From: larson@minerva.sws.uiuc.edu (Bob Larson)
Subject: Re: PC educational programs and games: titles and sources needed
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 06:40:47 GMT

In <29136@optima.cs.arizona.edu> bakken@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Bakken) writes:

>I am getting a low-end 486 machine this week, and a major use will
>be for educational programs and (educational!) games for my
>daughter.  However, I don't know where to start to find out
>what would be good for her (she already types on my terminal
>at home and knows almost all of her letters).  I guess we
>would be looking for some programs to help her with counting,
>letters/typing, and basic reading skills.  Also, games that
>develop reasoning skills would be great.

>The machine will have MeSsy DOS and Windows 3.1 and a soundcard,
>in case it matters.

>I've seen or heard about the following programs (titles from memory):

>	- Playroom (has games to develop reasoning skills)

We have playroom, and I don't think we gotten our money's worth
out of it, although at first I thought it was pretty good. There
was only one game which really got used alot.  It does have a good
mouse driven interface.  Copy protection is by pattern matching with
a picture on the back of the manual.  My kids lost the manual about
six months ago, but I was able to bypass the copy protection.

>	- Rabbit Math
>	- Reader Rabbit I

Both are on my shopping list -- I've heard good things.

>	- Bearanstain Bears do Counting (she *loves* their books)

I'd say this good *if* you get decent speach out of your internal
speaker (which my pc doesn't).  A wide variety of games.
The interface isn't all that great - starting the game requires
reading ability.  I prefer mouse driven interfaces for younger kids.

>	- Kiddesk (locks kids out of parts of the file system)

We just got this a few weeks ago.  I (and my kids) really like it.
They really hype up the ability to protect your files, which I
consider a minor function of it.  Besides, after all their hype,
the adult's password is echoed to the screen - it took my
7 y.o. only a couple of days to learn mine.  It supports alot
of soundcards, but requires a soundblaster or sb pro for the
kids to record messages - which my kids really enjoy.  Also
helps teach telling time and calender use. Buying KidDesk
was probably the best money I've spent on my computer since
4dos, which BTW, kiddesk won't run under.


>Can anyone comment on how good these are, or reccommend similar
>ones?   Also, if you've bought them, what is a decent price?

A few comments on some other games:

I don't like the disney games that we have tried (Donald's
alphabet and some other one).  The kids got bored with them, 
and pattern matching copy protection every time you run it.

Seseme Street games: The coloring games are ok, Astro Grover
is awful - requires a keyboard template!  Ernie's Bathtub does
also, but it's more tolerable.

>Also, are there any mail order places that have a wide selection
>of educational programs and also have reasonable prices?

How about by anonymous ftp?  The following are available
from simtel and it's mirrors in the msdos/education directory,
which actually has a lot of programs, but a lot of garbage.
The following have gotten used in our house:
 
AALPHA.ZIP    B  485008  921026  Animated Alphabet for pre-school to 1st grader
AMATH1.ZIP    B  364071  921026  Animated Math: counting/addition/subtraction
AMEM10.ZIP    B  254102  921026  Animated Memory Game: aids kids' memory skills
ANIMSHAP.ZIP  B  294552  921026  Animated Shapes: shape & color identification
AWCMP1.ZIP    B  360428  920623  Animated Words spelling game for children, 1/2
AWCMP2.ZIP    B  346621  920623  Animated Words spelling game for children, 2/2
 
My kids really like the animated series. Animation is done with 
Grasp and tends to really entertain the kids.  Only 1 of the
more recent ones supports soundcards, but the sound wasn't done
very well.  All in all, the animation more than makes up for the
lack of sound quality.  Registration is very reasonable, $10-15.
 
 
ABC430.ZIP    B  192306  920920  ABC Fun Keys: Teach children ABCs, v4.30
 
This contains 4 games all designed to teach the alphabet and 
keyboard layout, but not touch typing.  My kids enjoyed them, 
even after they learned the keyboard.
 
ABCTLK25.ZIP  B  273411  920820  Teaches children to talk, read/alphabet/spell
123TLK22.ZIP  B  177314  911116  Talking Teacher: Child learns numbers/counting
 
We are just now trying out these games.  The shareware version uses the
pc internal speaker; with registration you have the choice of
versions which either use the internal speaker or a soundblaster. Both
have a games for a wide range of skill levels.  Registered version of
ABC-Talk has the option of displaying words in cursive - rather unusual.
My initial reaction is utter shock at the nag messages - both on-screen
and VERBAL! "Please register your shareware" verbal messages on both
ends.  Almost deleted it right then, but I restrained myself.
 
Another game which my girls liked. 
WRDGLRY.ZIP   B  147908  900110  Match words with pictures, children ages 4-7

-- 
Bob Larson					Illinois State Water Survey
blarson@uiuc.edu				2204 Griffith Drive
Voice: (217)333-7955				Champaign, IL 61820
Fax:   (217)333-6540
-- 
Bob Larson					Illinois State Water Survey
blarson@uiuc.edu				2204 Griffith Drive
Voice: (217)333-7955				Champaign, IL 61820
Fax:   (217)333-6540