Davidson's Learning Center: Toddler

© 1999 Knowledge Adventure, Inc.
$9.95, Win 95, 98; Mac OS (CD-ROM)
Teaches: early language and logic

CTR Review

This title was orginially released as JumpStart Toddler in 1996. It was repackaged in 1998. Following is a review of the original title. If you'd like to introduce your toddler to the computer, this colorful, easy to use program sets the stage for a positive first experience. Giggles the Gopher greets you at the main menu screen, which takes the form of a rather cluttered-looking but appealing child's bedroom. Kids can click around to discover hot spots, seven of which lead to activities. The folks at Knowledge Adventure suggest you treat this software as "lapware" (you and your child do it together), and we think that's fine advice. What's particularly nice is that just about any click– or even simple movement– of the mouse leads to success. For instance, in the Feed the Dog a Bone activity, as soon as the child moves the mouse, the dog's treat is automatically picked up. If the child gets the treat anywhere close to the dog's mouth, Fido eats it up and thanks the child. In another activity, simple movements of the cursor back and forth across the screen results in the bit by bit uncovering of an animal that will eventually animate and sing. There's a songbook activity that lets children hear and see different animals singing. The music is catchy, and when you click around, objects are identified by narration and text, with over 200 words presented. There are also activities that introduce children to colors and shapes and to the sounds of various musical instruments. For kids interested in letters and numbers, there are activities that introduce these concepts in a pleasant, simple click and discover mode. While we wouldn't run out and buy any program for an 18 month to 24 month old (the computer is an expensive busy box for this age group), we gave the CD to test families with 28 to 34 month old children who had never used the computer before. Although some of these kids had difficulty operating the mouse, they loved watching the action and learned some new things about letters and numbers. Another excellent option is Reader Rabbit's Toddler.