Amazon.com Product Description

Jump into this bouncy, balloon-filled adventure with Reader Rabbit, and learn important kindergarten skills in math, prereading, and problem solving. Rescue Reader Rabbit and Sam the Lion, whose Dreamship is trapped in the enchanting world of Balloon Town, where everything is soft and bouncy and made of balloons. Find a way past the sleeping Bulldozer and into the Pointy Palace. Only your special skills in phonics, matching, rhyming, and math can save the day. Eight high-flying activities are included. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not recommended - would't run; no technical support
I tried to install this game on my wife's PIII running Windows 2000. It installed, but refused to run - it threw an "Appication Error" box on the screen and stopped after I clicked the "Play" button. I tried the technical support site... and there are clearly lots of problems with it as there are lots of solutions - none to my problem though and the solutions that seemed close didn't seem to apply as files indicated in the instructions were not on the CD, etc.

I was unable to download the patches as thier web site threw an error so am now the proud owner of a useless game. Not recommended!

Not up to the usual standards
I wish I could give this a better rating, as I'm generally a big fan of the Reader Rabbit series. I've used these programs for each of my four kids, and we've been through every grade level (including the previous version of RR Kindergarten).

Plus, I generally liked the construction of the game. It had a good story line, great activities and a very age-appropriate feel.

The main problem was that it's WAY too short - there's just not enough material for it to be really useful. Each activity is completed in just a few trials.

It's not even long enough for the auto-levelling feature to work well. It starts each activity on the easiest level, and a student that needs a more advaced level can zoom through and be finished before there's even a chance for it to ratchet up the level of difficulty.

I'll also give it a slight ding for not giving enough guidance toward the right answers. There's not much negative feedback for wrong answers, and it's possible to pass the activities by pure guessing. Sometimes it doesn't give any indication at all when an answer is missed.

All in all, this is an unusually poor showing for a program in the RR line-up.

Reader Rabbit Kindergarten Bounce Down
This is of course another Fantastic learning tool from Reader Rabbit. I am homeschooling this year and my son just loves to play this and he hasn't even realized yet that he is learning, he thinks he is playing a video game!!!! Thank You.

Great but tempermental
My four year old has loved this program! It's a great way to introduce setting goals and seeing a project through to its completion. Understanding relative sizes, phonics, and more gives her lots to choose from and doesn't bore her yet. The only problem is that with my operating system, WindowsME, this program is extemely unstable. It tends to crash and stall and has done so from the first day of operation. This is frustrating to her AND me, of course. Maybe other Windows systems work better.

Caution Windows ME Users!
Let me start by saying that my 4 year old son really like the game. Its good for basic math, spelling, and reasoning skills.

The problem is that the installation process cripples Internet Explorer's encryption software! After installing, we could not use Internet Explorer to access any secured site (such as this one).

The only way to correct was to restore the operating system.

So, while the game is good, I can not run it on my Windows ME system. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Deep in a rain forest, the ClueFinders have stumbled onto a mystery. Jungle animals are disappearing. And now the famous Dr. Pythagoras has suddenly vanished. Rumors say an ancient monster has returned and is responsible. A daring group of kid detectives, a jungle adventure, and your child make The ClueFinders' 3rd Grade Adventures an exciting way to develop essential academic and thinking skills. (Ages 7-9) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

fun, but again too easily finished
My daughter did this in one day. SHe enjoyed it immensely, found some of it challenging, and is returning to it to go thru the game yet again. The problem is that she just finished the 1st grade and so it at least one year too young for this. I got the third grade because I wanted it to engage and challenge her for a longer period of time. THis one didn't. I am not (necessarily!) saying she is brilliant, just that this is another case of software setting its sights too low. It is good, but not great.

Recommended as a quick run-thru. ... Read more

Features

• Computer bugs are running around the somputer messing things up, and you've got to capture them and stop the evil Dr. Zero's plans!
• There are over 300 lessons to learn here, from addition & subtraction, fractions, decimal and percentages, geometry
• As you learn lessons, you also get SmartPoints, which you can trade in for prizes online
• Also includes a trail version of Virtual Classroom

Amazon.com Review

If James Bond suddenly decided to become an elementary school teacher, his curriculum might look something like JumpStart Advanced 2nd Grade. A secret-agent frog uses globetrotting and gadgets to outwit the nefarious Dr. O. Kids must visit each of the seven continents and play games, meet secret agents, and gather parts to build a crime-busting contraption that would make "Q" proud.

