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 Review

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (24)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com Product Description

Based on the School Zone workbook series, this program incorporates critical math lessons with interactive activities and fun games. Carefully designed curriculum, audio guidance, and clear examples help your child master counting, shapes, telling time, and other skills. The program randomizes problems and provides engaging games for study breaks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Easy to follow directions and still gets the point across!
I bought this program for my son when he was in kindergarten. It helped him to recognize the numbers and to associate them with amounts and so forth. The directions are not complicated and very easy to follow. It is set up like several workbook pages. If they get the problem right then they get a big star. If not, they get a big red check mark but are able to re-do the question and get a big star so they don't feel so bad. It is basic, so if you want something more complicated then this is not it. This program is great if they have had little exposure to numbers . My child did not expereince any frustration when operating this program. He asks to play it and it keeps him busy. He also has a good hold on his numbers now (which is great!) ... Read more

Features

• Story-based math games for grades K-2
• Explore the city using real-life math skills
• Do fun activities to earn money to play arcade games
• Colorful graphics and fun sounds
• For one player

Reviews (3)

Highly Motivating Learning Tool!
I was impressed with the animation and graphics for this game and even more so the storyline and tasks that motivate kids to want to reach the goal - doing every task in the "city" (to help the merchants with math) so the arcade can open and the player can spend the money he or she has "earned" to play games. My daughter(5 yrs.)is so hooked and her math skills really improved. You can even track your child's progress. My only criticism is that it was a tad bit hard to navigate and figure out how close to the goal she was.

Engaging and makes practical math fun.
My four year old daughter loves this game and would play it every day for hours if I let her. She has really developed some advanced skills just by having a good time. Some of the games require more support from me than others, but overall she is able to do more and more by herself and is definitely learning. I usually type in a new name each time we play so she has to start over with all the math games before she can use the arcade. She loves it so that's no problem. One extra is that there are girl characters on the program, which I appreciate for my daughter.

Amazing software.
Excellent, challenging, fun software for kids! Get this for your first or second grader, and only if your kindergarten child is pretty advanced in math. Offers lots of practice and contains bright and fun graphics that draw kids in. The "mission" also helps keep them playing. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Best Game Ever!!
This is the best game for a child in third grade. It has addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and also solving problems.
Polly probably mixed up the past, but give this to your child. They can fix the problems in a snap. And if you have a boy, it would take the time away from game boy. When they are done with the game (which will take a long time) your child will take over third grade. (It will help prepare).

When I was in third grade, I loved this program.
My freind and I played this program as much as possible when we were little, and I still remeber how much fun it was to try beat this game. I learned so many things I never new, and I never got tired of the game. If your child is anything like I was, I know they'll love it!

Almost a Great Product but Ruined by Bratty Character
I find it very disappointing that the creators of this product don't realize that an unspeakably bratty animated character ruins this product. The Jumpstart team is so loaded with technical talent and teaching savvy, but apparently they don't think that social skills matter, since the whole product is centered around a loud and sassy girl who is bad company for any child. The marketing team at Jumpstart apparently believes that their product won't sell if animated characters are courteous and supportive. I never buy their products anymore because I don't want to have to spend time reminding my son never to imitate the appalling behavior portrayed on Jumpstart.

A pleased father
This game is wonderful for any child starting 3rd grade! It gives your child opportunities to make learning fun, because children usually try to think of learning as boring or "stupid". The wonderful characters take your children back in time to stop the robots from changing history. All the characters and challenges help your child prepare for the future as all children need to be well prepared for the rocky road ahead. Botley is also a great way of showing that anyone can accomplish anything no matter who you are. He also teaches your children that no matter who you are believe in yourself and that is the first step to responsibility is by accomplishing your goals and not giving up. It also teaches your children to go against the odds, and not to let anyone no matter who no matter what stand in your way. It may be tough but you must stand tall and bold, like a warrior who has just won a battle. Like all those great accomplishers, some day they might just be one of them, one of the greats. Like Neil Armstrong they may too someday walk the moon, invent something, and most importantly go out and live! It also teaches them not to take drugs. It helps not only their ability to live but their grades. It shows your childs progress in every skill reading, english, math and many many others so you can see your childs improvment every step of the way.

