Searching for quality software for children can be tedious. There are many programs claiming many developmental benefits, but few real gems on the market. As a teacher, I am fortunate to have a built-in research lab: my classroom.
Whenever I watch my students use a good piece of software I am reminded just how immersing the experience can be. Primary grade students can become so absorbed that they often call out the answers to the computer characters or jump out of their seats when they finish a level.
For students of any age, it is essential that the software be easy to learn and control. Students should not have to read a manual; they should be able to jump right in and start learning. Help sections, when necessary, should be designed with the target age group in mind, and students should be able to pause or exit when they wish because they can quickly tire of a program if they aren't able to skip over repetitive information or opening sequences.
PHOTO: NY TIMES
It is very important that a program automatically save a student's progress from session to session. No one likes having to start from square one each time.
Following are 10 recent programs that reach a balance between education and entertainment. Along with some new arrivals, there are updated versions of old favorites.
STUART LITTLE
"Stuart Little: His adventures in Numberland" -- SuperMentor.com; US$29.99; Windows 95 and higher; for ages 3 to 7 -- has the comfort and appeal of a well-designed kindergarten classroom. There are nine activities to explore, each presenting an opportunity to practice early math skills. The toy store, for example, enlists the children to help customers count their purchases. Stuart is encouraged to gain "brain power" by going back to complete more of the program's sections. This is a unique and magical game for preschool and kindergarten aged children.
RESCUE HEROES
Although somewhat low in pure educational value, "Rescue Heroes: Meteor Madness" -- Fisher Price/ Knowledge Adventure; US$19.99; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for ages 4 to 7 -- is certainly appropriate for the times. This upbeat and empowered game recruits young players to enlist in a variety of rescue missions -- saving people from a storm of falling meteors, for example -- alongside the Rescue Heroes. The missions have three levels of difficulty and the games require some hand-eye coordination. The characters fall, but they get up again unharmed. While there is no real educational curriculum here, the game helps build confidence and puts a value on the kind of heroism not often found in computer games.
KID PIX DELUXE 3
There are other art programs on the shelves, including Jump Start Artist and Disney's Magic Artist, but Kid Pix remains the quintessential children's art software. The latest version, "Kid Pix Deluxe 3" -- Broderbund; US$29.99; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for ages 4 and older -- is perhaps too gimmicky, with flashy icons and excessive special effects, but the heart of a wonderful program remains. Children can choose from tools that include pencils, paintbrushes, chalk or stamps, and colors and patterns to design their own artwork. The improved graphics, and the selection of paper types, evoke a good sense of the different tools and media behavior such as depth and texture. The program still has an easy slide show section to help create a virtual show of their work.
Freddi Fish 5
"Freddi Fish 5: The Case of the Creature of Coral Cove" -- Humongous Entertainment/Infogrames; US$19.99; Windows 95 and higher; for ages 4 to 7 -- is the fifth title from the Freddi Fish series, and in this adventure Freddi and her pal Luther are kept out of the Coral Cove theme park because of reported sea monster sightings. Freddi decides to do some detective work to discover the true identity of this supposed monster and gain entry to the park. Freddi and Luther collect clues and information to help solve the mystery. The characters are smart and funny and the children will have to do some pretty tough deductive reasoning and problem solving. This is an excellent game from children to play together or with adult helpers, who themselves will enjoy the benefits of some more sophisticated puns and jokes.
PAJAMA SAM 3
"Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat From Your Head to Your Feet" -- Humongous Entertainment/Infogrames; US$19.99; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for ages 3 to 8 -- is the latest adventure of the most lovable character in children's software, takes him on a mission to help solve the problems of an animated nutritional world. It starts with Pajama Sam trying to eat 20 boxes of cookies to collect the box tops for a prize. A few renegade cookies escape and Sam chases them into the pantry where there is a Sweets party going on. When Sam tries to go home to eat his mother's broccoli, the Sweets throw him into a candy cane jail. His cellmate, Florette the Broccoli, tells Sam about a peace conference at the local food pyramid. All the food groups need to meet to prevent the Sweets and Fats from taking over and Sam volunteers to help locate the missing conference delegates. Children must pay close attention to clues as they search for the delegates. Strong memory skills, advanced spatial cognition and excellent problem solving skills are required. While the game can be challenging, it is a must-have for children from kindergarten through the third grade.
BACKYARD FOOTBALL 2002
"Backyard Football 2002" -- Humongous Entertainment/InfoGrames; US$19.99; Windows/Macintosh; ages 5 to 10 -- is part of a series that also includes Backyard Soccer and Backyard Baseball and is a great way for your kids to practice their gridiron strategy between Sundays. Children pick teams from a list of superstars. They can then choose from a huge collection of preset plays or design their own. The game requires the child to understand the basics of football and demands strategic thinking as the most successful players must build a well-balanced team and select the best combination of plays. This is the secret charm of the program -- it necessitates constant thinking, planning and decision making, in a way that makes just watching football on television seem boring by comparison.
READING BLASTER MISSION 3
Don't be deterred by the TV-style narration and jingle that introduce "Reading Blaster Mission 3: The Secret of Islandia" -- Knowledge Adventure; US$20; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for ages 7 and 8 -- is full of engaging activities that cleverly incorporate reading and spelling skills using solid graphics and easy-to-understand instructions. The child must help the Blaster gang save the planet from Mumblers, hilariously bothersome visitors from the planet Nonsense who are disguised as tourists with Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts. The Mumblers are attempting to jumble the words in all the planet's books. As players progress from one island to the next playing different skill-based games, they earn clues about the Mumblers. The game provides an excellent opportunity for young readers to practice their language skills.
CLUEFINDERS
A fabulous and challenging game, "Cluefinders: The Incredible Toy Store Adventure" -- The Learning Company; US$24.95; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for ages 7 to 10 -- covers a range of subjects that includes math and problem solving, geography and directions, reading and spelling. At the beginning of the adventure, two ClueFinders (a group of young detectives) mysteriously shrink. With the help of their friends, their gadgets and the player they must try to solve the mystery of their miniaturization. The program is set in a giant toy store with the displays acting as a variety of thinking games. The characters are reasonably mature compared with many other software heroes. This works well with the difficulty level and may be better suited for upper elementary and early middle school students.
ZOOMBINIS
In "Zoombinis: Logical Journey" -- The Learning Company; US$24.99; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for ages 8 and older -- one of my students' favorite games, the player must help a community of Zoombinis, an endearing tribe of energetic blue characters, escape the evil Fleens and move their village from Zoombini Isle to Zoombiniville. The new title, "Zoombinis: Mountain Rescue" -- The Learning Company; US$24.99; Windows 95 and higher; for ages 8 and older -- takes the Zoombinis on an adventure to rescue their comrades from a mountain trap. In both games the Zoombinis are tested by a series of problems and challenges, most of which require categorization and logical sorting. The games provide hours of brain-twisting for advanced elementary and middle school students.
HYPERSTUDIO 4
"Hyperstudio 4: Student Edition -- Knowledge Adventure;" US$69.99; Windows 95 and higher, Macintosh; for all ages -- is PowerPoint for the junior set. Choose from Hyperstudio's extensive collection of sounds, animation, images, backgrounds and movies or import your own. The interface is intuitive and the possibilities endless. You can use as much or as little of the program's own designs and effects as you wish. Ultimately it is your choices, not the program's, that gives each project its own brilliance. You can create a project that includes morphing, animation and Web links, or a graphic project with mouse drawn or imported artwork. Hyperstudio provides the tools: you put them to use.
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