Description:
JumpStart 2nd Grade from Knowledge Adventure is an expertly designed collage of games certain to engage any young child. The characters are thoughtfully drawn and animated, and the games are intriguing--they're educational, too, but don't tell your kids! In the Logs game, children help a gopher cross the river and make his way toward the correct answer to a math problem--much like the old game Frogger but with an educational twist. Players also encounter a Save the Universe game (science), a vault that must be unlocked (spelling and vowels), and even a basic music-notation game--well over 20 interactive games in all, plus printable activities. Why should the fun--and learning--stop when the computer shuts down? The first of two CD-ROMs is part audio CD, containing 10 sing-and-learn songs that can be used in any CD player. As parents, we love this feature; it's great to be able to take the music on the road to reinforce the ideas and facts children are learning when they play the game. JumpStart 2nd Grade also features built-in Internet hooks for exchanging mail with other JumpStart users and downloading more adventures. And as an added bonus, the program comes with a 30-minute animated VHS story, "Why Did the Bus Stop?" While its animation is not the most elaborate, the tape features characters from the game and helps children learn about counting, telling time, and the five senses. The JumpStart series is popular, and for good reason: the folks at Knowledge Adventure invest a great deal of time and money into their products, and it shows in this worthy member of the series. (Ages 6 to 8) --Mike Caputo
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