Amazon.com Review

The 26 letters of the alphabet equal 26 opportunities to explore,listen, and learn in Alphabet Express Preschool. Add to this a handful ofadded-on games, imaginative short films, and freeform activities, and thisCD-ROM has both appeal and staying power.

As a trainload of critters chugs around the onscreen alphabet, kids click on aletter, and uppercase and lowercase versions fly, bounce, or pour onto the scenein a Sesame Street moment. The letters dissolve to a garden scene forG, an orchestra for O, and so forth. Click on the onion in theorchestra pit, and a kid's voice intones "Onion!" while the squirrel holding thething begins to cry piteously. There are similar scenes for every letter of thealphabet--though designers cheated a bit and combined X, Y, andZ. Kids can also paint different alphabet-emphasizing pictures, play asounding-out/letter-matching game, and look at instructions on how to write eachletter. A separate section of activities includes find-the-hidden-letter games,dot-to-dots that teach alphabetizing, and mazes that must be conquered bymatching objects to their beginning letter. Finally, and most delightfully,there's a movie theater where kids can watch a couple of priceless animatedshorts: one is a James Brown-esque ditty belted out by a chicken, listing the(alphabetized) items that make Hearty Chicken Alphabet Soup so special. Anchors,basketballs, and carburetors are a few of the secret ingredients.

The animation in Alphabet Express isn't smooth, but the audio is lush:O's orchestra section is replete with the dissonant sound of stringstuning up before the symphony; the tired old ABC song gets a hip-hop makeover; ahost of different (and non-annoying) kid and adult voices pronounce letters andguide visitors. Even if this weren't a strong CD-ROM, it'd be worth checkingout, just to learn the remaining ingredients in Hearty Chicken Alphabet Soup.(Ages 3 to 6) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent software for children learning the alphabet
This software is excellent. My four year old would spend hours working with it if I let her. It is most imaginative and clever.

Alphabet Express is fun!
My son who is just over two got this for Christmas and he loves it. There are so many different activities in it that he can be occupied for 20-30 minutes - amazing for a 2-year-old boy. His favorite thing is to "paint" the different pictures. They are so detailed and well animated and there are lots of colors - not just the typical 4 or 5 in some programs. He's not quite ready for some of the more advanced activities that ask you to match letters with pictures of objects that start with that letter. But this just means he'll have plenty to grow into. It's a really good choice. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Jumpstart Advanced toddler
We bought this as a Christmas present for our son that just turned 2. We were looking for an educational computer game for him and we already had Reader Rabbit Toddler (which he loves). When I first started Jumpstart Adv. Toddler I thought it was way too simple, then I discovered that most activities have 2 levels. Level 1 is pretty basic and doesn't require the kids to do a whole lot...my son was very bored with this. Level 2 is much better...in fact it is more advanced than Reader Rabbit. Most of the activities do not require toddlers to click on the mouse, but if you can click it goes faster. I was surprised by how fast my son figured out the activities. He can do most everything by himself, but he still needs me to help him navigate some. This package comes with 3 cd's - school time, song time and art time. THe song time cd has several fun songs that he just loves. Overall I really like this game and have found it to be very educational. As soon as my son has mastered clicking the mouse we will be getting the preschool version.

JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster
Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster... is another real winner for all children in grades 1st-5th - like is partner - Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - this program has cute, fast paced, great music and sound three styles of arcade-like games to teach your children their math facts - no more boring math flash cards - learn math on a fast paced pinball machine, or arrange math facts for the the "burpers" or "smack" space ships and and space rocks to get correct answers to math problems - fast and fun - even for an old Grandma, me - all games are controled using the arrow keys and space bar excep to the outer space game where you shoot with a mouse - like the Spelling Bee it has over 800 pre-programmed math problems - all basic subjects are covered - addition, subtraction, muliplication, division, decimals and percentages in SIX different leveals - will auto advance at your child's own speed - on screen instructions for everything - also, like its partner, Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - you can program your child's "real" weekly math problems in to this program so they can learn their "real" weekly school math lessons in a fun arcade style of learning - you will love it for the small price tag - your children will love it for all of the fun they will have - and you will love it even more when your child brings home a A+ grade on their report card in Math. The [low price] is "right" - please buy it - once again this old Grandma is happy to be able to send my first grader, and my second grader back to school this year with this GREAT study tool. Knowledge Adventure can be very proud of these two programs ther Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster and their Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - buy them both and enjoy!
A very pleased Grandmother,
Jacqueline Lee Wilson

JumpStart Spanish a winner
My 5 year old loves her new JumpStart Spanish program. She has learned to count in spanish and her colors so far. Very fun games and rewards. She is really picking things up fast. We have not had any real computer problems, it has locked up once, but that has happened on other software as well. The sound works well. For the price I would recommend this as a beginning spanish program.