This program uses JumpStart's new All-Star system, which matches a particular character to your child's learning style: reader, athlete, musician, team leader, artist, scientist, or math whiz. Once a character is selected, requests for help receive a tailor-made reply. For example, the musician will help kids with reading comprehension by having them imagine the sounds the story makes. These helpers can be selected on the fly--if the artist's help leaves your kid in the dark, she or he can consult with the math whiz for a different perspective on the same problem.

Some of the seven multilevel games tackle a variety of subjects--kids may be asked to form contractions or do complex subtraction to navigate a river in the Amazon basin. This variety breathes some life into the otherwise standard-issue activities--game blandness is the weakest point of this program. Strengths include opportunities for kids to learn about the flora, fauna. and geography of the various continents with point-and-click exploration, and a final gadget-assembly task that requires logic, experimentation, and persistence to complete. This final challenge (fans of "The Incredible Machine" will recognize it) may even teach parents a thing or two. Just like other JumpStart offerings, this program has progress reports, so parents and teachers can spy on their junior spy's efforts. (Ages 6 to 8) --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

Amazon.com Product Description

Disney Learning Kindergarten, featuring Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, is an early-learning tool that enables children to learn age-appropriate skills with their favorite Disney characters. Whether your child is investigating Main Street for newspaper cover stories with Mickey or attending school in the Hundred Acre Wood, he or she will learn important skills that enhance memory, observation, and listening. Other exercises help young children gain experience with the alphabet, simple arithmetic, and problem solving. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Disney Dud!
We were very dissapointed in this game. Many of the activities are exactly the same and my child quickly tired of them. To earn "rewards" she had to answer so many questions (more than I could sit through) that she wanted to move on before completing the task. We would recommend the Jumpstart series instead.

disappointing kindergarten software
After using Disney Interactive's Phonics Quest, which I think is the best of the dozen-or-so titles of early-elementary-school-age software I've tried, I looked forward to using the Kindergarten software from the same vendor. However, my five-year-old and I were immediately frustrated.

To start with, if your default disk for Windows is anything other than c:, this software crashes. That's an indication of badly-engineered code.

But it isn't just attention to detail to software engineering that makes this program a bust. The way that the kid interacts with it is confusing and boring. It comes nowhere close to matching the interest generated by the other three kindergarten titles we've tried: Reader Rabbit Kindergarten, Arthur's Kindergarten, and even the very sleepy but serviceable older title from Disney, "Winnie the Pooh Kindergarten".

My child will never ask to use this product again, I'm sure. A complete disappointment. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This two-disc set invites kids to join Arthur and the gang for learning and fun. It's packed with 15 educational activities covering math, reading, creativity, and more. Arthur's Kindergarten teaches a full year's worth of kindergarten skills, and entertains your child in the process. Kids can track their progress with the Goal Checker and enjoy the three new reward activities after successfully completing the learning activities. (Ages 4 to 6) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good product
Great software program for kids in kindergarten or maybe even a little younger.

No refunds from Learning Company
This product did not work. I returned it to The Learning Company months ago and haven't received a refund or any response. Buyer beware.

Good source for a starter
It was a good start for my son who moved from London to the US to learn the ways of the schools etc.Arthur has captured his fancy from the Pbskids and the books in schools.This does the same and I am sure will help him to get to speed here in the US. ... Read more

Features

• Winnie the Pooh Kindergarten w/French & Spanish brings parents and young children a fun set of educational games they can enjoy together
• Play eight games and 25 learning skills like Eeyore's Musical Mix & Match, Owl's Memory Challenge, and Rabbit's Shape Sorting
• Mickey Mouse Kindergarten introduces fundamental learning skills as they play with Mickey
• As children play, they'll develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities
• Explore fun word games with Goofy and Tigger

Reviews (1)

kid's love it
It is a very entertaining yet educational tool. The kids really enjoyed playing it.Ranks up there with Jumpstart as a quality program for education while entertaining as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Reader Rabbit Preschool Classic delivers learning fun for ages 3 to 5. Kids journey to a crazy amusement park with Reader Rabbit and friends, where they adventure and play through 12 activities and wild games. Four difficulty levels help kids recognize letters, numbers, shapes, and colors, and develop phonics, reading, and counting skills. In all, 40 age-appropriate skills are covered while having fun at Reader Rabbit's educational amusement park. ... 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 Review

ClueFinders 5th Grade Adventures is designed to make learning funby presenting a series of educational activities wrapped up in an adventuregame. Suitable for ages 9 to 11 years, this adventure finds the heroes washedashore on an uncharted volcanic island by a tsunami. When they awaken on theisland, they find that two of the ClueFinders have disappeared along withGrandpa. You have to help the remaining ClueFinders unravel the mysteries of theisland and rescue their lost friends before a volcano blows.

