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Software and Games : GSP : Children's Fun & Learning : Ages 9-11
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
Learning Ladder Year 6 is another excellent CD-ROM from Dorling Kindersley. It's aimed at children aged 10-11 and structured so that children listen to a lesson and then carry out exercises that help to consolidate the literacy and numeracy they are learning as part of the school curriculum. This CD-ROM would be invaluable for any child in Year 6 who is preparing for their SATs.Exercises can be done at five different levels of difficulty, so that children are challenged and continue to make progress. For every 400 points that a child scores, they are rewarded with new pictures to use with the printing machine. As they gather more pictures they can enjoy designing their own cards, invitations and labels, which can be printed out.
Children can also have lots of fun navigating around Science City and learning lots of facts along the way. For example, they can find out about animals, food chains and gravity. The progress tracker clearly shows how each child is getting on with a system of green and red lights. This would quickly show parents where more help is needed. --Amanda York
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Avanquest Software
When you start The Lion King II: Simba's Pride you enter a very atmospheric animated jungle. Paddle Bash and Conga Longa are easy games to pick up but they are difficult to master.In Paddle Bash you grab a paddle and you get yourself ready to send balls flying as you try to knock down as many bricks as you can. As you would expect from Disney, there are plenty of fun, colourful special effects as bricks are successfully broken up. Smart keyboard skills are required as you try to angle your shots and send balls bouncing in every direction. And as you score points, you help Timon or Pumbaa move closer to a tasty bug treat. There are clear printed instructions with each game and your mouse is represented on the screen as a lion paw-print. If you want to break yourself slowly into the game, you can start at the kitten or cub level.
The second game, Conga Longa invites you to keep the jungle beat as you join a swinging conga-line of cartoon animals. The aim is to move your cub around and gather up other animals into a conga line. As you dance by an animal, it hops into your line. But if you break your line, you lose your dancing animals. With the jungle music pumping away in the background, this is a tough game to get to grips with. But if your cub dances over a red flower, you get bonus points and there are specific bonus animals you have to collect. It's an original game but it requires a lot of practice to get your conga swinging properly! --Justin Hunt
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Avanquest Software
Become a Human Body Explorer is an interesting CD-ROM full of information about the human body. It's aimed at children aged 6-10 years old, but would be best suited to older end of this age range.Seemore Skinless, the helpful skeleton, guides the children through a wide range of games, quizzes and experiments. Children can play four fun interactive games, which involve, for example, collecting body parts by answering questions and learning about the body and choosing how Seemore should spend his day. There is an excellent search feature so that children can access information screens on a very wide range of topics. (Parents of younger children may want to supervise children's use of this, as there is information about reproduction and how our bodies change.) Children also have the opportunity to create their own Secret File, which contains information about themselves and can become a scrapbook of facts.
So once children have visited the information screens, played the games, answered brainteaser questions and found out amazing facts, they will have discovered all they need to know about the human body.
Become a Human Body Explorer would be a good buy for parents or teachers of children aged 8-11 years old. It encourages children to explore and find out about the human body in a fun and interesting way. --Amanda York
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
Armchair adventurers relax. With the Become a World Explorer CD-ROM children can obey the call of the wild and see the world without leaving the comfort of their home. Once loaded, it's possible to whizz around the world in almost 80 ways with this fun and feature-packed CD-ROM learning adventure. As soon as you've filled in the virtual passport, you're off. The first stop on any interactive globe-trotting adventure is Sam's bedroom--it's perfect for click-happy kids with animations that come to life when you hit the objects scattered around.For beginner backpackers, a talking train gives a guided tour of how to find your way around the world, and what a choice there is. You'll find video clips, an interactive index, a country finder with each nation's flag and a wide range of fun games that test skills such as general knowledge and compass directions. A ringing phone launches more adventurous travellers straight into the globetrotting game that displays the strongest aspects of the software. Clues based on geographical sights and sounds lead players on an interactive journey around the world. Along the way, the players' knowledge of capitals, continents and customs are tested in a totally involving way with three difficulty levels encouraging repeat visits.
The beautifully detailed animated maps with pop-up info boxes and sticker book links are an impressive feature, as are the virtual postcards. And although the amount of features may mean younger players require some initial help, this superb software combines learning with plenty of fun and will ensure numerous repeat visits. --Martin Oliver
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
Become a History Explorer is an excellent CD-ROM in this series, which will turn any child into a budding historian. It's aimed at children aged 6-10 years old and encourages them to find out about eight exciting periods in history, through games, quizzes and information screens.Children will love the challenge of collecting the pieces of the time trail, so that they can rescue the history professor who has been trapped in time by the time fugitive. Children must travel in the time machine and explore each historical world in order to find all the pieces and become a history explorer. There is an excellent journal in which children can record their travels. This would help to consolidate what they have learnt about each period in history. Having answered questions along the way children are rewarded with stickers, which are kept in their journal. There are also activities to do, for example, design a coat of arms, which can be saved in the journals, along with photos and other souvenirs. There is also an excellent index menu that allows children to view information screens on a very wide range of topics. This would be particularly good to use if children were having trouble answering any of the quiz questions.
