CHILDREN'S SOFTWARE

Editor, Jean Lenihan

  • Learning and Fun for Little Ones
    "Thomas and Friends," "Blue's ABC Time Activities," "My First CD-ROM Toddler"
  • What's Hot?
    "The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean," "Backyard Baseball 2001," "Puzzle 3D: The Orient Express"
  • Age Ranges
    A New Way to Shop for Software


LEARNING AND FUN FOR LITTLE ONES
"Thomas and Friends"
by Hasbro Interactive
As jolly Thomas the Tank Engine, his cohort Percy, and those lovable Troublesome Trucks move about the Island of Sodor preparing for an upcoming festival, children are invited to perform seven train-related activities of the counting, sorting, and pattern-recognition variety. Know any small fries who'd like to polish engines, load boxcars, and make sure passengers get onto their trains in timely, proper fashion? This is their CD. (Ages 2 and older) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   


"Blue's ABC Time Activities"
by Humongous
Kids help Blue create a wordbook, tell stories, solve alphabet mazes with Shovel and Pail, sound out snacks with Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, and--our favorite--begin an Animal Alphabet photo album. Each game starts simply, and the difficulty level progresses automatically, with words becoming more complex and fewer visual tips given. This CD brings color, music, and character to essential early reading exercises. (Ages 3 to 6) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   


"My First CD-ROM Toddler"
by DK Multimedia
The elegant clarity of publisher Dorling Kindersley designs is hard at work in their children's software products, and nowhere more helpful than in their toddler products. Crisp photographs on white backgrounds set the frame for six toddler-friendly activities, all hosted by a jack-in-the-box named Zack who speaks s-l-o-w-l-y and in rhymes. A nice added touch is a text file that explains how babies develop. (Ages 18 months to 3 years) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   

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WHAT'S HOT?
"The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean"
by Microsoft
Surf's up! Ms. Frizzle and her able gang are on a search for sunken treasure that takes them into seven different ocean zones--from beach to coral reef to kelp forest to tide pool--to collect clues. As usual, the Frizz knows all the facts. Also, there are satisfying surfside activities, like building a virtual sandcastle and cleaning up garbage from the ocean. (Ages 6 to 10) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   


"Backyard Baseball 2001"
by Humongous
The intricate joy of playing "Backyard Baseball" has doubled with this year's model. "Backyard Baseball 2001" gives you the chance to stock your team with pintsize versions of major-league heroes like Cal Ripken, Mark McGwire, and Ken Griffey Jr. A most entertaining CD that also teaches children the basics of hitting, pitching, and strategy. (Ages 5 and older) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   


"Puzzle 3D: The Orient Express"
by Wrebbit
You are sitting on a luxurious lapis-lazuli-blue settee, surrounded by mahogany paneling and delectable culinary treats, riding Europe's most exquisite long-distance passenger train from Paris to (then-named) Constantinople. Puzzle 3-D invites you to help construct this famous train piece by piece, then board it (as an invisible passenger) for a suspense-filled ride full of suspicious passengers. Beautifully illuminating the train's rich and mysterious past, detail after detail, this CD-ROM is much more than just a puzzle. (Ages 10 and older) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   

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AGE RANGES
We've created a new way to locate the greatest children's software available. Use our new Age Ranges box to find appropriate software for all the kids you care about: 12-24 months, 2 years, 3 & 4 years, 5-7 years, 8-11 years, and 12 years & up. Read more

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PERFECT FOR PRETEENS
"Girls Only Secret Diary"
by Encore
Here's an electronic diary that comes with a keen understanding of a girl's need for privacy when recording her thoughts and experiences. Not only is the diary password-protected, but users can also scramble text so that it can't be read or decoded onscreen. Additionally, users with a color printer can send their friends messages that can only be read with a special decoder, and pages can be decorated with various borders and graphics. An appointment calendar and address book are also built in. (Ages 7 to 12) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   


Me2Cam
by Mattel Media
Here's a gadget from Intel Play that will simultaneously get your chair-bound youngsters off their seat and allow them to play video games. With the Me2Cam computer video camera and accompanying Activity System game software, your kids can literally become part of the action occurring on the monitor, using their bodies to control the game action. We've all seen the image of weather forecasters projected on the weather map behind them. Well, the Me2Cam does about the same thing, except that you can move your arms and interact with objects onscreen. This is a lot of fun, even beyond the gee-whiz factor of being inside a video game. (Ages 4 to 14) Read more

Our Price: $69.99   


"Hot Wheels Micro Racers"
by Mattel Media
For every kid who has ever screamed through the house with a little metal speedster, caroming off computers and doing "brodies" in bedrooms, this game is a dream come true. The three tracks re-create everyday places where Hot Wheels have been raced ever since their inception in 1968--sandy beach, adult office, and kid's bedroom. Seven cars can be raced in three different racing styles, including one Darwinian option where the last-place car explodes after each lap. Players advance to higher levels of difficulty only if they win easier races. (Ages 5 and older) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   

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EDITORS' PICKS
"Babe and Friends: Animated Early Reader"
by Macmillan Publishing USA
Plucky and earnest in his films, Babe in interactive CD form proves to be an inspirational model and great companion for young readers just crossing the barrier into literacy. Conceived as a storybook, this inventive educational CD presents kids with five themed episodes that challenge their comprehension of general phonetics, spelling, vowel sounds, and reading comprehension. Even the most timid early reader will be tempted to perform these actions so as to help Babe and his adorable friends feed all the hungry animals in Metropolis. (Ages 4 to 7) Read more

Our Price: $29.99   


"Madeline Classroom Companion: 1st and 2nd Grade"
by Creative Wonders
We love Madeline, in whatever form she takes. Here, she's the centerpiece of a smorgasbord of 50 boredom-busting activities that cover two grades worth of reading, math, science, and social studies skills. As always, there is an emphasis on international travel and correspondence in Madeline's world, with easily absorbed French and Spanish words gently sprinkled throughout the games. (Ages 5 to 8) Read more

Our Price: $19.99   

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PRE-ORDER HARRY POTTER (BOOK 4)!
"Harry Potter (Book 4)" (Ages 9 and older)
by J.K. Rowling
The fourth Harry Potter released on July 8, 2000
Read more

Our Price: $15.57 | You Save: $10.38 (40%)   

Or, participate in the Book 4 buzz in our Harry Potter Store.

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