My daughter simply loves it!!!!
My 2 year old loves this set of CDs. I found that it reinforces all the things we are teaching her.... shapes, colors, numbers the ABC. The duck that sings is very sweet to their ear. I found it sooo great I am buying it for my daughter's school so the other kids can benefit as well.

Jump Start 4TH GRADE ADVANCED
I rented this software from the Library. It is a 3 disc program. My 3rd grader (almost 4th grader) loves the Ultimate Field Trips and Mystery Club volume 3. The fundamentals disc is a little too hard for her right now, so it is challenging. I played it because it looked fun and it was fun for me to play. I love the "mystery" tone of the software. I like these programs because there are fun games that do not get boring, and while your kids are playing the games, they are also learning a lot. I am going to purchase this software and the 3rd grade ADVANCED program so my child can review through the summer. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Jumpstart Advanced toddler
We bought this as a Christmas present for our son that just turned 2. We were looking for an educational computer game for him and we already had Reader Rabbit Toddler (which he loves). When I first started Jumpstart Adv. Toddler I thought it was way too simple, then I discovered that most activities have 2 levels. Level 1 is pretty basic and doesn't require the kids to do a whole lot...my son was very bored with this. Level 2 is much better...in fact it is more advanced than Reader Rabbit. Most of the activities do not require toddlers to click on the mouse, but if you can click it goes faster. I was surprised by how fast my son figured out the activities. He can do most everything by himself, but he still needs me to help him navigate some. This package comes with 3 cd's - school time, song time and art time. THe song time cd has several fun songs that he just loves. Overall I really like this game and have found it to be very educational. As soon as my son has mastered clicking the mouse we will be getting the preschool version.

JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster
Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster... is another real winner for all children in grades 1st-5th - like is partner - Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - this program has cute, fast paced, great music and sound three styles of arcade-like games to teach your children their math facts - no more boring math flash cards - learn math on a fast paced pinball machine, or arrange math facts for the the "burpers" or "smack" space ships and and space rocks to get correct answers to math problems - fast and fun - even for an old Grandma, me - all games are controled using the arrow keys and space bar excep to the outer space game where you shoot with a mouse - like the Spelling Bee it has over 800 pre-programmed math problems - all basic subjects are covered - addition, subtraction, muliplication, division, decimals and percentages in SIX different leveals - will auto advance at your child's own speed - on screen instructions for everything - also, like its partner, Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - you can program your child's "real" weekly math problems in to this program so they can learn their "real" weekly school math lessons in a fun arcade style of learning - you will love it for the small price tag - your children will love it for all of the fun they will have - and you will love it even more when your child brings home a A+ grade on their report card in Math. The [low price] is "right" - please buy it - once again this old Grandma is happy to be able to send my first grader, and my second grader back to school this year with this GREAT study tool. Knowledge Adventure can be very proud of these two programs ther Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster and their Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - buy them both and enjoy!
A very pleased Grandmother,
Jacqueline Lee Wilson

JumpStart Spanish a winner
My 5 year old loves her new JumpStart Spanish program. She has learned to count in spanish and her colors so far. Very fun games and rewards. She is really picking things up fast. We have not had any real computer problems, it has locked up once, but that has happened on other software as well. The sound works well. For the price I would recommend this as a beginning spanish program.

My daughter simply loves it!!!!
My 2 year old loves this set of CDs. I found that it reinforces all the things we are teaching her.... shapes, colors, numbers the ABC. The duck that sings is very sweet to their ear. I found it sooo great I am buying it for my daughter's school so the other kids can benefit as well.

