BrainWare Safari

$349, Windows 98, Mac OSX, Internet Site, Windows XP

Teaches: Logic, Math, deductive reasoning, memory, spatial reasoning, problem solving, holding attributes in mind, patterns, seriating, classifying, programming, observing, similarities and differences, taking things apart, rhythm, planning

CTR Rating: 85%

CTR Review

Marketed as a "mental fitness" package, this is a collection of 20 structured cognitive puzzles of the variety not typically part of a school curriculum. That's partly because the authors are psychologists and optometrists who have worked with children with visual processing problems. After signing in, children can freely choose an activity by clicking on a jungle animal. Most activities feel like they're right out of an IQ test, with an emphasis on visual memory and logical/memory skills. For example, in Bear Shuffle, children must drag and drop cards into their correct order, using only verbal cues. In Sky Scanning, children hear a series of numbers read aloud (e.g., 46, 87 and 0) and then see a screen full of about 40 numerals, scattered about randomly on the screen. You can only imagine the concentration required to find the needle in the haystack -- and that's what this program is like. The activities are heavy on the logic and visual discrimination, listing skills that develop stuff like "oculomotor" skills. To get through each level, children must remember the order and find the numbers. Some of the games are not intuitive to play; especially those that require the rhythmic tapping of the mouse, five times, before completing the exercise. The use of praise seemed strange, with statements like "I'm proud of you" and "don't feel bad" for incomplete games. Others are fun, and fairly addicting. Obviously, children will choose the games they like. As they play, a child's progress is tracked. According to the instructions, this program is designed to be used by one child in daily doses of 45-60 minutes for 4-5 days per week, over 10-12 weeks. A professional edition is available for more than one child, and with more record keeping features.