Rating: 
Summary: Great idea, lousy install & support
Review: I purchased this for my 2nd grade daughter to use on our Windows 98 computer. The install completes with a FileIORoot error, and fails to start up when you launch the program. I spoke to tech support, which was of ABSOLUTELY NO HELP! The answer I got was "We have over 80 products, and can't be expected to support them all." Great company, huh? I've installed other Jumpstart products in the past and haven't had too many issues. Tech support has always been their shortfall. The knowledgebase on their web site didn't even list this product. I'm sure others experienced the same install problem, yet a search on the specific error message returned nothing. I think it's time to look elsewhere for educational software, especially when you can't get help installing their product. Dean
Rating: 
Summary: Jump Start 4TH GRADE ADVANCED
Review: I rented this software from the Library. It is a 3 disc program. My 3rd grader (almost 4th grader) loves the Ultimate Field Trips and Mystery Club volume 3. The fundamentals disc is a little too hard for her right now, so it is challenging. I played it because it looked fun and it was fun for me to play. I love the "mystery" tone of the software. I like these programs because there are fun games that do not get boring, and while your kids are playing the games, they are also learning a lot. I am going to purchase this software and the 3rd grade ADVANCED program so my child can review through the summer.
Rating: 
Summary: Not so educational!
Review: I wish I could return this set. My daughter hasn't learned anything new from it. She's 2!
Rating:
Summary: Jumpstart Typing
Review: I wish to add to my review of Nov. 4: the letters are not only tiny, but also very difficult to distinguish due to the font used in the program. I don't believe it is possible to get around this, but if there is a way, please post it here!!
I noticed there are reviews here of many different Jumpstart software packages. For the record, let me state that my daughter used Jumpstart 2nd Grade (with the terrific frog and cricket characters) and 3rd Grade (with the delightful Botley and Polly) to keep up her English while attending school in Asia, and they worked like gangbusters. Thay were clever and fun ... the music was terrific ... (especially the 2nd grade Jumpstart, which could be played as a CD) even I enjoyed playing with them! We tried hard to get the same enjoyment out of Jumpstart Typing--it was just as clever in terms of content--but again, the letters are VERY tiny and difficult to distinguish--otherwise, I would probably give it four or five stars. Strange how the company could have allowed this to happen.
(By the way, between Jumpstart 2nd & 3rd grade, Reading Blaster, and Archie comic books (really), my child had no trouble reentering school in the United States after three years in in a foreign school with no English--she is now thriving! :-)
Rating:
Summary: :0(
Review: I'm not smiling after purchasing this product. I love JumpStart's grade level products and have them all from toddler to 3rd grade! I'm afraid the method of teaching spelling on JumpStart Spelling Bee is poor and so where the results after trying it with my daugther. Her scores showed no improvement what-so-ever!
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointed
Review: I've bought this game for my 27 mo old girl.I'm very disappointed,especially compairing to Reader Rabbit's Toddler which we love(both of us).Some games are way too complicated for the age mentioned on the box(18mo-3yo).Some are plain boring.In disk#2 we can only hear the songs,but don't have any picture.Also,too many unnesessary,confusing details for a 2 yo.In short,isn't worth any penny.
Rating:
Summary: Educational, fun, and easy to use.
Review: Jumpstart Advanced Preschool is an excellent 3-disc set of softare for children 2-4 years old. Each disc consists of a series of games which are explained by, and feature, delightful animated characters that your children will adore. These games teach fundamental skills like counting,letter recognition,shape sorting, musical appreciation, and so on. At the start of each set of games, an animal 'pet'(rabbit, cat, lizard, etc.)is selected. With the successful completion of each game,the player is given a reward (some food, a toy, a brush...) for the pet to eat or play with. Kids love this. They giggle as they watch the dog chew his snacks and smile, or the cat play with his flashlight. After 4 reward items are acquired, the player is then encouraged to find the pet a loving home (they take off in a hot-air balloon and fly over potential new homes). It's amazing to see how this simple reward system can motivate a child! My 3 year old son has been using this software for the past month and he never gets tired of it. He's excited every time he wins a new reward. Parents can customize the level of difficulty for each subject area, so the games should never get too easy or too difficult. Keeping the games at the appropriate level ensures that your child never gets bored or frustrated. I haven't experienced any of the problems that some other reviewers have complained about. The sound and visuals all work perfectly. What's more, this software is very user-friendly. My 3 year old doesn't even need my help with it. He just sits at the computer and starts playing on his own (but it's fun to play with him, so I'm usually right by his side). One piece of advice: I strongly recommend that participants listen to the spoken instructions before playing each game. If you begin clicking your mouse before the instructions have finished, you will immediately jump to the game before you know what you're doing. But, even if this happens, don't worry. Just click the "back arrow" button, and the instructions will repeat. Other than that, this is as easy as 1..2..3.
