Features

• They'll work as secret agents and travel to every continent to track down the mad scientist, Dr. Listick
• As they travel, they'll learn more than 30 skills that they'll need to use in their missions against the evil scientist
• Skills include -blends and digraphs, estimation, contractions, odd & even numbers, Roman numerals, time, vocabulary and more
• Prepare your children for school by giving them a jump start -- use JumpStart Advanced 2nd Grade!

Product Description

Teaches essential skills for school. ... Read more

Features

• Kids will love playing with seven cartoon pets as they get introduced to the basics of education
• They'll develop letter recognition skills, learn the names of shapes and colors, understand basic phonics and grammar, and much much more
• They'll also learn about sizes, patterns and spatial awareness
• Your child will be ready to tackle the new world of school in no time!

Reviews (1)

TV is NOT a "treat"
Our 3 year old loved the Reader Rabbit game so much that we got tired of it and bought her JumpStart Advanced Preschool. What a disappointment. None of the activities are as interesting or educational as Reader Rabbit and, worst of all, the player is regularly given a "treat", the opportunity to go to the playroom. What is in the playroom? Some drawings of toys (none of which are interactive) and a tv that shows tinny versions of nursery rhymes. So the message is that learning games are ok, but the real treat is watching tv! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

JumpStart Pre-K enables prekindergarten children to sharpen their abilities with letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. Eight interactive learning games and 10 delightful songs guarantee giggles and tons of fun while introducing important social concepts such as manners, sharing, and safety. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Awesome software
My son is 3 yrs old and absolutely loves it. Once he played on it so long that he fell asleep on the computer. Great games and fun activites.

the elephant game
I brought this game three years ago for my daughter and she enjoyed most of the game as does her younger brother now she has growen out of it. Hopefully the newer versions have improved some of the poorer areas of the game.
This game is one that sticks to its age levels.
The games included are the merrigoround which is supposed to be matching numbers and amounts but does not work. The children just click until the mouse gets on the merrigoround without refering to the number of balloons the mouse carries or the numbers on the merrigoround.
The cake shop which the kids love. It is dot to dot although the children once they have located the starting dot work out the rest with logic rather than by looking for the letter. This is probably the kids most favorite part.
The airplane is another area that does not work very well but the children like to fly the plane.
The firestation is a memory game but the locations of the hidden pictures are hidden only found when the cursor changes shape. It would work better if the items were hidden in a more obvious way but the idea is good.
The cafe is another excellent section where children have to arrange food in order from large to small/dark to lite/ etc.
The clothes shop is a number jigsaw
The toy shop is popular with the children puting the toy together and identifing three pieces from a group of similar and very different pieces.
The truck is placing the correct number and colour of items on the back of the truck, very popular with my sone.
The reward is stickers for the park and kids love getting stickers. But do go to the web site and pick up the parkclear program so that you can erase the stickers without losing the childs name and levels reached.
It is a pity that the sections are not all of equal quality because the idea is good.

Great for 4-5 year olds!
I teach Pre-K and use this program in my classroom. It is a great way for the children to learn math and language skills. The kids love it, and it covers the objectives for Pre-K.

GREAT BUT NOT ENOUGH
This is a great program for my 4 year old. We homeschool and we needed a preschool program. I refunded on Jumpstart Preschool because it contained magical things that I don't allow into my household.This Jumpstart Pre-K was not available at any of our local stores. The only complaint I have is.... the rewards are stickers in the park(it will make sense when you see it)anyway, my 4 year old got so many that the game said the park was full and we would have to start a new game to get more. The only way I could think to do this was to put in a nickname. We decided not to do this because he would lose all previous scores and stickers. So, he works without rewards and still he loves it. I say buy this and explain the problem when they come to you and say..." My park is full of stickers". I bought this at AMAZON.