All in all it's not just the math or english that make this software program so great, it's the confidence, and isn't that the most important factor of all?

It started out good
At first this software was very fun for my 7 year old, challenging, colorful, and not boring while teaching. The problems started when she got towards the end of the game, and discoved that there is no way to beat part of it, as if we were missing some extra software or something. Even my husband and I tried to figure out what was wrong, but to no avail. So the game did not work for us unfortunately. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kids sharpen their math skills as they trek high in the Himalayas with the ClueFinders. Join the ever-adventurous ClueFinders on a quest to find missing ancient treasures. Kids will need all their wits to hunt for clues. From purchasing supplies in the village store to building a yak corral, every activity integrates a math learning challenge. Solve the mystery and kids will bring home the greatest treasure of all--math confidence.

Explore 15 interactive games and exercises designed for kids ages 9 to 12 and older. Build more than 25 key math skills, including number computation, fractions and decimals, tables and graphs, and early geometry. Ten levels of difficulty and a variety of tricky challenges keep Mystery of the Himalayas fun and fresh. Detailed help features guide kids throughout, and built-in progress reports help parents navigate their child's math accomplishments.

A 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 (3)

cheap disks, cheap software
1) Broderbund appears to use consistently cheap disks: there appear to be visible defects on the surface. My cd-rom drive (which is finicky) does not like their disks.

2) My eight-year old did not find the game challenging.

3) The software did not interact well with other hardware and software on my system. CleanSweep thinks that the software is installing when trying to play the game; after changing my cd-rom drive, this program no longer starts up on my computer.

Great Game For Math Lovers
Nice game but the bad guy gets away. I would have rated it 5 stars if the avalanche had destroyed the guy in the yeti suit or at least been arrested. This is the only complaint I have, the math is challenging and it is fun to solve the mystery.

Excellent help fot math
Is a very good game that help the children to make mental calculations and solve very differente puzzles.

They can practice with decimal numbers, and fractions and they use logical thinking to solve the clues and find the suspects.

I really recommend this software that will work for at least three years. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Reader Rabbit Kindergarten 2002 packs an astonishing number of activities into a two-CD-ROM set, enough to keep nearly any child in the 4 to 6 age range glued to the computer for hours. With glitzy graphics and plenty of songs to sing along with, not to mention a clever plot, this high-quality educational program helps kids practice a range of skills, from counting, reading, and listening comprehension, to recognizing colors and shapes.

The adventure begins when Reader Rabbit and Sam the Lion are stranded in Balloon Town and must rescue the Dreamship, which has been encased in bubble wrap and locked in the Pointy Palace. In order to wake up the sleeping bull that guards the palace, the player must locate five musical instruments. Each time the player completes an activity, an instrument magically appears. For a program aimed at kindergartners, the instruments take a lot of persistence to earn--kids must complete a staggering number of problems at each activity site and this can quickly become very repetitive.

The program itself is well thought out and comes with many user-friendly features. The software automatically adjusts to your level and shows how you're doing at each activity. It's also possible to save games for up to 99 different players, which makes the software suitable for use in a classroom or other group setting.

The CD-ROM set includes three other activities--calendar making, painting, and music playing, all of which are engaging in their own right. It also comes with a collection of more than 100 age-appropriate activities that don't have to do with the computer, as well as Reader Rabbit songs that can be played on an audio CD player.