Jump Start 4TH GRADE ADVANCED
I rented this software from the Library. It is a 3 disc program. My 3rd grader (almost 4th grader) loves the Ultimate Field Trips and Mystery Club volume 3. The fundamentals disc is a little too hard for her right now, so it is challenging. I played it because it looked fun and it was fun for me to play. I love the "mystery" tone of the software. I like these programs because there are fun games that do not get boring, and while your kids are playing the games, they are also learning a lot. I am going to purchase this software and the 3rd grade ADVANCED program so my child can review through the summer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kids learn about vowels and consonants with Phonics Excelerator's two active learning titles: Vowel Games and Consonant Games. With eye-catching graphics, lively music, and captivating animation, these titles transform learning about short and long vowels, consonant phonic skills, and reading into an adventure. Kids join Lily, Buddy, and the rest of the Super Star Gang for 30 interactive learning games, while the Super Star Reward system helps parents celebrate their child's achievements. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very nice software, my son loves it
For money, this 2 cds set software is really a nice deal. I had
hard time to talk about phonics with my son who is 5 years old. He
won't pay attention to learn the sound of letters. This software really caught his attention, he sits there for hours and practice. Those games are very cute and helpful. After two days play, he already made a lot of progress. It takes off some pressures from me.
We love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Introduce youngsters to the PC in a fun and entertaining way with Jay Jay the Jet Plane and his fleet of flying friends, the popular and familiar TV characters.

Your child can take part in exciting, interactive adventures, enter the land of make-believe, and embark on an exciting rescue mission to enable the Sparkleberry Tree on Pangabula Island (which has lost its shimmer) to survive, by discovering the magic ingredients to nurse it back to health.

All activities encourage children to have fun, to use their imaginations, to discover and learn about nature and ecosystems, and to sing songs. (Some of the activities also include printable sections.)

The package teaches youngsters to acquire knowledge of nature and science, learn about spelling and phonics, recognize letters and build words, practice patterns and sequencing, grasp logical reasoning and the art of following instructions, develop critical thinking and musical creativity, and practice early PC and mouse skills.

The manufacturers recommend the CD-ROM for children ages 3 to 7 years, but obviously adult help will be needed at the lower age level. The program is bright and bold, and will introduce preschoolers to the PC in a nonthreatening way. The accompanying documentation is comprehensive and simple to follow, and clear installation instructions are included. --Susan Naylor, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Typical cookie-cutter children's game
Like just about every other children's game (think JumpStart) this game is made in Macromedia's Director. And also, like just about every other children's game, it is low-budget, low-talent and low-resolution. The game forces itself into 800x600x16-bit @ 60Hz and after you exit the game, guess what? You're still in 800x600x16-bit @ 60Hz. Because the programming talent is nonexistent the game is rigidly linear, forcing you to watch the mind-numbing instructions before EVERY game no matter how many times you've played it previously. And, in what seems to be a trend among children's games, it requires Administrator privileges to not only install, but also RUN the game! I am not about to give my 28-month-old son those elevated permissions on the family computer. Not because I'm afraid of intentional mischief but because I'm afraid of the accidental damage he could do. The only things that save this title are the videos and cutscenes which feature plenty of time with the main characters and keep my son interested.

Just like the TV show, Jay Jay is still a hero!
A fun program that my nephew has enjoyed for weeks. The activities keep him coming back over and over and the theme of helping each other and conservation are messages that it is never too early to expose children to. Like the Jay Jay Earns his Wings program, this one is a winner. Where can you get the Sky Circus program I see listed as discontinued?

My little ones love cd-rom!
Great activities for pre school kids. Highly recommend this cd-rom.

Jay Jay is SuperSonic
My son loves Jay Jay and absolutely loves this game. He has played it already 3 times.

Don't waste your money
My son absolutely LOVES Jay Jay the Jet Plane, but didn't get into this software at all. The games are boring and I could just see the disappointment in his face. I'm glad I didn't pay full price, and instead bought it on clearance at a local retailer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Reader Rabbit Toddler is part of a curriculum-based system that is designed to keep children learning all through their elementary school years. Simple, brightly colored graphics and classic sing-along songs make all these activities a sure hit with toddlers.

This pack gets kids off to a great start with an introduction to letters and numbers, matching and patterns, music, and mouse skills. In "Follow-Me Theater," children take a physically active role with finger plays and singing along, while in "Baby Animal Bingo," sounds are matched to help parent animals find their babies. The characters of Reader Rabbit and his sidekick, Matt the Mouse, are funny and friendly--and always ready to help if your child needs a hint.

