Math
Missions Grades 3-5: The Amazing Arcade Adventure
This is an excellent program for
a variety of math exercises within the context of an adventure.
What does it do?
Children attempt to rebuild a city by helping out store clerks who
are not very adept at math. Kids
earn money by playing a variety of activities found in the city.
Kids do real-world math problems in graphing, fractions, rounding
off, percentages, and more--and they work towards owning and
managing an arcade.
Why do we recommend this
title? This CD-ROM strikes an excellent balance between fun
and learning.
Who is it for? Three
difficulty levels are intended to cover third to fifth grade math. The
program is likely to be too challenging for children just entering
third grade, and is therefore best for children working at a
4th-5th grade level.
See our full
review of this excellent software here,
and our screenshot gallery of the
game here.
Math Missions Grades K-2: The Race to Spectacle City Arcade is a
fantastic program from Scholastic that strikes an
extraordinary balance between play and learning. This game
cleverly involves children in practicing real-world math skills at
three difficulty levels appropriate for late Kindergarten, first
grade, and second grade--all in one package.
What does it do?
Children attempt to rebuild a city using their math skills. The
city is fun, but the store clerks are not very good in math. Kids
earn money for the city by playing a variety of fun activities.
Children measure, weigh, count money, explore quantities, work
with place value, and more, in the fun cartoon setting of
Spectacle City.
Why do we recommend this
title? The program provides plenty of practice with math
skills that children need. The program is fun, encouraging, and
creates a wonderfully positive environment for learning.
Who is it for? The range in
difficulty levels makes this game excellent for accommodating the
often large variance in children's skill levels in early
elementary. Late Kindergarteners to second graders.
See our full
review of this excellent software here,
and our screenshot gallery of the
game here.
Deductive
thinking skills and mathematical concepts are exercised as kids
play this CD-ROM based on the award-winning PBS television show.
What does it do?
Kids recover a Mega-bolt from the scoundrel Hacker along with the
Cyber Squad. Kids play logical thinking activities that have them
making estimations, predictions, plans, and
deductions--higher-order skills necessary for success in math.
Why do we recommend this
title? Strong educational content is delivered subtly
through brain-teasing games. Although challenging at times, the
game is manageable and engaging.
Clifford Phonics
(Now Available as Clifford Reading Pack)
This encouraging title advances in challenge slowly, making it
ideal for children just learning to work with small words.
What does it do?
As kids
play the game, they work with basic letter sounds, very simple
sight words, word-object association, basic word families, and
more.
Why do we recommend this
title? This CD-ROM is
uncommonly age-appropriate—just right for emergent readers. It
effectively drills simple phonics a little bit at a time.
Who is it for? It’s ideal
for children just beginning to find meaning in short small words,
and never over-stimulates or frustrates with inappropriate
material for the intended age group.
[For more information, user
reviews, or to buy:Clifford Reading Pack (DVD Box),
which includes Clifford Phonics software as well as 6
Clifford Phonics Scholastic books so that kids can practice new
phonics skills away from the computer as well! Great deal.]
Flash Action: Phonics Made Easy
Ideal for children needing to brush up on
their phonics skills--particularly for kids just graduating from
first grade-- Flash Action: Phonics Made Easy is filled with
exercises that are fun to complete, and excellent for reinforcing
early elementary phonics essentials.
What does it do?
Essentially, the program offers electronic interactive flash
cards, as the name of the series suggests. Kids complete the
exercises and work toward opening up games. The exercises span
such things as consonant sounds, beginning and ending sounds,
blends and digraphs, short and long vowels, and word
families.
Why do we recommend this
title? It's such a fun program that kids actually enjoy
playing and don't easily stop. The graphics are bright and
everything is clear and straightforward. Animations are cheerful,
and the reward games actually have academic value. There's some
solid learning to be found in this little gem, and the price is
right, too.
Who is it for? Best for
children working at a late first-grade and early second-grade
level.
See our screenshot
gallery for pictures from, and notes about, the game here.
This very unique simulation game actively involves children in
learning about the food pyramid, nutritional content of foods, and
more.
What does it do?
Set in the future, this game sends kids on a mission to Mars where
they must gather food to send back to an overpopulated Earth. They
create menus, manage money, and learn nutritional facts, and
consequences, about food items.
Why do we recommend this
title? This is a distinctive and inspired program that makes
nutrition meaningful to kids. It's somewhat challenging but also
very engaging. Kids come away from the program with a stronger
sense of what foods are best for them.
Who is it for? Best for children approximately ages 10-15.
Alice is trapped in a musical clock. Twelve musical activities,
including ingenious musical puzzles, must be played in order to
fix the clock and free Alice.
What does it do?
Children receive a fantastic workout for the brain as they
strengthen listening skills, learn about musical instruments and
their unique sounds, and enjoy--and learn!--songs from Vivaldi.
Very unique!
Why do we recommend this
title?
We are
thrilled with the educational opportunities offered in this
engaging game! Brain-teasing exercises in sound discrimination and
memory are featured.
This engrossing adventure offers foreign language learning in
either Spanish or French (kids choose the second language).
What does it do?
As children solve a mystery in a graphically-rich world of mice
and rats, they take part in activities that explore early
vocabulary in either French or Spanish, including animals,
professions, the alphabet, body parts, numbers, and more. Kids
build sentences in the foreign language and are exposed to simple
dialogues as they play.
Why do we recommend this
title? This title is unique in that foreign language learning
is part of a problem-solving adventure. Children can also play the
multi-level activities independently of the adventure.