As with other Reader Rabbit software, the biggest concern with this program is that there are so many things to do, children may eventually have to be dragged away, kicking and screaming, from the computer. Perhaps a laptop is the answer--at least that way they can play outside. --Molly Masland ... 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

Amazon.com Product Description

Help adventurous teens Zack and Jess save the planet from crazy computer mayhem in JumpStart Adventures 6th Grade. Start in the ultra high-tech Earthquest command center, where you play games and solve puzzles to outsmart the computer while learning math, history, language arts, science, and more. Play as either Zach or Jess--two intrepid teenage heroes, each with their own special abilities and personalities--and use your 6th grade skills to navigate games riddled with perilous obstacles. Travel from the Great Barrier Reef to the Appalachians to protect the earth and its inhabitants.

Calculate A.R.T.'s exact location using basic geometry and robot clues, and save Earth's greatest monuments from destruction by filling in the correct historical facts and avoiding Scorpion-bots. Help eliminate the contagious Viro-bots that are invading the bodies of endangered animals. Correct and complete sentences to diffuse the pollution-filled eco-mines and save the water supply. Crack the locks on the tree bands by using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and shut down the toxic waste factory by deciphering higher math problems. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Jump annoying
Sure, it's 6th grade, but most of the infromation on the CD happens to have around a 85% chance that the topics are even in your schools, at least not in MO.... so I'd rate this at *** stars at best.

Jumpstart 6th Grade
I've played this game over many times already and I think it has very exellent graphics, it combines a semi-realistic background with animated characters. As for the game itself you can set the difficulty level and- its a very humorous game that tests the brain in diffrent subjects. I recommend this not just for sixth graders but, for children of all ages.

Jump Start 6th Grade
I played this game when I was in fourth grade and it was very hard. You have to be smart to play it. I am in fifth grade now and I'vee already beaten one robot and I have almast got two. I am turning 11 soon.

Excellent, exciting, and intelligent
Bought this for my 6th grader and I were so impressed with the program! It was a bit like Sci-Fi meets Who Wants to Be a Millionaire...the graphics were terrific, alot like the current anime cartoons that are so popular. I am glad I purchased this. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Don't let the word advanced in the title scare you. It doesn't mean that your child must be a genius to enjoy this program. It does mean that JumpStart has worked hard to create a program that delivers a specialized educational experience that will both challenge and engage kids. JumpStart has abandoned the unimaginative classroom setting of earlier versions of JumpStart 1st Grade and instead opted for a hipper venue: a scooter race. The makeover isn't merely cosmetic. Unique additions include seven learning buddies who can tutor your child based on his or her skills: your budding Picasso might do best with the artistic Kisha as a helper; your active child could get coaching from sports-star Casey, whose help is more movement oriented.

A kid could get lost in all of this audio, visual, and educational stimulation. There is simply a lot going on here: a quiz to match learning styles with the appropriate buddy; another quiz to set difficulty levels; a collapsible toolbar that changes game levels, reveals progress reports, stores power-ups, and accesses learning buddies; eleven games with activities ranging from pizza-making (fractions!) to news reporting (writing!); plus power-ups to collect, tracks to build and scooters to customize, all leading up to the big payoff--a scooter race to end all scooter races.

Fortunately, designers did a good job with the flow of this program, and it is easy to forgo the quizzes and just get on with playing games, collecting rewards, and building the best scooter in the universe. JumpStart Advanced 1st Grade assumes fluency in counting, spelling, and reading. Also, this is not a good first program for a kid who has never used computer software before. Concepts like fractions, decimals, sentence building, punctuation, and science are explored here. There's a place to create printable artwork and compose save-able tunes, but the strongest emphasis is on the three Rs. (Ages 5 to 7) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Features

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

Reviews (1)

The Jumpstart "Advanced" products are a keen investment.
I think the thing to keep in mind is: what a child may have no knowledge of today they can pick up tomorrow, next week, next month. That said, Jumpstart _Advanced_ Grade One assumed a lot. And I far prefer that than for them to dumb it down so it's easy to beat quickly, and a big waste of money to you.

To me, Jumpstart Advanced Grade One *is* advanced. It's got Grade Two cirriculm coming on strong. But so what? The child playing it doesn't know the difference between grade one and two 'ideals' so they play, and the game naturally advances as they do. And that's what's great about these Jumpstart Advanced, they do, in fact, *advance*!

