advertisement

red line
SuperKids Software Review - The Parent's and Teacher's Guide to Childrens' Software
free newsletter! spacer tell a friend! spacer contests
spacer
software
  reviews
  bestseller list
  price survey
  what's new
  product support
  search
spacer
educational tools
  ask a scientist
  math worksheets
  vocabulary builders
  hangman
  iPhone/iPad apps
  logic games
  brain food
spacer
educational insights

feature articles
spacer
marketplace
  iPhone/iPad apps
  reading corner
  movie corner
spacer
SuperKids home
  about SuperKids
  advertise!
  humor
  links
  help
spacer
  * * *

Promotions




  * * *

spacer all reviews > > > kindergarten software

Reader Rabbit's Kindergarten

The Learning Company

Ages 4 to 6

Rating Scale
5 = great,    1 = poor
Educational Value
5.0
Kid Appeal
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0

Reader Rabbit's Kindergarten Screen Shot System Requirements

PC / Mac Price Survey

Product Support

Featuring a "summer camp" theme, Reader Rabbit's Kindergarten is an entertaining, fully animated adventure in which the user must help friends Reader Rabbit and Mat the Mouse gather supplies for the campfire party at 'Camp Happy Tails'. As with the younger age titles in this series, to achieve this goal, the child must master 4 sequential levels of each of 4 skill-building activities.

Learning activities include: Number Lumber which is a counting and strategy game much like the ever popular (but occasionally despised) "Chutes and Ladders" game; Diner Lineup, in which the child helps camp chef Pierre organize his kitchen by arranging items based on one specific attribute--this activity exposes the child to basic mathematical concepts and relationships, while encouraging him or her to follow through with precise verbal instructions; Canoe Match, a memory game that builds prereading skills by using increasingly difficult matches including multiple items which must be remembered in a specific order; and the most unique activity, Get Your Bearings, which involves searching for an item that is hidden within a grid, given spatial and directional clues. As each activity is completed supplies needed for the campfire party are obtained.

Within each of the above sections of the program, users can find additional games, stories and projects that focus on socialization skills such as sharing and compromise, or understanding the world around us lessons such as 'seasons', and 'time'.

Upon completion of all the activities sections of the program, the user is rewarded with entertainment provided at the campfire party. Here, the lovable cast of characters gathers to sing, recite poetry and share stories. As an additional bonus, these songs and stories can be accessed by playing the CD in a standard audio CD player.

Educational Value
Similar in concept to the many educational activity books available for young learners, Reader Rabbit's Kindergarten incorporates successful early reading, and math activities into a fun-filled storyline.

Kid Appeal
This program can be used with very little, if any, adult intervention. Graphics are large, clear and attractive, and the goal-oriented storyline is easy to follow and compelling. SuperKids reviewers were favorably impressed by the many animal characters included in the program, and were often observed giggling at and speaking to them. Activities are easily understood and complete, but become a bit tedious, and their repetitive nature may annoy the less patient player.

Ease of Use / Install
This program installed with a click of the mouse on our test Macintosh, and without difficulty on Windows 95.

The manual or "handbook" not only explains the program itself, which for the most part is easy to use and requires no explanation, but also provides insights into the educational bases for each included activity. Song lyrics can also be found in appendix.

Best for... / Bottom-Line
With its engaging animation and structured yet entertaining activities, Reader Rabbit's Kindergarten is a good bet for the kindergarten-aged child with an interest in computer-based skill building and an adequate attention span.

See SuperKids' comparisons with other Kindergarten software titles, and the Buyers Guide for current market prices of the PC and Mac versions.

System Requirements
PC: Windows 3.1, Win95, 486/33 or faster (66 MHz recommended) cpu, 1 MB hard drive space, 8 MB RAM, 256-color SVGA display, 2X or faster CD-ROM, Windows-compatible sound card, mouse

Mac: System 7.0.1 or higher, 68040/25 or faster cpu, 1 MB hard drive space, 8 MB RAM, 13" 256-color display, 2X or faster CD-ROM

Reviewed on:

  • PowerMac 6400/200 with 32MB and 8XCD
  • Pentium166 with 24MB and 12XCD
  • return to top of page



    Go to: About SuperKids Educational Software Review
    Questions or comments regarding this site? webmaster@superkids.com
    Copyright © 1998-2024 Knowledge Share LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy