Features

• Join Clifford and his friends at the Birdwell Island carnival
• Participate in lots of different activities and carnival games
• 100+ interactive and printable stories
• Win up to 18 different prizes that you can use to decorate a float for the big parade
• 3 levels of play that automatically adjust to your child's progress

Reviews (3)

for the most resistant reader
My 4.5 yr old son would much rather play nintendo than try to learn phonics, thanks to the influence of two older sibs. He received this game yesterday and already has spent countless hours on it playing the games and inadvertantly learning phonics. This game uses letter groupings as well as phonics, which is the method my other kids used with great success. This game definately requires parent participation in the early stages, but it's been fun watching him become more and more independant in his reading skills even though he is not aware of it. Only complaint is that the reward system is limited, so beware if your child is reward-oriented.

Clifford the Big Red Dog: Phonics
I bought this for my 3 year old daughter for Christmas this year. It was the first computer learning game she ever tried and it has been great in teaching her the basic mechanics for moving the cursor around the computer screen and using a mouse. But now, just 3 months later, I find that she is bored with the game. There are only a handful of games at the carnival to play. She seems more interested in decorating the float with the prizes she's won from these games instead.

some reviews below refer to "Thinking Adventures"
Note: Some of the reviews here (the 3-star one entitled "very easily bored with it" for instance) refer to a different product--"Clifford's Thinking Adventures".

The Phonics title is a completely different game, released in July 2003. If the review says at the end "refers to an ALTERNATE VERSION" check the link--might be a review for the other game. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hours of fun with this game!!
I did Where in the USA .. Carmen Sandiego at school and it's way way better than this one!! But this one is fun too. Since this is a two pack, I like the Where in the World .. Carmen Sandiego better than the Carmen Sandiego Chase Through time. In the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, you get to go like every country!! At first, I thought it would be hard that you have to find her somewhere in the "world", but after the first case, I got used to it and it was very fun. My brother was watching, he's only five and he caught on to it!! AMAZING!! This game is for ages 8-12, and the Where in the World one is for windows:95/98/XP, was I glad that they had it for XP!! Oh and this is for macintosh too. Except, the Great Chase through Time one doesn't work well for windows XP. I didn't buy this at Toysrus though, I got it from CompUSA check their website and see if this is available in your nearest CompUSA!! They usually tell you if it's in stock or not, the one where I went to, I got the last copy!! ... Read more

Features

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

Reviews (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features

• Based on the hit PBS television series
• Fun math adventures for ages 8-11
• Kids use problem-solving skills to outwit the villain
• Full screen animation and video footage from the Cyberchase TV show
• For 1 player

Features

• 60+ activities to help prepare your child for preschool
• Letter identification, shapes and colors, critical thinking, and more
• Interactive activities; video clips from the series; fun learning games
• Fun coloring projects; printable arts-and-crafts projects for the family
• Free Caillou alphabet flash cards included

Features

• Exploring Clifford's fun-filled neighborhood, children discover reading activities
• 7 adjustable levels that continually introduce new letters, sounds, and words
• Over 100 reading lessons; 15 printable activities; interactive and printable bonus books
• Kids practice reading aloud by recording stories in their own voice
• Progress report allows you to track your child's development; for kids ages 4-6

Reviews (1)

excellent
My daughter is almost 5 years old and loves this and all the scholastic games we have purchased since she is 2 years old. Very educational AND FUN and superior to other brands. ... Read more

Features

• 10 activities that sharpen thinking, counting, and language skills
• 3 adjustable levels to ensure children are comprehending
• Automatic help allows for independent play
• See and hear the characters and voices from the hit TV show
• For kids ages 4 to 6

Amazon.com Product Description

Approaching the last quarter of the 18th century, a tidal wave of change is poised to engulf the American colonies. Sarah Phillips and James Hiller, two young reporters working for Benjamin Franklin, adventure in search of the ultimate scoop for the front page of the Pennsylvania Gazette. Kids encounter soldiers, spies, Indians, Loyalists, statesmen, and townsfolk in a series of adventures that place them right in the middle of one of the most important eras of America's history, the American Revolution.

The primary goal of Liberty's Kids is to provide kids, ages 7 to 12, with a fresh and exciting experience of the extraordinary period in American history, 1773 to 1789. Kids gain insight into the complex ideas, perspectives, and motivations for the American Revolution. Seven historical events set in colonial America, including the Boston Tea Party, the Declaration of Independence, and the crossing of the Delaware, await kids in this exciting educational software game. Each event is can be replayed from different perspectives. Plus, kids can watch mini-movies from the PBS Kids animated series, explore Ben Franklin's inventions, create and print their own newspaper, meet famous historical figures, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great program!
This game (should I call it a game?) is fabulous! Based on a great PBS show, it continues to teach about the Revolutionary War. By interviewing key people (like George Washington & Sam Adams) the children can create a newspaper, similar to the tv show. Sarah & James help guide you around the sites of major battles & famous towns. For fun, you often have to find certain items to give to the characters before they will allow you to interview them.

The learning mode is great & took my 9 year old daughter about 10 minutes to figure it out and go to town. She has completed the entire game about 5 times in a month and still has not grown bored - the scenerios change every time you play!

I recommend this to anyone who has ever watched the show, but also for a way to teach more about the Revolutionary War. A good reader is needed, and one that can make good judgements to choose which interview comments to publish. This would make a great addition to a classroom library of software!

Definitely a great buy!!!

I loved it!
I watch the show and I loved the CD-Rom! It never gets boring for me, because one time I got the same item for a guy that I got in the last game and he didn't need it, he needed something else! It is also really good because you can get how both British and Patriots felt about what was going on. It was so much fun!

Really cool game!
I never get bored of playing, because it changes every time. I love to hear interesting commentary and arguements between James and Sarah as you journey from scene to scene. It gives a very balanced view of the Revolution, because one's British and the other is American. I've watched the show, and they both have held my interest. It's good for anyone!

Learning and Loving the American Revolution
This game is fabulous! My children love Schoolhouse Rock and this game gave some depth to the songs about the Revolution that they had already learned. We have all played and what's great is that each game and assignment is different. Seeing the Revolution through the eyes of teenage reporters allows my children to appreciate American History without being "taught" or "preached to" by me or by their teachers. They love when I quiz them about the Battle of Saratoga, Valley Forge and Lexington and Concord. Even my 5yr old knows who John Adams is!

Great game for kids!
We bought this game for our kids for the summer, to help keep them busy. My kids LOVE the PBS show and we decided this could be a great way of entertainment and learning. My 10 year old daughter picked up on the game right away and has really enjoyed playing it. My 8 year old son has taken some time to learn the game and enjoys it, but he would like more excitement. I really like that the kids can learn more about the Revolutionary period and be a part of putting it together in a newspaper. If your kids love the show, they will enjoy the game too. ... Read more

Features

• Arthur must run, jump, and fly through Elwood City to recover lost pets
• Pet Chase has 5 worlds, each with 6 levels of difficulty; kids experience 30 unique environments
• Games build critical thinking, problem solving, spatial relations, logic, and other skills
• Kids can play both games independently--demo movies provide kids with help
• For kids ages 5-7

Features

• Arthur works with The Brain to build a special sand castle-building machine
• Printable newspaper story features the child's name and the castle they create
• Games build critical thinking, problem solving, spatial relations, logic, and other skills
• Kids can play both games independently--demo movies provide kids with help
• For kids ages 5-7

Amazon.com Product Description

There's a treasure hunt in Animal Junction. Hit the trail with Zoboomafoo, the incredible leaping lemur, and leave no stone unturned. In this zany adventure children will play unique animal activities, and be rewarded pieces to a magical puzzle. On their journey children will discover a myriad of animals through fun learning games, animal videos, and printable activities. Solve the clues and the magical puzzle will reveal a map that will lead the way to the hidden treasure. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

zoboomafoo creature quest
This has so far been a disappointment. It takes like 12 steps to go through the introductory screens, and if you mess up, you have to start completely over. It also loads awfully slow and we have a top of the line loaded new computer. The game instructions are very long, and you have to listen to them every time, and they are mostly unnecessary, they should be under a help option. You can't even click to skip it, meaning you have to have a lot of patience while waiting. The animals are pretty obscure and not common/familiar. The animal facts I cant imagine ever being of much interest to a kid. I expected much better stuff from the Learning Company, especially since this program has received so many awards (no doubt through reputation). In comparison with other products, I can't identify one redeeming aspect for this software. The games are boring and mundane and many are a step down from even other "toddler" programs that are targeted to lower ages. Here I was looking to step up from the toddler programs which our daughter has already mastered. At least I got it very cheap. Its not much fun or entertaining. Not much area to navigate about and explore. No animation to speak of, other than the videos. Nothing clever or interesting or rewarding for mouse clicks. I have to report there are many better programs, and I could never recommend this one for fun, challenge, entertainment, or educational value. It does not hold her attention, she easily handles most of the games/activities, and she's like okay now what. And she still has a long ways to go before reaching age 3. The only games on this CD that she doesn't really know what she is doing is the chameleon and the coyotes, but even those she guesses her way to completion. I can't imagine her growing into liking this CD any more than she does now, in fact I'm certain she will like it less and less because she already expects more stimulation. Even now she prefers clicking around under encarta encylopedia more so than using this CD when it comes to short video clips. Even the logic aspect of finding puzzle pieces seems lame to me when compared to other such programs. I don't forsee her ever wanting to come back to this program when she's ready for more sofisticated logic games and ready to spell or do math. I should mention we started out our daughter on kids computer games before age 1, and she is just fascinated to the point of playing them every day, and she is just amazingly competent with them and now already figures out most kid games on her own. She is very familiar with counting and colors and shapes and mazes and matching and patterns and searching and picture drawing. She has pretty much seen it all. And this CD doesn't cut the mustard for new exciting stuff.

fun, entertaining and age-appropriate software
Little Zoboo fans rejoice! This entertaining software is stable, charming and fun. Multiple cut scenes feature the Kratt Brothers and Zoboomafoo's friends in Zoboo-Land, as kids click on objects scattered around Animal Junction. With two exceptions the eight activities are age-appropriate and well-implemented, with three skill levels in coloring, mazes, matching, object identification, counting, bubble popping and pattern match; the latter two games are unnecessarily difficult and confusing, but kids can get through them by clicking away randomly. Also included is a virtual tape recorder with mini-films and factoids about a number of animals. Well done.

We're running the game on an iMac and have had no problems with installation or crashes.

Note: Creature Quest is much better than Zoboomafoo Animal Alphabet; if you have a little Zoboo fan in the house, I'd recommend you purchase this title rather than Animal Alphabet.

We both love it!
My 3 year old daughter and I both love this software! She still needs some help with the mouse, so I have to play with her, and this is the only software we have that I don't mind playing after a few minutes! She's not so interested yet in the animal facts, but I like them!

Great for fans of the T.V show
I got this game for my 4 year old for christmas. She loves the T.V. program and learning about animals, so I figured it would be a hit with her, and it was. She loves playing it and trying to find all the puzzle pieces to find the treasure. Kids learn about some animals and their habitatis, numbers and patterns. You have to look for hidden treasure and there are 3 levels of play on the games. My daughter loved it first off simply because it contains the whole Zoboomafoo theme song! She runs it on her iMac. Only one little problem, it occasionally locks up when left unattended for a pretty long period of time, and the game is left running.

How Frustrating and Disappointing
Wish I could give this 0 stars. I cannot get this to run on our WIn 95 machine (yes I know it's a dinosoar but that's what we have for my child) and it continually crashes on our XP machine. Broderbund (the software company) has not responded to my pleas for help except to give me 4 different case #'s. AAAGGGGHHHH. My 3 year old and I are frustrated to the extreme. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Arthur, D.W., and friends welcome kids ages 4 to 7 to a carnival of math discovery. Six fun-filled adventures develop essential early math skills including counting, addition, subtraction, simple multiplication and division, logic, and even geometry. From making correct change at D.W.'s lemonade stand to sorting creepy critters during Francine's Amazing Bug Show, Arthur and friends show kids just how much fun math can be. Plus, five progressive skill levels keep the learning fresh and challenging, while extra art, music, and printouts enhance the learning fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nice, but can be improved
This Arthur math game is nice for first grade. However, not second grade or above. The math problems are too easy. For example, the most difficult calculation is still on the 1-digit base. For some more math calculation problems, I recommend a website: http://www.....com They have randomly generated worksheets, which provide your children enough practice to do math quickly.

The rest of the game are pretty good. The sorting, hunting treasure parts are interesting. You get what you pay. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Take a year-round romp through nature's magical playground with Caillou. From winter's snowy wonderland to summer at the seashore, this charming adventure delights kids' senses and tickles their imagination. Drawing on familiar themes and settings like weather and the playground, Caillou: Four Seasons of Fun inspires creative play, imaginative self-expression, and a love of learning. Kids ages 2 to 6 learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and more. Plus, kid's animations, fun songs, and printable activities extend the fun beyond the computer. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Rediculously slow on my new Macintosh
This title runs rediculously slow on my new Macintosh. Some of the mini-games take 10 minutes or more to complete (race-a-long, for example)!!! Stay away from this dog.

Season Sensation!
While there are some valid points to the earlier criticsm of Caillou Seasons this is really a fun program that offers kids tons of choices. I bought this for my neice and ended up being the hero of the birthday party. The game is really cute and held her attention as well as bringing about lots of discussion about the various seasons, her likes and dislikes about them and plans for the upcoming fall. It looks like it will be Caillou for Christmas if I want to keep my prefered uncle status going. Just hope my brother and his wife can cope with the theme song that gets stuck in your head.