Without partental supervision or help, this is a CD for a child who can now read (or at least take a shot at sounding out) 'See spot run' and has a basic grasp of phonics. Having watched my 5 1/2 year old child play it over the last month, I have not noticed *any* phonics in it. But she plays the Reader Rabbit Phonics CDs and the Jumpstart Phonics CD, in addition with this one. If your child has no phonics skills, get a phonics CD ("Reader Rabbit I can Read! with Phonics" is good)I can sit beside them while they play and help them out while i do the laundry. It's astounding how fast they learn if you teach them to sound things out.

This particular CD, the Jumpstart Advanced 1st Grade is a very full, rounded CD. It's teaching them fractions (they build pizzas and have a list: one half pepperoni, one quarter green peppers, etc), reading, addition, subtraction, grouping, analyzing, etc.

It's entertaining. It assumes. But far better that then them have played it out in 3 weeks or become bored of it because it's too easy.

Worth the money. I plan on getting *all* the jumpstart Advanced products. I have the Jumpstart phonics one, and the Jumpstart Advanced preschool which was a huge hit.

Jumpstart Advanced (no other previous Jumpstart products *but* the Advanced) has thoughtfully included an assement test your child can take over and over again and which will automatically reset the levels of learning they are at by the score results - you can also take the test then adjust them manually if you like. There's also a report card of sorts that allows you to see which parts of the game they are playing and how many right answers they score. I never mention what they are scoring to them, but it is interesting to see what they do and what they like and what needs work.

Great product. Well worth the pennies. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This two-disc set is packed with 15 educational activities covering math, reading, creativity, and more. Arthur's 2nd Grade teaches a full year's worth of second-grade skills and entertains your child in the process.Plus, kids can track their progress with the Goal Checker and enjoy the three new reward activities after successfully completing the learning activities. (Ages 6 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Arthur's Second Grade
This is a good game that will prepare your child for the 2nd grade.

A Good Buy
Arthur's Second Grade is a fun, challenging CD for 1st and 2nd Grade Children. Auto leveling (which challenges the child upon completion of a section of the CD), options to turn on and off the printer and background music, as well as suprises and rewards along the way make the CD experience interesting, stimulating and educational. My only complaint would be that the child's reading skills sections are uneven: sometimes too challenging, while in other places too easy, and that some math techniques could be more clearly explained. However, this CD is well worth the money and should provide hours of educational fun for your child. ... Read more

Features

• Children gain: Confidence, Creativity, and Inspiration

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed for first and second graders, ages 5 to 8, Excelerator introduces kids to a learning environment filled with eye-catching graphics, lively music, and captivating animation. The two CD-ROM set includes Letters & Numbers and Smiletown. With its interactive instructional activities, these titles transform learning about spelling, reading, and early math concepts into an adventure. Eleven educational karaoke songs, 15 amusing games, fun characters, and challenging puzzles help kids build essential skills, while keeping them excited about, and interested in, learning. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This four-program collection nurtures essential early reading skills through warm, whimsical experiences designed just for younger learners. Explore key topics in the pre-grade school reading and writing curriculum through a series of exciting adventures, engaging stories, and irresistible games. Tackle topics like letter names and sounds, short and long vowels, building simple words, predicting story events, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Wonderful resource for the serious homeschooler!!
We have been proud owners of this package for two years and have used it diligently to supplement skills and concepts introduced throughout the year for first and second grade. It has been a WONDERFUL supplemental resource. Unlike a lot other educational software packages that claim to cover a wide range of ages, this one means it when they say "First through Third grade". It is simple to use: After a concept (example: 2 digit addition) has been introduced to the student, you specifically set up games to reinforce those particular skills. After those skills have been mastered you then go back in (with a simple click of the mouse and check-mark skills you want to reinforce from a large pre-set list) It is honestly very simple to do. Explaining the process actually takes far more time that it does to actually do it. Although the games are very "friendly", with engaging characters and settings, the software is not meant to "entertain" as much as it is to teach. I would not at all be surprised to find this package in a lot of school computer rooms for kids to reinforce their skills on. If you are looking for a true educational software package that would be appropriate for (no younger than)first through third grade, this would be perfect for you and your child.