Because these characters are in every unit--all the way to sixth grade--and the basic format for each level is similar, children can dive right in to the new curriculum skills without the distraction of different graphic styles or character guides. This pack includes the next step--Reader Rabbit Preschool--as a free bonus. You'll see quickly why this series is so often used in schools, and we're sure your toddler will love it as much as her future teachers already do. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Absolutely Wonderful
My grandson just turned 3. He loves this CD. It is easy for him to use because he doesn't need to click the mouse. It is still difficult for him to hold the mouse steady when he clicks. If the mouse moves, he doesn't get a response and then gets very frustrated. This CD eliminates that problem. The activities are great fun for him. He likes the coloring and the "bubble castle" best. I highly recommend this CD.

Toddler is Great - PreSchool sucks
Imagine my surprise when I realized my 20-month old had suddenly developed pointing and clicking skills! We started him early with Reader Rabbit's Toddler (he was simply TOO interested in helping mommy "work"), and he was so delighted to be able to bang on the keys and watch stuff happen. By now (2 1/2) he can navigate through the entire program, and now amuses himself by interacting with the characters in ways the creators never imagined (he waits and waits until the mouse appears to tell him what to do, then scares her away with the pointer). Moving on, however, is a challenge - nothing quite lives up to this. We prefer Geoffrey Goes to the Fair and even JumpStart Preschool to RR Preschool, which requires endless busywork before getting rewards - even I don't have the patience!

The BUNNY GAAAAAME!
What would you like to do right now?

The Bunny Game.

It's a nice day out, wouldn't you rather come outside with me and play

The Bunny Game!

Let's go to the park instead, sweety.

The BUNNY GAAAAAME!

This is my major complaint of the game. The scene above is not an every day battle or anything, and my be a result of my daughter's personality rather than any addictive qualitys of the game. However, when she has decided to play it, well, I had better sit down with her to play.

My daughter, who just turned 2, sees Mommy and Daddy cook, so she likes to cook. She sees Mommy and Daddy clean up the kitchen, so she likes to clean up the kitchen. She sees Mommy and Daddy use the computer.... so, having a game that lets her use the computer, I think, is mostly a good thing.

I think we got the game for her right around when she was the recommended 18 months old or so, and when we first started to play it with her we had to help her with most of the activities. I am not sure that she even really understood that she was controling the action. It was, I think, lots of pretty pictures and songs. The game is set up so that your budding computer expert doesn't have to click the mouse to make things happen; a child only has to move the mouse to play any of the games. Still, some of the games are harder than others. Some of the games will reward your toddler with a song for just ramdomly moving the mouse, while others will require a good deal of concentration, which is an asset of the game. Your 18m-3year old will be able to play the games. The hardest skill to master, and what casues the most frustration (for the toddler) is the screen where they choose which game to play.

Notice that I said that When we sit down to play the game. As I already said, your 18Month old will require help, and as you continue to help your child, they may come to expect it, and suddenly playing this game will become a bonding experience if you are that kind of parent, or a chore, if you are another kind of parent, or both if you are somewhere in between. I don't know if I want to leave a 2 year old incharge of $2000 worth of hardware, and what ever else I forgot to back up on the hard drive anyhow. 2 might be a better age to start them on this game, however, from both a cognative and a motor skills perspective. I am not sure that an 18 month understands what is expected of them by the game. You might be better off to surf Tele-Tubbie Websites with them if they want to use the computer with Daddy.

Excellent learning package for up to age 3.
My son received Reader Rabbit Toddler as a gift and we are sold on it's ability to help him learn while having fun. He loves to do all of the tasks and is learning colors, shapes and a host of other skills. The true test of a software program is the willingness to buy the next level - we are doing just that by upgrading to the Preschool program.

My Preschoolers Loved It
With its easy point and click at the pictures approach, even very young preschoolers in my day care could navigate this program. They loved the variety of activities - coloring, nursery rhyme theater, matching animals to their mother, counting and more. I loved it too - it was a great educational tool that was fun for them to explore. ... Read more

Features

• In Ready To Read, kids will enjoy great word activities while exploring the Hundred Acre Wood
• As they visit with Piglet, Tigger & the rest, they'll learn about rhyming, sentence construction, word recognition, problem solving, and deductive reasoning
• In Ready for Math, kids will enjoy seven activities that test their numerical skills
• They'll develop important skills like counting, number tracing, arrange sequences and more
• Kids will be rewarded by getting seeds and watching them grow -- they'll love it!

