Conference moira::parenting

    We have Reader Rabbit I and II at home and my 4 years old loves it.
    For the first and second graders, the Reader Rabbit I maybe too
    simple.   We got the Reader Rabbit I as a birthday gift and brought
    the Reader Rabbit II.  The company that produces Reader Rabbit also 
    offers software in math and spelling.  Most of the PC software stores 
    will let you play it before purchase.  We took our 4 yr old to PC store 
    and spent an afternoon in the store to try out all the software.  We 
    finally picked Reader Rabbit II.  BTW, these software are not cheap.  
    I don't remember exactly how much I paid for Reader Rabbit II.  I think 
    it costs between $35 to $40.
    
    Wendy
                            

    Since I just recently purchased a PC, I am very happy to see this
    string.  I have been watching the KIDS_AND_COMPUTERS file and the
    IBMPC_SHAREWARE file, but have seen little or nothing is useful.  (Of
    coarse it could be that I am still to PC-naive to recognize what I
    need :-)  I hope more readers post here with there suggestions and
    opinions.  
    
    Debby

    Steven just loves a game called Treasure Mountain.  
    
    To find treasures that the evil magician has hidden on the
    mountain, you have to catch elves and answer the questions they
    ask of you.  (Lots of simple addition, logic, word problems, etc.)
    
    It's simple enough in concept that David (not quite 3) can play it
    with some enjoyment, but stays challenging for beginning readers.  
    
    --bonnie

    You can find some very good PC education programs for young kids at
    
    SIOG::DISK$MAG2:[dos_public.kids_stuff] or
    
    WINNAH::"/ftp/msdos/education/*"
    
    Have fun!
    
    Wendy

    I realize this may a VERY after the fact reply, but I've been doing the
    "Mrs. Cleaver" routine at home for several months....
    
    Two suggestions gathered from presents:
    
    My 7.5 year old niece received a sort of toy computer from my inlaws. 
    I'm not sure of the name, it's a red plastic case and came from BJ's
    wholesale club.  It helps with math, spelling, and other basic skills. 
    It works a little like the Alphie thing, but is a lot more interactive. 
    It will give the kids two or three tries for the right answer, and the
    voice synthesizer (sp?) give real answers like "not quite, try again"
    or "you are right, good job!"  It has a realistic keyboard and a Liquid
    Crystal display (the black letters on grey).  I kind of think it may be
    a product of Texas Instruments, the case is red plastic.  A great size
    to take along in the car.
    
    The other thing is we bought a PC through the Digital Employee purchase
    offering that went out in December.  Mother inlaw found 6 Sesamie
    Street PC (DOS I think) compatable programs in a package, most were 
    learning types. Again they probably came from BJ's, she's a BJ's addict!
    
    Just FYI, we were at the greendale Mall yesterday, it looks like the
    Early Learning store is going out of business.  They had some TI
    cartriges left, not much else.  Everything is 40% off.  It was pretty
    much bare.
    
    Lyn

I bought some software for the boys for Christmas.  It is called PC Homepack
and I was able to get a French version for Markus which cost SF 99.- or about
$65.  It includes 6 pieces of software with quite respectable graphics for
those of you who do not have a CD-ROM reader.  The pack is from a US based 
company so I suppose the original version is much cheaper.

There is a menu program to give easy accessibility from DOS to the 5 other
program pieces.  The other five pieces are:

	1) The human body- each part is detailed with several levels of detail
	   and descriptions.
	2) The world- a global atlas with quite a nice amount of detail and
	   search capabilities
	3) The cosmos- sky charts and drawings.  You can change the parameters
	   of how much you view or whether the constellations are outlined.  You
	   can also voyage through time and watch the heavens change.
	4) Bushwacker- a game to hunt for treasure through the world.  Uses the
	   atlas part.
	5) ???- a game of chess with different levels.

All of the first three let you query the database to find the answers to 
questions.  The programs have print capability and are in full color.

Rather nice for school age children.

Cheryl

    We purchased a software pack for the boys (ages 5 and 7).  It's called
    something like "ThunderMath Storm".  There is reading, adding,
    subtraction, counting, telling time, money changing, and a scale where
    we have to equal weights on both sides.
    
    The boys love it!  They play together and the "reader" helps the non-
    reader, etc.  I like it too!  Its from the same folks who do Reader
    Rabbit.
    
    Costco in Nashua for approx $31.00.
    
    -sandy
    

Sierra  now has 2 games out that I found very well done and challenging for
all 3 of my kids (age range 9-14). The Castle of Dr. Brain and The Island of
Dr. Brain. Each game presents the user with puzzling dillema's to solve that 
incorporate different areas of Math and Science. Each game has Novice, Regular,
and Expert levels. 

    I don't have any new software to recommend, but I was surprised to see
    my own note in this string and see that it was dated 2 years ago! 
    You'd think I'd know what I was doing by now :-)

    Well, guess I do have a recommendation.  Treehouse.  We bought it quite
    a while back.  It's a child-animal character in a tree house.  You can
    choose a girl or boy character, but it doesn't seem to effect the
    action any.  You can make the character do things like eat some fruit,
    or turn on the radio.  Every so often the character rubs it's tummy and
    you're supposed to feed it.  Or rub's its eyes and you're supposed to
    give it it's teddy bear for a nap.  There are a few games which involve
    math, but the most effort seems to be in the music, which wasn't very
    useful until I got my sound card.  Now it is possible to play tunes or
    games with different instruments - clarinet, flute, guitar, etc.

    But, I would like to re-open the original question of software for 1st
    and 2nd graders.  My 1st and 2nd graders have both qualified for the
    Chapter 1 program.  Which I'm thrilled about, because I know from last
    years experience that it is a wonderful program.  On the other hand,
    they qualify because they need a little extra help, so it seems like
    educational games on the computer might be useful too.