Become a History Explorer would be an excellent buy for children aged 7-11 years old who would love to complete the mission and rescue the history professor, while exploring an extremely good range of historical information. --Amanda York
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Avanquest Software
Become a British Isles Explorer is a fun CD-ROM aimed at children aged 6-10 years old. It encourages them to play games, look at maps and find out a whole range of interesting facts about the British Isles through very informative information screens.Children will love the challenge of following Jo on his five journeys around the British Isles and collecting five medals to become a British Isles Explorer. Children can explore the map of the British Isles. They can look at regions, and towns to find out about famous places, people and much more. The trips can be recorded in the child's own travel log, together with stickers and photos that are collected along the way. A great way to reinforce the information they have found out. There are a range of fun activities for children to do, for example, recording the weather, sending postcards and printing out map outlines which can be filled in. There is also an excellent Index Menu that children can use to find out about a wide range of topics and look at word definitions. They could use this menu to answer any questions that they might be having trouble with.
Become a British Isles Explorer would be a good buy for children aged 7-11 years old and it would really extend their understanding of the British Isles. This would be excellent to use if a child was doing a topic or project on the British Isles. --Amanda York
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Avanquest Software
Woody has been abducted by toy collector Al McWhiggin and his Toy Story pals are off to rescue him. In Toy Story 2--part of the Disney Hotshots series--the toys are camouflaged as traffic cones and you have to guide them across the road to find their kidnapped friend.Using the arrow keys on your keyboard you can quickly move the cones to the left and right as they make their way across the busy road. The fate of the likes of Mr Potato Head, Slinky Dog and Rex are literally in your hands as big lorries, racing fire engines and cars hurtle towards you.
As the Cone Chaos game gets progressively harder, the traffic speeds up. If it gets too tense, you can always take cover at a manhole. Overall this is a quick-paced game which is easy to learn and entertaining to play.
In the second game in this title, Toy Shelf Showdown, you help Buzz take on and defeat the evil Emperor Zurg. The task is to assemble a rocket ship while avoiding hostile robots and lots of bouncing balls. This is an action-packed game with lots of different twists and turns. Buzz can stun the robots with lasers and if you run out of shots, you have to find a battery for recharging.
Both animated games are introduced by Buzz and Woody and there are good clear instructions with the title on how to play and where to get help. This is your chance, as Buzz says, to go to "interactivity and beyond." --Justin Hunt
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Avanquest Software
The New Way Things Work is a CD-ROM packed full of information about machines and the scientific principles behind them. Children can learn all about the latest technology and take a look back in history to find out how things work.Children will enjoy, for example, navigating their way around the warehouse or choosing from the A-z of machines to extend their understanding of how things work and discover the science behind some great inventions. They can look at information screens with excellent text, diagrams, animation and video clips. They can also find out about some of the great inventors who created these amazing machines. There is a useful progress tracker to show children which screens they have visited and which screens are left for them to look at.
Children can also use their new-found knowledge to face the challenge of the science test and try to win a master, an expert or a genius certificate. Children can look back at information screens or take a look at the research answers if they are struggling.
The New Way Things Work would be a good buy for inquisitive children of 8 years and over who love to know how things work. It's particularly useful for helping children who are struggling with homework or doing a project, as it covers a huge range of scientific principles. --Amanda York
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Avanquest Software
Become a Science Explorer is another excellent CD-ROM from Dorling Kindersley aimed at children aged 6-10 years old. Children will love the challenge of going on a mission and trying to become a Science Explorer.Fizz, the helpful ball of energy, guides children around the different environments where children can carry out activities, answer questions or look at information screens. The graphics are excellent and there is a wealth of scientific information for children to find out in a variety of interesting ways. Children's learning is also cleverly extended when they're given further explanations once they have answered a question.
Children are rewarded with prizes, badges, stickers, rosettes, medals and the ultimate prize of becoming a Science Explorer. They can use their Science Workbook to make scientific observations, answer questions and collect stickers--guaranteed to turn any child into a budding scientist.