Reviews (1)

The 3 kids love it!
We have three children ages 3, 3, and 5. All of them love it and I even enjoy taking a turn or two :). The games teach excellent skills for school and stress math and reading in a fun and interesting way. The kids love earning items to be put in their garden and contraptions to be added to their treehouse. We have to set the timer so everyone gets a turn.
I highly recommend Disney's Ready for Reading and Math with Pooh. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Engaging and useful software game
This program is cheerful and fun. My kids love it. The educational content is strong yet it still manages to hold children's interest. Good for children who need to reinforce simple phonics, like beginning sounds, ending sounds, long and short vowel sounds, etc. Inexpensive and very recommended!

poor excuse for a phonics program
This program has nothing that could assist any child learn or review phonics. The so-called game reward is merely more work, and the work has no value ! If you are looking for a program that provides a learning experience, look elsewhere. If you think this will provide some sort of meaningful review of phonics, you will be quite disappointed.
The producers of this program should hang their heads in shame! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Storybook Weaver DELUXE is packed with thousands of story-starting images to stimulate your creativity. Write English or Spanish for hours of creative possibilities. And the text-to-speech feature lets you hear your story read aloud. (Ages 6-12) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great for your imagination!!
In this game, you get to make your own story. You can add music to it, put pictures in it, borders and soo much more!! I think it's also great if you need to write a story for your report in school too. You'll have hours of fun making up your own stories. I found out about this software at my school for computer class, I didn't get to finish my second story. But I know you'll have a great time with yours. I recommend this for ages 7-12. Or when your child starts to know how to type and read. A great and imaginitive mind for a great and better story. When you're done with your story, the great thing is that you get to print it out.

Quality time together!
My 13 year old neice and I have spent countless hours laughing until we cried making silly stories with this program. Now that she is getting into her teen years, it takes longer for her to open up and be herself. But whenever we start talking about our past stories or start making new ones, she instantly relaxes and she is my easy-going neice again who isn't worried about cheerleading practice and fitting in. There is also so much pride involved when completing a story. Age is not an issue with Storybook Weaver. It is as much fun for me as it is for her!

Great counseling and therapy tool
As a school counselor, a student introduced me to this program. If you work with children who don't trust, you know that they do not like traditional talk therapies. I have found Storybook Weaver to be helpful both in assessing students and as a way to introduce alternative ways to cope and see the world. It is great corrective play therapy. Most students enjoy the process and usually finish their pictures with a satisfied "There! I'm done!"

A Really Great Game
I went over to my friends house one day and decided to play this game. We added sound, pictures, and wrote a great story. We had such a fun time on her computer. I wanted to buy this game for myself but it was out of stock. I'm so upset because I wanted to record my voice on it to read the story. It's a really great game and lot's of kids would love to play it.

Teacher Endorsement
I have used Storybook Weaver with first, third, and fourth graders and have found it flexible, interesting and inspiring. The ease of creating pictures makes it ideal for beginning writers, and the format options allows advanced writers to produce more detailed and complex compositions. It's an effective way to both finish a final draft, as well as begin a story with a picture based prewriting exercise. Kids of all ages will find the varied and imaginative picture possibilites fun. Highly recommended for children reluctant to write and for those who can't seem to write enough. ... 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

Amazon.com Product Description

Dive into the deep sea with Blaster and G.C. in search of sunken treasure. Wind your way through crazy coral reef mazes and race sea horses straight to the finish line. Uncover the pirate's treasure and rule the seven seas. Get ready, set, and start clicking. Along the way, kids can learn valuable language arts skills like phonics, spelling, capital and lowercase letters, sentences, and more. ... 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

Reviews (1)

A must have
The games are so much fun.I am making better grades at school on my spelling test.The arcade games are my favorite.I enjoy reading the fun stories.I hope you have your parents go buy it for you. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

As Alistair Cookie (Cookie Monster wearing a robe and cravat) welcomesguests to Monsterpiece Theater, he launches a reading adventure thatcontains the warmth and wit we've come to expect from anything bearing the name Sesame Street.