Rating:
Summary: JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster
Review: Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster with a small price tag of only [$] is another real winner for all children in grades 1st-5th - like is partner - Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - this program has cute, fast paced, great music and sound three styles of arcade-like games to teach your children their math facts - no more boring math flash cards - learn math on a fast paced pinball machine, or arrange math facts for the the "burpers" or "smack" space ships and and space rocks to get correct answers to math problems - fast and fun - even for an old Grandma, me - all games are controled using the arrow keys and space bar excep to the outer space game where you shoot with a mouse - like the Spelling Bee it has over 800 pre-programmed math problems - all basic subjects are covered - addition, subtraction, muliplication, division, decimals and percentages in SIX different leveals - will auto advance at your child's own speed - on screen instructions for everything - also, like its partner, Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - you can program your child's "real" weekly math problems in to this program so they can learn their "real" weekly school math lessons in a fun arcade style of learning - you will love it for the small price tag - your children will love it for all of the fun they will have - and you will love it even more when your child brings home a A+ grade on their report card in Math. The price of only [$] is "right" - please buy it - once again this old Grandma is happy to be able to send my first grader, and my second grader back to school this year with this GREAT study tool. Knowledge Adventure can be very proud of these two programs ther Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster and their Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - buy them both and enjoy!
A very pleased Grandmother,
Jacqueline Lee Wilson
Rating:
Summary: JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster
Review: Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster... is another real winner for all children in grades 1st-5th - like is partner - Knowledge Adventure's Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - this program has cute, fast paced, great music and sound three styles of arcade-like games to teach your children their math facts - no more boring math flash cards - learn math on a fast paced pinball machine, or arrange math facts for the the "burpers" or "smack" space ships and and space rocks to get correct answers to math problems - fast and fun - even for an old Grandma, me - all games are controled using the arrow keys and space bar excep to the outer space game where you shoot with a mouse - like the Spelling Bee it has over 800 pre-programmed math problems - all basic subjects are covered - addition, subtraction, muliplication, division, decimals and percentages in SIX different leveals - will auto advance at your child's own speed - on screen instructions for everything - also, like its partner, Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - you can program your child's "real" weekly math problems in to this program so they can learn their "real" weekly school math lessons in a fun arcade style of learning - you will love it for the small price tag - your children will love it for all of the fun they will have - and you will love it even more when your child brings home a A+ grade on their report card in Math. The [low price] is "right" - please buy it - once again this old Grandma is happy to be able to send my first grader, and my second grader back to school this year with this GREAT study tool. Knowledge Adventure can be very proud of these two programs ther Jump Start Study Helpers Math Booster and their Jump Start Study Helpers Spelling Bee - buy them both and enjoy!
A very pleased Grandmother,
Jacqueline Lee Wilson
Rating:
Summary: ¿Wow that was off. Way off.¿
Review: My 2 1/2 year old daughter has been using Disney's Preschool software for about a month without a problem. After two session on this software she found the activities to be too easy, the only difficultly being mouse speed. She has asked to go back to Pooh. The games are not intuitive and there is a lot of verbal instruction. There are also several logic flaws, such as arranging items for a picture and then the picture taken has nothing to do with the arrangement. In the phonics section, if you select the wrong letter the character actually says, "Wow, that was off. Way off." I think the whole reward system is too complicated and takes you away from doing the activities. Disney has the same issue, just less so. Software makers should focus on fun educational activities and not on long story lines or rewards.
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