Child pleasing activities, good at giving gentle hints
My 2 year old son has gotten pretty good at using the mouse, and was getting tired of programs that work by any random click, so I tried this title to find something a bit challenging. He is really enjoying it. Most of the activities are probably a bit above his learning level, but the program is great at gently helping so that he can make things happen and learn at the same time. He especially likes the alphabet connect the dots that makes a cake with a moving picture, and his 5 year old brother that generally has no interest in computer games liked that part a lot too. My younger son also loved the reward area you get to go to when you have 4 stars for completely activities. You get to place moving stickers in a park area---it's quite simple but easy to use and very fun for him. I do think it can be a bit easy at times to finish activities sort of at random, and like many titles like this, if you have a click happy child, they tend to stop the explanation of how to do the activity before the talking is over---I always wish the program would just finish telling you what you have to do even if your child starts clicking madly! However, in general this is one of my favorite beginning learning programs. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Hopsalot the Rabbit, Frankie the Dog, CJ the Frog, and others take kids ages 4 to 8 on an engaging and comprehensive 9-step path to math success. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jump Start Math Mastery
Jump Start Math Mastery is an excellent tool for reinforcing math skills to students. The program contains math lessons for grades K-2. The math lessons are fun and interesting. The software's graphics are colorful and accurate. During each lesson, explicit and easily understandable directions are given to the player. All of the material in this software program is age and subject appropriate. I highly recommend this software program to teachers, parents, and guardians who want their students and children to practice their math skills in a fun and exciting way. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Double the learning power and fun with a new deluxe two-CD-ROM software set from JumpStart. Kids learn essential preschool skills and then take off to faraway worlds of fun in an adventure around the world. AdJust-For-You Learning Technology adjusts automatically to your child's pace. Kids learn colors, shapes, letters, numbers, quantities, counting, prereading, songs, sequencing, spatial relationships, listening skills, similarities and differences, world geography, and cultures of the world.On disc one, join Pierre Polar Bear and his animated friends as you explore a colorful classroom packed with fun-filled games and sing-along songs. With disc two, climb aboard the next boat, plane, train, or zeppelin and take off to faraway worlds of fun on the all-new Around the World CD-ROM.Kids can play 4 different games and visit 12 different cities where they'll learn phrases in different languages, hear music of other lands, and collect souvenirs. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Intro to computer games for young kids
I don't understand the complaints voiced by other reviewers. This is a great first intro to computer games for young kids. It has games that focus on very elementary skills, such as moving the mouse around--one game involves moving a wagon side to side with the mouse to catch balls that are rolled very slowly down an alley (you are instructed to catch only balls of a certain color). Other games involve counting or recognizing shapes and colors: one game involves cleaning up blocks by, e.g., putting the blue square blocks in one container and the green triangles in another; another game involves counting out a specified number of food items in response to a chef's request for "five bananas", and so forth. My daughter loved this CD when she first experienced it at 2 and 1/2. Within 3 months of playing with our assistance, she can play all the games by herself, and she loves the reward of a train ride after completing four games successfully. There are very few games out there that a 2-year-old can master, and this was a very good investment for us. I agree, however, that the added "travel agency" disc is a throwaway.

Best young kids' software I have found
My 4 year old starting playing this when he was 2 1/2 and still plays it. It is easy to understand and has areas that even the youngest beginners can understand, and as the game get more difficult it is great for older players as well. It has consistent instructions and buttons, so he could play independently without constantly calling me over to help him as he does with other software. It has grown with him and now his 2 1/2 year old brother is starting to play it and loves it. I recommend this package to any parent who is looking to start their child on computer software. In fact, I am writing this review because I am in the process of buying Jumpstart Preschool for my niece who is about to turn two.

Great for younger kids
My daughters (2+9mos and 3+9mos years old) play these games for hours on end. The littler one has now developed the fine motor control needed to use the mouse so it's perfect for her. The 3+ year-old loves it but even on the highest level all of the games are much too easy. I am surprised how the girls both love the reward system in the game- 4 correct games gets you 4 train tickets and a ride on the train, and a stamp in your "passport". The kids both try hard to win train rides.

My daughter's view
I purchased this for my 3 year old daughter and she absolutely loves it.

The skill level automatically upgrades (and downgrades) as they do very well... or poorly. There is also the opportunity to 'test' your child's knowledge level and set the skill level according to the results.

My daughter has learned sequences of the alphabet - at any given point and her hand-eye coordination has greatly improved!