Who is it for? Best for
children who prefer adventure games. Children need some patience
to complete the problem-solving mission. Best for ages 7 and up.
This exceptional reference includes the Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe, Homework and Research
Tools, Dictionary and Thesaurus, Encarta World Atlas, Encarta
Africana, translation dictionaries, and more. New to the 2004
edition is video content from the Discovery Channel and a
"Visual Browser" feature. A DVD
edition is also available at the same price.
What does it do?
Children will find the up-to-date information they need for school
reports and projects. Project starters are also included, as well
as games that help hone their trivia and geography skills.
Why do we recommend this
title? This series is vibrant and
alive with up-to-date content and fabulous features that attract
kids and parents and hold their interest. Kids won't only be
turning to this resource for their homework needs -- they'll enjoy
browsing the reference library just for the fun of it!
Who is it for? Best for
children ages 10 and up. For encyclopedia beginners, turn to World
Book (see below).
Best for encyclopedia beginners,
World Book 2004 streamlines information for young researchers,
providing them just the right and the right amount of information
about typical subjects kids need to know about. Although they will
outgrow it, children who are starting out in the world of research
and school projects will find this title invaluable, easy to use,
and inviting to browse. Most importantly, this program is easy to read.
If you're looking for a chess
program that encourages an interest in the revered game of chess,
this software title might just do the trick--and teach children a
few valuable tricks once they've been won over! Learn to Play
Chess with Fritz and Chesster uses animation and a story line
to capture children's interest in the game.
What does it do?
When Fritz's parents go on
vacation, he gets to be "king for a day"--that is until
an evil King challenges Fritz to a duel. Children get to explore
the castle and grounds with Fritz and his cousin Bianca, and take
part in arcade-style games that teach them chess basics and
strategies. There's an "Intelligym", which is a training
ground for children to practice their skills. The goal is to learn
all you can before the big "duel" with King Black.
Why do we recommend this
title? This is a nice,
step-by-step program that features some quite creative games that
help kids build thinking skills. Children's
software really needed a title like this one! Learn to Play Chess
with Fritz and Chesster is a tad slow-moving at times, but its
system is quite effective and the story very charming. Slowly but surely, kids learn the
basics of the game of chess as they follow Fritz and his cousin
Bianca through the castle grounds. What sets this title apart is its story line. Children don't
just jump in and learn chess. Instead, they follow an animated
adventure. Also, the mini-games and lessons are strong and,
oftentimes, quite clever.
Highly recommended!
Who is it for? Best for
children ages 7-11 who want to learn the game of chess.
The I Spy series of CD-ROMs
simply gets better and better. This year's release is
fantastic. The
trademark I Spy riddles and lush images come alive in I Spy
CD-ROMs, and I Spy Fantasy is
jam-packed with things to do and to see. Fortunately, the game is
as rich in educational value as it is rich with visual
stimuli.
Replay value is high because of the fact that there
are three levels to the game. Completing the game the first time
takes many hours for most kids. Most will find the game compelling
enough that it begs to be played on the second and third level.
Gorgeous screens, pleasingly stumping riddles, and rich replayable
content set I Spy Fantasy apart. Highly recommended!
Who is this
game for? The box reads ages 6-10. Many six year olds will find
the game a little too difficult to complete on their own. This
game is best for children ages 8-10, especially those who enjoy
solving riddles and problems.
[For more information, user
reviews, or to buy: I Spy Fantasy
at Amazon.com]
Nancy
Drew The Haunted Carousel
This tenth game in the excellent
role-playing series sticks with the formula that made previous
releases popular, and even improves upon it. Best for kids who are
up to the challenge of a mystery adventure, approximately ages 11
and up, Nancy Drew The Haunted Carousel offers strong content, a
fantastic story line, and educational value to boot (the latter
offered in the series' trademark subtle manner). Children get the
opportunity to step into teen sleuth Nancy Drew's shoes as she
interviews mysterious characters, solves plenty of logic puzzles,
and more. Kids will relish the chance to play detective. Fun,
exciting, and challenging!
Microsoft Zoo Tycoon is an outstanding simulation
software for kids. Children can build their very own zoo, but they
use their brains as they do. They are managers as well, and they
learn quite a bit about animals as they play.
Why do we recommend this
title? This CD-ROM strikes an excellent balance between fun
and learning. Although not explicitly educational, this
program is excellent for developing thinking skills. Expansion
packs for the game have been released since Zoo Tycoon was
first on the market. Now all of these are included in the
recently-released Microsoft Zoo Tycoon Complete. This new
title contains the original Zoo Tycoon, Dinosaur Digs
Expansion Pack, and Marine Mania Expansion Pack, as
well as some all-new content, including the new Endangered
Species Theme Pack. This is a fabulous game that kids love!
Who is it for? Best for children who enjoy simulation
software games, ages 8-12.
A fun story line and educational activities
featuring Spanish vocabulary, language arts, music, and
math make this title an exciting "learning
challenge".
Why do we recommend this
title?
Although the educational focus is broad and not particularly
deep, this program offers an appealing story line,
age-appropriate content, and a general good time.
This updated classic
simulation game includes the Rush
Hour expansion pack in the package. It offers
involving, addictive gameplay.
Why do we recommend this
title?
The game demands that kids use plenty of strategy, planning,
and analysis as they take on the role of mayor of a city
kids create from the ground up. Players need to be creative
in their thinking.
Who is it for? Children who enjoy simulation software,
ages 10 and up.
Hungry Red Planet
Mia Language Adventure: The
Kidnap Caper