I would give it ZERO stars if I could!
I completely agree with what everyone else has said. This was a total waste of money. The other reviewer was right when he said the extra software included (for us it was Star Flyers) was the ONLY good thing!

How can they market programs that were designed for 3-5 year olds for Grades 1-3? Its ludicrous!

DO NOT waste your money! The whole thing is unprofessional. There are no guides and even the paper inside the CD looks like it was BADLY photocopied.

Again, if I could give it ZERO stars I would!

This is going back
I was looking for some software to help my fourth grader with math facts, computations, etc. (He's an Everyday Math victim.) The activites, even at the most advanced level, are much too easy for him. Pointing and clicking at different piles of cookies is not division. This is a complete waste.

This is being returned to The Learning Company
I just purchased this today, and it is extremely disappointing. I was looking for a software package that would help my 2nd grader learn his math facts, and this certainly isn't it, as far as I can tell. There is zero documentation included, so there is no way to steer your child towards games that would help his or her weak areas. I couldn't find a game that drilled them on anything, just a lot of pointless point and click activities.

Product is not very good
I got this product for my 5 year old, and it is about right,
any 3-6th grade would not like it at all. The best thing in the game is the free cluefinders monkey adventure in my costco box.
Most of the games look like they were designed for windows 95.

I liked the clips from grammar rock, I remember these as a kid, but you could by the DVD of Schoolhouse rock and get better versions of those. ... Read more

Features

• 3 beloved Dr. Seuss books on 3, fun-filled CD-ROMs
• Easy for kids to replay a favorite part, skip ahead, and learn hundreds of words
• Skills include: word recognition, vocabulary building, reading comprehension, and more
• Titles include Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and ABC
• For preschoolers û 1st graders; ages 3-7+

Reviews (2)

It makes him laugh! Awesome three disc set.
All of these discs are full of wonderful surprises! Especially the Green Eggs and Ham disc. It's classic, loveable Dr. Seuss that can be read to the child or the child can interact with the characters. Highly Recommended and a lot of fun!

Doesn't work on XP Pro
Tried to install it 10 different ways under XP Pro. (256 colors, low resolution, etc.). Still no joy. ... Read more

Features

• 4 complete CD-ROM titles for the price of 1
• Hours and hours of exciting game play and education
• Includes characters both parents and kids love
• Plus ClueFinders mystery-adventure novel free inside
• Fun learning for kids ages 8 to 12

Amazon.com Review

The ClueFinders series of educational games takes children throughseveral years of development, so they can learn as they get older following theadventures of familiar characters. ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures isaimed at the youngest age group, and is suitable for children aged 7 to 9years.

The game scenario is easy to follow. Dr. Pythagoras, the uncle of one of theClueFinders, has disappeared from the rain forest. Animals are going missing,too. The young adventurers need to find the keys to an ancient city to work outwhat is going on, and to free Dr. Pythagoras. The keys are hidden in puzzles intwo corners of the rain forest.

As our adventurers progress through the rain forest, they encounter thesepuzzles and more, which they must solve if they are to be successful.ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures teaches skills in math, logic, languagearts, science, and geography, though it firmly wraps its educational content inthese puzzles so you hardly notice that you are learning while you play.

There are four difficulty levels, and a document for parents explains how eachof the puzzles works at each difficulty level. As an added bonus, a second CD,the Adventure Kit, provides a range of additional software, including a kit forsetting up your own friends' adventuring club. --Sandra Vogel ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Didn't Pay Attention To The Details
My daughter - 2nd grade - enjoys playing this game, but when watching and helping her through some of it I am really surprised by the errors in the game.

One example - the child must solve a math riddle involving the calendar in order to get supplies to solve the next riddle... the calendars are all 31 one days regardless of what the Month is. Um, hello? February does not have 31 days and yet there it is. It's little things like that make me not recommend this game. If this is supposed to be a teaching tool for kids then they should be paying attention to all the details in the game and not just the specific ones for the math puzzles.

Great Product
Last week my son announced that he "hated" math. This week, his school sent this software home for summer use. My son's last words as I put him to bed tonight were "Can I play Cluefinders as soon as I get up in the morning?" AND he thinks the math section is the greatest! We've tried a variety of educational software over the past 4-5 years and I can't remember any that my sons have enjoyed more!! This is a keeper. I would highly recommend it!!!

Mathra Mystery
My children all enjoyed this game.
The puzzles are well designed and have a wide skill range and a wide variety. There are 22 different puzzles which cover a wide subject range.
The only fault I could find was the fact that when you completed a puzzle you had to move to the next screen and then back again to be able to play it again, especially as you need to complete each puzzle two or three times.
The other fault was that when you completed a game unless you started a new game immediately you would find the levels were set back at easy.
It is an excellent game which the children enjoy, the highest levels are hard enough for an adult to enjoy, while younger children can cope well with the easy levels.
Children do need to be able to read reasonably well to play.

Cluefinders 3rd Grade Adventures
Our daughter's school recommended this program for children entering 3rd grade. My child and I spent all summer working on this together. It was great quality time for her and me. More importantly, it was something she looked forward to doing (which is a tall order for an 8-year old on summer vacation). It focused on sharpening thinking and problem solving skills. I was pleased with the simplicity of the graphics as it kept the computer speeding along and time was not wasted loading glitz and glitter. I can't recommend this enough to parents concerned with their child's education. ... Read more

Features

• Garfield -It's All About Math builds your child's abilities in basic math operations -Addition, multiplication, subtraction and division
• Garfield -It's All About Reading & Phonics has replayable games that will build knowledge of words, word sounds and pronunciation
• In Garfield -It's All About Writing & Grammar helps kids improve grammar, writing, memory and concentration skills
• Garfield -It's All About Vocabulary and Spelling offers 20 activities for superior phonics and vocabulary
• Ages 6-7

Amazon.com Review

Reader Rabbit and his friend Sam the Lion are innocently piloting theirDreamship through the sky when--from out of nowhere--a Pie Rat ship attackknocks them for a loop. The ship crashes into a sticky mass of cheese on a highmountaintop, while Sam and Reader Rabbit fall into the sea below. In ReaderRabbit 2nd Grade: Mis-cheese-ious Dreamship Adventures, players must get theintrepid adventurers back to the ship before the Pie Rats take it over.

Aimed at children in the second grade, this Reader Rabbit program offers achallenging series of educational games. Players must climb Mount Cheesemore,for example, by completing a series of math formulas. The challenge is to placethe cheese blocks correctly, in such a way that all the formulas are balanced.Getting one or two of the numbers to tally may be easy, but completing the thirdcan be quite the test. In another game, crossing a fast-flowing river depends onthe user's ability to make compound words, or to identify synonyms andantonyms.

The games are perfect for children studying or previewing a second-gradecurriculum. They are set at a perfect range of difficulty, simple at first, butwith an automatic increase in toughness as players master the spelling, science,and math skills presented in the activities. At higher levels, parentalassistance may be required to complete the puzzles. What's more, players mustcomplete some tasks in order to get to others--there is no way to skip out onthe language or science drills if you want to rescue the Dreamship.

This is not to say that the game is low on entertainment value. It is filledwith bright characters and charming animations. As a setting, Mount Cheesemoreprovides pleasant and consistent goofiness. The educational content is notunderstated--children will know they are working--but thegame environment is fun and offers plenty of enjoyment and variety along theway. --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Offers a great variety of skills
We bought this title for our 6-year old daughter. She was definately captivated by the animation and storyline. There are a multitude of goal-oriented activities which help reinforce math, spelling, language, and science skills. The game becomes more challenging as questions are answered correctly. Kids will be guided through activities without any help from adults.The only drawback was the amount of repitition necessary for achieving final goals. Some children may lose interest in a particular activity before the goal is met. All in all, Reader Rabbit 2nd grade is a great learning tool that kids will enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Reader Rabbit takes a road trip, and kids who go along for the ride willlearn everything from homonyms to alphabetizing with this occasionally inspiredCD-ROM. Kids can follow the Road to Imagination to 15 different reading lands,or visit Wordville Station for straightforward access to word games. Both ofthese multilevel elements are designed for kids who already have a grasp of thealphabet.

Each stop along the Road to Imagination has a reading-related theme, such as anowl looking for words with long and short vowel sounds for the letter e.Animated hot spots reinforce the theme, as well as activities that involverhyming, syllabication, listening to letter sounds, and word recognition. Thereare also a couple of books to be found at each stop along the road (30 in all),with questions at the end that inspire both reading comprehension andimaginative flights of fancy. An easy-to-use recording program enables kids toread the books out loud and play back their words. Wordville Station has fourgames that teach compound words, vowel sounds, alphabetizing, and matchingopposites, homonyms, and rhyming words.

I Can Read has some bright moments: Reader Rabbit loosens up a bit andimitates Ed Sullivan, Dick Clark, and former president Clinton as he emcees analphabetization exercise called the Alphabet Dance. The vagaries of the Englishlanguage are exposed when a bird of paradise plant transforms into an exoticallyplumed bird of paradise, and then that same bird rolls a pair of dice. A tinybit of sophistication seems to have seeped into the wide-eyed world of ReaderRabbit, and it will probably be appreciated by kids who have cut theirpop-culture teeth on the rapid-fire fare provided by Nickelodeon and Nintendo.

Fear not, Reader Rabbit and Mat the Mouse still run a pretty straight-lacedestablishment, with plenty of opportunities for parents to check progress,control gameplay and levels, and educate themselves about educating their youngreaders. But there's a bit more sass here than in the Reader Rabbit programsdesigned for younger kids--an intelligent way for the series to adjust to itsincreasingly sophisticated audience. (Ages 5 to 8) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Lots of fun
My five year old likes playing this game as much as video games. And that's saying a lot. The bonus, of course, is that he's working on reading skills too.

He does need help on some of the tasks, so I do have to help him occasionally.

Phonics and Fun All In One...
We were given the original Reader Rabbit (RR) Preschool a few years ago and wore it out. I thought all kids software was as great; they aren't. I just bought RR's I Can Read with Phonics and, as other early RR versions, the I can Read with Phonics has great, encouraging (non-irratating) voices, sounds, wonderful colors and lots of phonics, words, and sounding out of letters and words alike. My almost-4-year-old has a go at it each day, and my almost-6-year-old loves it and will play it for hours if I let her. I would recommend this product for anyone who has a child who is behind in reading or whom is bored by phonics or fustrated by learning to read; also for anyone trying to learn English as a second language it is great. Or just if you want your child to have an edge with reading. Sit with them while they play, don't just walk away -- tho, even if you do walk away and let them play they are bound to learn, no doubt at all. You'll be suprised how fast they learn. My almost-six-year-old played a few hours a day for three days in a row, then sat down on day four with a pen and paper and declared she wanted to write a story. Wow. If you sit with them and help them sound out the words (tho the computer does that too), you'll be doing something wonderful for your child. RR isn't boring, it can become quite engrossing and fun, even for the helping parent. Nothing is wasted in this program, altho, you follow a map in a car from one level to the next, instead of earning keys to a magical land like in the Preschool RR. So there is a lack of cohesiveness in the I Can Read with Phonics product, but it's miniumal and even forgivable when see how fast they learn and how much they love to play it. It'd call it a painless, fast, learning to read product. Highly Recommened. I also have the JumpStart Phonics CD, but it's not nearly as much fun as the RR I Can Read with Phonics CD.