Cookie directs kids to choose one of two stories to read: "Grover's Travels" or "The Three Grouchketeers." Grover's story is a wide-eyed adventureduring which our hero learns about his feelings. "The Three Grouchketeers" isabout cooperation, and has a tad more attitude, since it involves Oscar theGrouch. After deciding on a story (younger kids will lean towards "Grover'sTravels," while the top of the age range will probably like "The ThreeGrouchketeers"), kids can either read it straight through, or read a versionwhere activities must be completed to progress. Both stories contain sixactivities based on early learning fundamentals, and a choice of two levels ofplay. The tasks are simple and educational: counting in sequence will untieGrover, following Oscar the Grouch's directions arms the Grouchketeers withenough "royal junk" for their mission, and helping Big Bird complete a rhymemakes Grover's getaway balloon inflate.

Text appears above each page, and words light up as a clear-voiced narratorreads the story. Once kids have read through the story, they can use an indexfunction to go directly back to their favorite page or activity without havingto sit through the whole "book" again. There are some musical interludes thatrange from awful (Grover is no Pavarotti) to cute ("Oh I love triangles! They'repointy and pokey and stable!"), and the animation is bright and busy. Our onlygripe is that the producers didn't follow the rule of threes--one more storywould have given this CD-ROM real staying power.

One of this program's great strengths is its capacity to surprise. "I've got tarin a jar, an iron bar, a fast car, and a Mylar sitar!" intones Big Bird duringthe rhyming game. On another page, the word "minuscule" crops up, alongside aclickable thesaurus that recites every other word for "small" imaginable. Dozensof cleverly animated hotspots adorn both stories. In true Sesame Streetstyle, Reading Games teaches kids, yet never talks down to them. (Ages 3to 5) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun Game for Kids
My Kindergartener really enjoyed this game. He was having problems with rhyming and this really helped him. I would recommend this game to everyone with kids between 3 and 7. ... Read more

Features

• Kid Pix Deluxe lets your child exercise creativity while building color, shape and pattern recognition skills
• Reader Rabbit Math Ages 6-9 takes children on a hike through the Word of numbers with Reader Rabbit -- they'll learn basic math while playing great games
• Storybook Weaver Deluxe lets children enjoy interactive storytelling, as they create their own little worlds and see them come alive
• Ages 6-9

Amazon.com Review

Based on the popular PBS television show, Zoboomafoo Animal Alphabet takes kids on a guided tour of their ABCs, allowing them to brush up early reading and spelling skills while learning about animals from the Kratt brothers and their leaping lemur friend.

An educational activity center for children in the 3 to 6 years age range, this game offers a variety of simple minigames designed to build alphabet knowledge by capitalizing on a young player's curiosity about the animal kingdom. Users can color animal flash cards or play an arcade-style round of Penguin Pong, bouncing ice floes off each other to reveal the answer to a quiz question. Alternately, they can go to Animal Mixups, a top-notch activity where kids mix and match animals, grafting a zebra head, to take one possibility, onto a tiger torso, perhaps with a cow or reindeer tail to finish.

As an extra bonus, play is interspersed with lengthy live-action sequences from the television program. A win in one of the spelling games triggers a shot of the Kratt brothers going face-first into a mud pit. The Kratts and Zoboomafoo the leaping lemur also host a collection game, where players seek out animals whose names start with the different letters of the alphabet, and then get to see video footage of the creature itself.

Animal lovers and fans of the show should enjoy Zoboomafoo Animal Alphabet thoroughly, especially if they have never seen a game of this type before. More experienced players may recognize that about half of its activities are standard fare, reworked versions of games that appear repeatedly in educational software. This is the only complaint to be made, though, with what is otherwise a completely engaging game with lots of fascinating animal facts and great potential for teaching young learners some basic reading skills. (Ages 3 to 6) --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Nice mix of learning and fun
My 3 year-old really enjoys this game. It is perfect for a child who is learning her capital letters, but who is not quite ready for phonics yet. Also, while the graphics aren't superb, they are good enough for a pre-schooler and make her feel like she is interacting with the show. The CD-ROM also has a nice variety of games where different skill sets are tested. My only reservation is that that the software seems to have a few glitches on my Windows XP.

a good collection...
of games that teach spelling, reading and letter recognition. In addition to this, are the usual colouring and puzzle games. The positives: my 3 year old is quickly learning how to spell simple words and seems to enjoy the animal movies and graphics. The negatives: the font they've used for the games utilizing the alphabet is quite difficult to read (the k could be an x, etc.) Easy readability is crucial to a teaching program such as this, when will they learn? Also, the "Penguin Pong" program needs a patch but it is easily retrieved if you go to the Learning Company's website.

