Software can aid communication. Affordable color printers and a new generation of creativity software give both children and teachers more tools for making contact with others. This very simple, fun, and affordable card-making activity makes it easy for young children to create and then print out simple cards for birthdays or major holidays. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then consider the value of 150,000 pictures on these 10 Printmaster Platinum CD-ROMs. The library of images, which can be used in a variety of electronic formats, such as e-mail, is also useful for creating Web pages.
Software can help children feel good about achievements.
Programs in which kids accomplish tasks help boost self-esteem. Thoughtfully designed for children with developing mouse skills, this CD offers six entertaining and educational games that pose a variety of challenges. To serve snacks to Little People characters, for example, children click the mouse or touch the keyboard and a cupcake or brownie is placed on a plate. Or children can help a puppy clean up by putting toys away. Kids with mouse skills can point and click to make their specific selection in the usual way.