Love the Seasons
I agree with the reviews that Four Seasons is a little tight, that you're not sure which clothes go with which season(coordinate by color), and when Caillou spins (in the racing game) it's suppose to be a bad thing; however, my son and I LOVE this CD. He is 5, and we love discussing the seasons of the year and learning the exciting characteristics of each. I haven't seen any other software that teaches this. See-saw, build a snowman, rake leaves, ice skate, and roller blade thru the year. As you work thru the activities you collect items for your "Nature Book." When you've completed a season you can print the nature book, staple, and color. My son loves Four Seasons, and I reminisce about going through the seasons in my own childhood. Educational, fun, sweet - you can't miss!

weakest of the three Caillou software titles
We own the other two Caillou software titles and have enjoyed them both, but we are disappointed with Four Seasons of Fun, to a great extent because the potential is here for a really fun game; that potential is not realized, however, due to rigid and sometimes confusing navigation, bugs and less interesting activities.

Whereas the two earlier Caillou games involved wandering around Caillou's house, this title starts inside but spends the rest of the game outside moving around the neighborhood. The look of the area and the activities change according to the season initially selected by the player. So far, so good. However, our iMac freezes about 25% of the time during the dressing segment and, like other reviewers, we find this section confusing -- it's not often apparent, for instance, what specific shirt or coat a child should choose.

Unlike the earlier titles, there is less freedom of navigation. Players proceed in a rigid, linear progression between activities, and game play is not always smooth. Some of the activities are: (1) Race-along, an obstacle course that Caillou must navigate on his skateboard. Your child has to decide whether Caillou should jump over, duck under, or go around various objects. This segment is compelling for preschoolers, but Caillou moves VERY slowly, and if the player doesn't press the appropriate key at precisely the right time, Caillou will have risen from his crouch or come down from his jump too early. At the same time, feedback is not really salient; our little one doesn't recognize that Caillou's "spinning" is a bad thing, and since the player must continue until 7 objects are successfully navigated, this can go on and on. (2) Caillou rakes his way through a letter maze. Tedious. (3) Bouncing ball rhyming. Unimaginative. (4) Snowman Builder, in which the player copies another snowman. First of all, why stifle creativity? Also, when we are in the "Fall" and click on the rake, the narrator still says "Snowman Builder" even though that's not the activity that will follow. Was this beta tested?

All-in-all, we were predisposed to enjoy this game but were ultimately disappointed with it. We will certainly not rush to buy another Caillou title. Better bets for your preschooler are Reader Rabbit, Little Bear, Franklin or Winnie the Pooh offerings. Interestingly, we have found the same inconsistent quality with Zoboomafoo software, another PBS franchise. What gives?

Pros: familiar, beloved characters; interesting premise in a promising setting; seamless cutscenes; multiple levels of difficulty; simple navigation

Cons: rigid, sometimes confusing, navigation; no written instructions; no keyboard volume control; fewer, and less interesting, activities; less stability

This game is fun.
I bought this game for my three and five year old, both of whom love Caillou, and they have not let me near the computer since. I have to limit their computer time because they want to play the game constantly.

My three year old had a little trouble with the interface at first, but the five year old was able to walk her through it. And now she's a pro.

The games are easy enough for the 3 year old to play at level 1 and challenging for the five year old at level 3. They really like the Run and Jump game and the Ball Bouncer rhyming game.

Get this game for your preschoolers! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Pack a backpack and grab a flashlight--it's wilderness adventure time with Arthur, as he, his classmates, and Mr. Ratburn take to the trails of Mount Rockslide. In a twist of hiking fate, Mr. Ratburn twists his ankle and it's up to kids to help Arthur lead the class and Mr. Ratburn to safety. Explore forests, climb mountains, and search for 40 nature surprises. Kids ages 3 to 7 enjoy a different learning adventure each time they play. Plus, there are three different rescue devices to explore and a handy nature notebook filled with printable mammals, birds, insects, and wildflowers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

bah, waste of my money
my 3 1/2 year old can play alot of games by himself. with this game he constantly needs my help. its hard to manuver the. and game is very laggy. don't waste your...buy putt putt instead. ... Read more

Features

• Kids must retrieve the stolen Mega-Bolt by completing games and distributing prizes
• 8 interactive activities and puzzles
• Features the popular characters from the award-winning television series
• Teaches planning, spatial reasoning, deductive reasoning, and other problem-solving techniques
• For kids ages 8-11

Reviews (1)

Cyberchase Carnival Chaos
As an avid fan of the show, I HAD to have this game, and now that I have it, I'm not sure what I think of it. It's kind of hard (I can only do two games on it), but, on the other hand, it's a lot of fun to see the charaters from my favorite show on here. (Especially Buzz and Delete- I really like them.) So, I think a die-hard fan should look into it, but be prepared: it's not as easy as it looks. ... Read more