Oscar the Balloonist Dives into the Lake

Rating:
Summary: Learning and quiet games for nature kids
Review: I recently bought this for my 4 yr. old daughter who is just learning to use a computer, and she absolutely loves it. There are so many areas to explore and so many options to choose from that I think it will be quite a while before she tires of playing with it. There are 7 different creatures to play with, and you can change the seasons to see how each creature lives at that time of year, so that gives you 28 different scenes to explore with plenty of hidden hotspots to click on. The characters are adorable, playful and informative. The nature facts are presented in an easygoing, conversational manner and are easy enough for my daughter to comprehend, yet aren't too "dumbed-down" for older children or parents (I learned quite a lot from it!). Some of the games are a little challenging for a 4 year old, but you are always encouraged to try again, and often given hints after wrong answers. Most of the games are based on knowledge gained throughout the program, so you can see how much your child is learning in the process.
The overall "atmosphere" of the program is pretty mellow, with watercolor and pen-and-ink style graphics and quieter music and voices. It definitely won't get your kids revved up before bedtime!
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for less flash, more facts, but still fun software for their kids. I will definitely check out another Oscar the Balloonist title when my daughter finally finishes with this one.