Pass On This One
With all the software titles available now days, I would suggest passing on this one. My child loves animals and learning, however, this is one of our least favorites. Maybe this is because we have access to more software (family "hand-me-downs") so this one just sits. After using this a few times I kept thinking there would be more substance, there isn't. I would suggest one of the JumpStart learning series (jumpstart advanced preschool etc.).

kids and parents deserve better than this lame software
I am really startled at the praise this software is getting. We own approximately twenty software titles for children and I would rank this as one of the three worst. In its favor it does not crash, but the quality of both format and content is poor.

First off, the resolution is bad. We've run this game on a Macintosh laptop and desktop computer, and the introductory footage looks fuzzy on both.

The live-action introduction is fun for fans of the show, but the few live-action sequences in the game's interior are not enough to keep little ones happy. The Kratt brothers are charming hosts of the television show but we don't see enough of them in this game. After the introduction children see a pan-and-scan version of Animal Junction populated with twenty-six clickable animals, each representing a different letter of the alphabet. When kids click on one of the animals, they receive a "page" with a picture and an assortment of facts about that creature, though in eight instances a child is presented instead with a game (more about these later). Confusingly, when a game is finished we hear Zoboo say, "That was great! Here's your animal page. Do you want to play again?" Instead of seeing an animal page, kids get a Yes-No choice. If they choose Yes they go to a game repeat. If they choose No they then go to the appropriate animal page. Did they beta test this at all?

Finally, the games are neither well-explained nor are they well-designed for children. Penguin Pong, even at the lowest of three difficulty levels, moves slowly and, in the vein of the classic game Pong, you have to knock out 49 blocks. It takes forever and kids get bored. Similarly interminable, the letter scramble is also a mess. A child must rearrange letters to form the name of a pictured animal, then click on a virtual spinner to advance Zoboo 1, 2, 3 or 4 spaces on a "game board". First complaint: when a child uses a letter from the scramble list it remains active, which is confusing for little ones. Second complaint: the game board is 35 spaces long -- it takes at least nine scrambles, and usually many more, for Zoboo to get to the end. Third complaint: when Zoboo does finally reach the 35th square, nothing interesting happens, unless you count that now-familiar non sequitur, "That was great! Here's your animal page. Do you want to play again?" What's the lesson here -- lowered expectations? In the Noodle Hut game, Zoboo asks for a letter and your child is supposed to click on it amid a field of noodles, each with a letter on it. But even at the lowest difficulty level, there are multiple examples of letters, again confusing to little ones. If there are three "R"s, which one should they click on? Also, some of the letters are presented at a three-quarter view which makes them less recognizable. Why would you do that to young children just learning their letters? My final complaint, and an important one, is that the games are not presented within any story or context to make them either interesting or meaningful.

I could continue to find fault with each of the other games, but why bother? This is lazy, sloppy software that is not good enough for your child. Instead, buy Blue's Clues or Franklin or Reader Rabbit software -- consistently well-designed and well-written. It is strange and disappointing that PBS, long considered THE leader in creative educational children's programming and products, seems to be faltering in the wake of recent competition.

Our family will continue to watch and enjoy the Zoboomafoo television show, but this software is a loser.

Your Favorite Lemur Is Back
Animal kids is here now on CD.
On this game you must collect 26 pages for your animal book.
There are also 8 great games.
They include penguin pong,the mud pit,and Wiggys noodles.
There are many other games too. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Lost your marbles? You're not alone. The intergalactic lost and found is full of missing things that need to be returned to their rightful owners. Jump into action and help chase down lost socks, go after flyaway balloons, and corral the caboose that got loose. There are lots of lost toys and so little time. Get ready, get set, and start clicking.

Reading Blaster is part of the Blaster Learning System, an integrated line of game-based learning software. Blaster Learning System missions use gameplay to teach fundamental math and reading skills to kids ages 5 to 9. After mastering the essentials, kids can move on to Cross Terrain Challenge, created to sharpen critical-thinking skills through extreme game adventures.

Reading Blaster's unique motivational learning system recognizes each child's achievement with points that can be redeemed for rewards. The Blaster Learning System goes the extra step with SmartPoints to provide an incentive to play, practice, and learn. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must for your kids
My kids love this game and fight over the computer to play it.Nor do they know how much they are geting from the game. ... Read more