Great Program for learning to read.
The best way to help your child learn to read is to teach them the sounds of the letters. This program helps by focusing in on one letter sound at a time, while teaching site words, that are difficult to sound out (for example the word: the). Through fun games, you work your way through the alphabet, in no particular order, and each time you "complete" a letter, you add that letter to a puzzle- which you then read at the end, or click on the words, and the program reads it to your child.
I recommend this program, takes many hours to go through entire program, can save progress, and can access areas that your child may need more work at.

Fantastic game
My 6 year daughter absolutely loved playing this game. She would play it for hours at a time. I believed that it has helped her learn to read. I wish that the people from Reader Rabbit would make another version.

Best Education Game for Young Kids
Wow! My little brother never stops playing this game. It's really a great educational game for ages 3-6. It helps with phonics,grammer and reading. If your looking for a great game if it's for either your little brother or for your son. It's a game worth having. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Achieve! Writing & Language Arts brings four award-winning educational titles in one to your child's desktop. Designed for younger learners, a combination of memorable music, appealing characters, intriguing environments, and clever word games build language and grammar skills. Tackle sentence structure, learn about synonyms and antonyms, explore language concepts, and more. Featured titles include: Word Munchers Deluxe, Schoolhouse Rock! Grammar Rock, The Writing Trek, and Strategy Challenges 2: In the Wild. When grammar and vocabulary are made this much fun, young learners achieve at learning. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Wonderful resource for the serious homeschooler!!
We have been proud owners of this package for two years and have used it diligently to supplement skills and concepts introduced throughout the year for first and second grade. It has been a WONDERFUL supplemental resource. Unlike a lot other educational software packages that claim to cover a wide range of ages, this one means it when they say "First through Third grade". It is simple to use: After a concept (example: 2 digit addition) has been introduced to the student, you specifically set up games to reinforce those particular skills. After those skills have been mastered you then go back in (with a simple click of the mouse and check-mark skills you want to reinforce from a large pre-set list) It is honestly very simple to do. Explaining the process actually takes far more time that it does to actually do it. Although the games are very "friendly", with engaging characters and settings, the software is not meant to "entertain" as much as it is to teach. I would not at all be surprised to find this package in a lot of school computer rooms for kids to reinforce their skills on. If you are looking for a true educational software package that would be appropriate for (no younger than)first through third grade, this would be perfect for you and your child.

I would give it ZERO stars if I could!
I completely agree with what everyone else has said. This was a total waste of money. The other reviewer was right when he said the extra software included (for us it was Star Flyers) was the ONLY good thing!

How can they market programs that were designed for 3-5 year olds for Grades 1-3? Its ludicrous!

DO NOT waste your money! The whole thing is unprofessional. There are no guides and even the paper inside the CD looks like it was BADLY photocopied.

Again, if I could give it ZERO stars I would!

This is going back
I was looking for some software to help my fourth grader with math facts, computations, etc. (He's an Everyday Math victim.) The activites, even at the most advanced level, are much too easy for him. Pointing and clicking at different piles of cookies is not division. This is a complete waste.

This is being returned to The Learning Company
I just purchased this today, and it is extremely disappointing. I was looking for a software package that would help my 2nd grader learn his math facts, and this certainly isn't it, as far as I can tell. There is zero documentation included, so there is no way to steer your child towards games that would help his or her weak areas. I couldn't find a game that drilled them on anything, just a lot of pointless point and click activities.

Product is not very good
I got this product for my 5 year old, and it is about right,
any 3-6th grade would not like it at all. The best thing in the game is the free cluefinders monkey adventure in my costco box.
Most of the games look like they were designed for windows 95.

I liked the clips from grammar rock, I remember these as a kid, but you could by the DVD of Schoolhouse rock and get better versions of those. ... Read more