Jump Start My World
[Nope, this post isn't about my first day(s) back at work. Those are incoming, because as always I have something to share about them. Just know I am managing. Exhausted. And juggling a kid that doesn't seem to want to sleep anymore even when lying next to me. But, I am making it this week.]The folks over at Mom Central have asked for my opinion again (oh, oh!)--and as always I am more than willing to give it. This time it is about Jump Start World Software. We've had Jump Start World Advanced Preschool and in our house for about a year. The Kiddo loves it. In fact, he will just play the music tracks from the game and start singing them on his own most of the time. Which bring me to why we purchased it (at least initially) for him--it works on Apple/Mac computers. Yep, we are mostly a Mac house. And this software boasts its compatibility. So playing those music tracks was easy--iTunes. Now with the pre-populated 10 songs or so, my kid's started his own music library (awww, he grows so fast)!
So, when Mom Central offered to send me Jump Start World 1st Grade--I was jiggy with it. The Kiddo would love to jump into a new world of games (he's got a game collection you know! I mean, how could he not--we are a house of 3 laptops and 2 desktops. None of which are my work machine, but I digress). Only when it arrived I realized the one, ity bity problem--it's PC only software. See the above paragraph--the machine he uses for his games is a Mac. Sigh.
Now, we do have a PC in the house. We have 2 really--but one is just a server in our basement (it's ancient, but can hold files just fine). Another that sits unused in the extra bedroom just in case we just can't use a Mac for something. And I guess this is the first time it is going to be used in a while! (Seriously, he did have 1 or 2 other PC only games we loaded for him on this machine, but we typically by Mac games for him. Which he likes, because then he can play them in his room. That's right, he has his own computer).
And this software didn't disappoint--as I didn't expect it to with our previous experience with the Preschool version. The Kiddo is just a tad bit young for the games, he still had fun. And in fact did quite well at the "levels" (as he calls them). I'll keep the software on the PC for a while in case he wants to venture some more through the 1st grade game--because as with other reviewers of the software, i have no qualms about letting him jump ahead. And as you can tell--no qualms about him using a computer to learn new skills. If you've seen him click around on the Noggin, Nickelodeon, Disney, and Lego web sites--well, you'll know he's quite on his way to being a computer super genius (snicker here).
Also, we're pretty smart parents. We have parental controls on the computer in his room. Not only is it a modest iMac G3 relic, it also won't connect to the Internet unless we've approved the website. And he can't install a thing. Or print anything. Or well do anything that we won't know about. I am all about teaching him responsibility, and this is just the start!
Labels: children's games, computer, reviews
