Reader Rabbit Baby and Reader Rabbit Toddler
© 1997 The Learning Company
This two-CD set has something appropriate for both babies and toddlers. Parent and baby can play together in eleven activities that introduce shapes, colors, songs, animals and body parts. Any movement of the mouse or keyboard results in something happening on the screen. An instructional onscreen video provides tips for parents using the computer with their baby for the first time. A personalization feature allows parents to add the child's name, pictures and voice to the activities on the screen. Ten printable activities give parents suggestions for further interactions, and the program comes with an audio CD of Learning Company songs. In general, testers liked the program but preferred Sesame Street Baby & Me for its calmer presentation. This Reader Rabbit seems at times to over-stimulate, sort of like MTV for babies. The stronger, toddler program is a variety pack of eight well-crafted activities that provide playful experiences with early logic and language concepts. The program is extremely responsive and easy to use and offers many nice features. For example, parents can type in their toddler's name so that it shows up in the coloring activities. There are finger plays, shape and color games, counting activities and alphabet instruction. Testers, both children and parents alike, loved the colorful graphics, solid activities and gentle theme. Preschool teachers will appreciate that song lyrics and the words to nursery rhymes can be printed out. This is a classic program, a perfect computer introduction for your toddler.
$19.99, Win 95, 98; Mac OS (CD-ROM)
Teaches: colors, shapes, songs, body parts, counting, alphabet