There is a range of science experiments that can be printed out and undertaken. These would be ideal for parents to go through with younger children using the comprehensive parents' guide. There are also some very good worksheets, which would help to consolidate children's learning.
Become a Science Explorer is a fantastic CD-ROM that really supports the science curriculum in schools. This would be an excellent buy for parents or teachers of children aged 6-10 years old. --Amanda York
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
Mr. Bounce Presents Demolition is an arcade-style game for six to 10 year olds that features a selection of the Mr. Men characters created by children's author Roger Hargreaves.Although the game may be new to kids, mum and dad may well recognise it as a themed version of the arcade classic Breakout, where the object of the game is to manoeuvre a bat or paddle along the bottom of the screen so that it connects with a bouncing ball, ricocheting it back up the screen to break down a wall made of bricks. In this case, the bricks make the shape of 10 Mr. Men characters (one for each level) and once every brick has been broken, you're rewarded with a comical animation. There's more too. You can play as one of six characters, each with their own special characteristics that change the gameplay--Mr. Impossible is faster than Mr. Slow, for example. Behind some bricks you'll find other Mr. Men which, should they fall and hit you, also affect the gameplay-–you might get an extra ball, your paddle may be reversed or suddenly slow down. The fact that there are two modes (easy and hard), ascending levels of difficulty, six unique characters to choose from , a two-player option and 10 levels ensures that although Demolition is simple enough to pick up, it's also rewarding. --Rob Beattie
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Avanquest Software
Alice in Wonderland is a story most adults know, and one that children always seem delighted to discover. This CD-ROM version from Dorling Kindersley combines elements from the story with educational activities and games, and is designed for children aged 7 to 12 years. Each user logs on with their own name, so several family members can use Alice in Wonderland at their own pace.The CD begins with Alice following the White Rabbit down his famous hole, and arriving at the Hall of Doors--the first of 10 magical worlds she will encounter. There are riddles and problems behind some of the doors in this hallway, and you have to help Alice complete them to gain items or information she'll need later on. And of course, you get to play with the infamous "drink me" and "eat me" foodstuffs. Alice in Wonderland continues in the same vein throughout, and features many characters from the book--the Cheshire Cat is on hand to provide help, while you'll also meet the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and others. In true Alice in Wonderland style, Alice herself is a real girl, while the other characters are all animated.
Alice in Wonderland hangs together well, and this multimedia fairy tale is an interesting example of making an educational CD from a children's classic. The American voices of the characters may be a little grating at times, though. --Sandra Vogel
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Avanquest Software
In Disney's Arcade Frenzy, one of your jobs is to help Mushu the dragon defend a Chinese village by shooting fireworks to stop the advance of the evil Huns.Mushoot is a compelling game and you have plenty of weapons at your disposal as the Huns come over the hills towards you. If you use your right mouse button you can launch an avalanche rocket. And for every enemy you send scurrying back, you get bonus points. All the time, the dragon urges you on like an enthusiastic football coach, cracking jokes and celebrating the hits. He is desperate to fend off the "creepy Huns". Mushoot is an addictive game which is simple to play and it is likely to appeal to all ages.
In the second game, Rooftop Ruckus, you join the sharp-tongued monkey Abu and leap across rooftops putting on lights. It's a high-speed chase and you have to watch out for the evil genie who comes running after you. The instructions are clear and the animation is excellent. The characters are very engaging and complain if you leave the game too early. Anyone who enjoyed the movie Aladdin will find this game fun and entertaining. You are awarded extra points for picking up bags of gold or for making guards slip.
Both games can be played solo or with friends and they will appeal to beginners and experts. --Justin Hunt
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Avanquest Software
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Avanquest Software
Travel has never been more popular. Yet no matter how many footloose gap-year students stream to the corners of the globe, armchair travel probably remains almost as popular. Dorling Kindersley's 3D World Atlas is a new CD-ROM package firmly in the armchair bracket, giving in-depth coverage of every country in the world--from maps, through demographic statistics to information on geographical phenomena. Why move from the sofa when you can (virtually) experience the world in your living room?3D World Atlas includes the range of features you would expect from a printed atlas and more. The general world maps are set to an optimal scale, allowing different levels of focus, and there are also the physical maps to view. However, the most striking aspect of this package is its unusual features, particularly those that come from space.
The two satellite image-projections of the earth are revealing. First comes the ordinary view of the earth's physical features from the heavens--yes, you really can pick out the Great Wall of China--and then an image of the earth by night, showing all the lights around the world: it's a sparkly and revealing picture of the spread of economic development across the planet. Add to this brilliant photography of deserts, mountains and jungles in the bio-climate zones and the package transcends the limitations of traditional atlases. --Toby Green