Fantastic!
My 3 year old LOVES this software and can play most of the games without any adult help, which is a big help to me. All of the games are educational with cute characters and catchy songs. She sings the songs from the reward train trips all day long. It's also great because it "remembers" the child's skill level and begins to make it harder as they improve. If they get stuck, it offers help to remind them "which letter comes next" or "how many". The animation, music, and songs are great. I would definitely recommend this for 3 or 4 year olds. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

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

In JumpStart Advanced Kindergarten, players team up with Frankie and the JumpStart pals as they get ready for a wacky car race. As kids develop important kindergarten skills, they can earn scores of power boosters, such as super-stilt wheels, to customize their own crazy car and unlock five racing arenas. Loaded with arcade action, players will love zipping around colorful landscapes in a race against time to collect scattered treasures in the King's Castle, Jungle Adventure, Pirate's Isle, Candy Land, and Sports Town. Players can compete against their JumpStart pal or play cooperatively with a friend in two-player mode, and collect racing-cup trophies with each race they win. ... 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 (7)

FALSE ADVERTISING: Does NOT run under Mac OS X
The compatibility "information" provided on the box and CD is FALSE ADVERTISING, plain and simple. The box and CD state that the program runs under Mac OS X, but what they mean is that it runs under "classic mode," which is really OS 9.2.

If you try to install it while running OS X, the installer crashes.

Their email technical support is the worst I have ever experienced. The company farmed it out to a third party, and it is not clear if anyone actually works there. Responses appear to be computer generated, and provide no indication that a person read and understood my questions.

Their 800 number support was much better. They quickly told me that the product does not run native under OS X, and provided information for returning the product for a refund (which I will now do).

Jumpstart computer series
My husband and I purchased the Jumpstart computer cds for our 6 children for Christmas. We began with just the ones for their grades and ended up buying ALL the cds except for the baby one! To say we are pleased with this series would be a gross understatement! Our children can't get enough! They have improved our 3rd grader's grades and attitude and helped the others learn more while having a whole lot of fun! We recommend this to anyone who has children - they are worth every penny!

Kindergarten Fun
My 5 year old son was able to play this program with no assistance after loading it on the computer. He loves earning the carrots on the phonics section. The games are fun and the screens are colorful. We have other Jump Start programs and have been happy with them all.

Better than the Original
We purchased "JumpStart Kindergarten" for our son about 8 months ago. It was a solid product from which he enjoyed learning. This new "Advanced" version is even better than the original!

Game layout is improved, as are the animated characters. Whereas the original featured mostly "Hopsalot," the Advanced version features more of the JumpStart characters (six in total). The incentive for learners to keep playing (outside of the fact that the learning activities really are FUN!) is the chance to "build" a customized bumper car and enter a contest to collect the most special objects.

Features include the progress report, and a new and neat assessment test. First-time users take the assessment test, and have the option of letting the computer set the difficulty level for the learning activities, or they are allowed to set them manually.

Like other JumpStart titles, users enter a treehouse which serves as a schoolhouse. Inside the treehouse, there are three characters (learning stations), each focusing on a different subject (reading, music, and art). When exiting the treehouse to the back of the school, users meet three other characters (learning stations): spelling and phonics, addition and subtraction, and patterns and sizes.

Users click on a character to enter that particular learning area. Successful answers are counted and tracked by character-specific objects (bows, bubbles, flags, musical note, etc.). After collecting 4 of the objects, a carrot is awarded and tracked with the on-screen bushel basket. After earning 10 carrots, users "soup-up" their bumper cars, and "unlock" a new competition area. In the competition area, users compete against the computer, or another player, and try to collect the most track-specific objects (candy, sea shells, etc.). The user collecting the most gets his/her "picture" in the "newspaper."

Catchy music, good animation, characters that aren't too cheesy (although the female elephant's voice may annoy some), TERRIFIC learning activities, and a fun game to encourage working with the learning activities all add up to a great addition to your youngster's software collection.

Educational Fun!
These games are really fun to play and they're packed with education. My five year old likes counting bottles in the math game, especially when they pop into bubbles. There's a music activity and a science garden where kids search for animals or plant flower patterns. The phonics game is actually helping my son grasp reading. He also likes to play the race car games. He's already won two racetracks and is working on winning them all. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

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

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

Features

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com Product Description

Build a critical foundation for future mathematics success as your child and Hopsalot the Rabbit explore the amazing cloud kingdom, a magical place where all birthday parties come from. Kids, ages 4 to 6, will ride rainbow slides, collect magic beans, sing along, and help the cloud people prepare for the giant's birthday party. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

May be too long
You need to collect 100 candles to "win", which for my 4 year old is taking much longer than he would like! Game #6 featured on box is slightly frustrating--the children are too small to count; they never seem to stand still long enough. The other games are fun and have kept his interest. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Children ages 5 to 7 join Frankie the Dog from JumpStart First Grade on an adventure through an oversized backyard. Designed specifically around the first-grade curriculum, this educational software teaches math concepts and fundamentals through a comprehensive, multistep process. ... Read more