But soon she likes to play by herself, occasionally asks some questions. She got it a few weeks ago and has already learned so much from it. Her favorite parts are actually pretty challenging for a five year old -- fraction, money and time. She will need to learn some more from school to play the difficult part of this game, but she can already "play" most of it. she enjoys play and learn at the same time. we are very happy about this game. Our daughter is a very advanced five year old who joins 2nd grade reading group in her school everyday. This software helps her catch up with the math part and really enjoy it.

Reader Rabbit 2nd grade Rules!!!!!!!!
I'm a 2nd grader and my friends and I play Reader Rabbit 2nd grade at school and we love it! Everbody in the class says, hey can I go on the computer. It is fun and educational. I asked my mom to get it for home, so I could play more.

I LOVE THIS GAME!
Okay, I'm in sixth grade- a little old for a second grade game, but I DON'T CARE! This is a really great computer game that features my favorite Reader Rabbit character, Sam the Lion. He's so strange. And if any of you get stuck in the skillways because you can't get past the trapdoor (this happened to me), you can jump OVER the trapdoor by pushing the Up arrow and the LEFT arrow. (Many thanks to my eagle-eyed little sister for discovering this.) In short, this is a really great game that is not just for second graders. ... Read more