October 2002

Sesame Street Games

Kids are invited to be the "newest monster" at the Monster Clubhouse. This CD-ROM, featuring Sesame Street monsters (not the most popular ones), is designed for preschoolers and features plenty of matching games, rhyming words, musical patterns, and shapes. In this screenshot, kids create monster faces that match the feeling (such as surprised or happy) that they have spun on the Furry Feelings wheel. We have a full review of the game, plus a screenshot gallery.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Monster Clubhouse]

Interactive History Lesson

New from The Learning Company, Liberty's Kids teaches children some American history through an adventure that is set during the American Revolution. The television show, Liberty's Kids, recently premiered on PBS, and this CD-ROM presents a wonderful way for children to not only learn about historical events, but also to develop journalistic skills! They follow the adventures of two young reporters, Sarah Phillips and James Hiller, as they attempt to get the scoop for the daily newspaper.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Liberty's Kids ]

New Reading Adventures

We loved Reader Rabbit Learn to Read with Phonics. In fact, we feel it's one of the best "learn to read" software games available. Now The Learning Company has released an all-new title designed for children to expand upon their phonics skills. Reader Rabbit Learn to Read with Phonics: 1st & 2nd Grade employs an adventure format that puts kids through the paces with phonics games. Children learn and practice letter blends, compound words, new sight words, and more.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Reader Rabbit Learn To Read With... ]

Curious George Reading and Phonics is a multi-level program that stars the curious little monkey who needs to find the scattered pieces of a letter given to him by The Man With the Yellow Hat. Children help George by playing a series of activities that reinforce phonics basics. Pictured at left, for example, is an activity in which children help spell the objects that appear in a fortune teller's crystal ball at the circus. The activities adjust levels according to children's performance. See our Curious George page for more information about George.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Curious George Reading]

Barbie and Kelly Games

Barbie As Rapunzel will please fans of the excellent new CGI-animated movie of the same name. (We have a full review of the VHS/DVD). This software program features creativity activities with a mission to save the Prince! See our screenshot gallery of the game we've rated B+.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Barbie as Rapunzel: A Creative Adventure at Amazon.com]

Barbie Sparkling Ice Show CD-ROM is now available. Children create ice skating presentations--complete with routines, fancy costumes, and music--for each stop on an international tour. Kids will have the option to play the game in free-play mode or take Barbie and friends through the complete international tour. (See our review).

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Barbie Sparkling Ice Show at Amazon.com]

Kelly Club Pet Parade CD-ROM takes kids on an imaginative adventure in which Kelly and club friends imagine their plush pets are real. They help prepare for a pet parade through a series of activities--decorating floats for the parade, teaching the pets neat tricks, dressing up the pets in costumes, and so forth. This is the second software starring Barbie's little sister--the first was simply titled, Kelly Club. We have a full review of Kelly Club Pet Parade, and a screenshot gallery of the game.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Kelly Club Pet Parade at Amazon.com]

For the GameBoy Advance, Barbie Groovy Games is a collection of variations on tried-and-true kids' games--like checkers, hangman, and concentration--that is really quite fun. Kids as young as 5 or 6 can enjoy these games on the go with Barbie's first appearance on the GameBoy Advance. We're testing the game, and we'll have a review soon.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Barbie Groovy Games for GBA at Amazon.com]

Intrepid Explorers

The second Dora software title is due October 8th, entitled Dora the Explorer: Lost City Adventure. This time, children join Dora and Boots on an adventure toward "Lost City", a hidden city where all lost things are found! See our review. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Dora the Explorer: Lost City at Amazon.com]

Barbie Explorer children lead Barbie on an arcade-adventure in a mission to unlock the secret of the Mystic Mirror. Barbie searches through exotic lands, such as Africa and Egypt, solves puzzles, and finds missing pieces of the mystic mirror. This is video game style software--kids help Barbie jump, climb, run, and dive through 4 different levels. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Barbie Explorer at Amazon.com]