The mysteries are very varied, and getting to the bottom of them requires skillsin math, language, science, and problem solving. There are more than 86 skillscovered in all, across 16 interactive activities. You are plunged in right awayby the need to devise a way across a river using variously marked stones tocreate a bridge. Thinking caps definitely need to be on to solve this, and theother puzzles in the game.

There are four difficulty levels, and parents can use these to ensure the gamematches the abilities of their children. ClueFinders 5th Grade Adventuresis a challenging but fun game, and you'll learn without even knowing it. As abonus, there is an Adventure Kit CD offering various fun activities, such as acode maker for sharing secret messages. --Sandra Vogel ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Don't buy from this company
If you have to order this software, don't buy it through cyberdeals. The software arrived in a flimsy bubblewrap envelope. The box is damaged. What a nice thing to do one week before Christmas. I'm not sure what I paid to have this item shipped, but I was ripped off big time. Thanks for making them one of your dealers.

Perfect computer game for kids.
.... Cluefinders is a wonderful, mysterious computer game kids can do while learning. There's little bit of everything: Maths, English, Science, Basic Logic etc etc etc. There's a big mystery for every CD-ROM fan, and I'm sure everybody will like it alot. Cluefinders is a wonderful guide to every kid's education, and has proved very beneficial program as a fun learning method...

The ClueFinder's adventure
The ClueFinder's always produce exellent computer games that help you learn. I recommend any ClueFinders' game that there is. Some of the other games are ClueFinder's 6th grade adventure, ClueFinders' Math and Reading, and the ClueFinders' 5th grade adventure. All the games are fun, intresting, and they are easy. They teach different games and help you learn. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Give children an edge in test taking with Newton's Quest test-preparation software. Its educational content and format correlate to standardized tests, giving kids the advantage they need in a rich, 3-D environment that can motivate and inspire them to succeed. Children explore and interact with a multitude of different environments filled with multimedia activities in two different, but interrelated modules.

In the Exploration module, children command their very own fully equipped, 3-D space station, comprised of subject-based rooms that are stocked with learning tools and hours of exploration. In the Test Prep module, they will find an interactive five-step learning environment that focuses on building critical skills and problem-solving strategies that center on math and language skills. These challenges will help improve performance on standardized tests. The software also features comprehensive research tools and a reward system that will help motivate children to complete exercises. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I love this
This "game" is perfect for getting your child used to the multiple choice set of todays tests. It is set up in a way that is not intimidating to the player and is fun as well. This product is teaching my child information that she has not learned yet in class. I love it!

A CONCERNED PARENT
I BOUGHT THIS PRODUCT FOR MY NINE YEAR OLD, WHO IS GONG INTO THE FOURTH GRADE. WHILE SETTING UP THE PROGRAM IN OUR COMPUTER, IT FROZE UP. WE COULD NOT GET THE PROGRAM TO WORK. AFTER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES, I CALLED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WHEN YOU CALL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, YOU GO THROUGH SOME PROMPTS AND THEN YOU'RE TRANSFERED TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE OPERATOR. THE PHONE WILL RING TEN TIMES, THEN YOU'RE PUT ON HOLD FOR ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS BEFORE YOU'RE DISCONNECTED. I THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD A BAD CONNECTION OR SOMETHING, SO I TRIED THREE MORE TIMES - SAME THING HAPPENED EACH TIME! I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TRANSFERED ME TO THE SAME NUMBER, WHERE IT ALL HAPPENED AGAIN!! I GUESS I'M STUCK BECAUSE ONCE YOU BREAK THE SEAL ON SOFTWARE YOU CAN'T RETURN IT. I FOUND THE EXPERIENCE VERY UPSETTING AND MY LITTLE GIRL IS NOT HAPPY TO HAVE RECEIVED A GIFT THAT DIDN'T WORK!! ... Read more

Features

• In Garfield -It's All About Letters And Words they'll enjoy 15 different word and letter activities -- identifying letters, word sounds and more
• Garfield -It's All About Numbers & Counting brings your toddler 15 more activities that teach counting from 1 to 20, ordering and more
• With Garfield -It's All About Colors, Shapes & Time your little one will discover how to match colors, identify shapes and tell time
• For ages 3-4

Features

• Youngsters will test-drive their learning abilities by getting ready for a wacky car race
• They'll learn about art, addition, counting and other skills -- and use those skills to build their own crazy racers
• Other skills presented include number recognition, science, subtraction an more
• Prepare your kids for kindergarten the fun & easy way -- with JumpStart Advanced Kindergarten!