Young Children and Computers
In recent years, the consumer and school markets have become deluged with software products for children--products of dramatically varying quality. Following are three examples of highly rated programs
for three- and four-year-olds. These were rated for content, user friendliness, adult management features, strength of support materials, and value for the cost, rather than being examined for outcomes on children's learning.
for three- and four-year-olds. These were rated for content, user friendliness, adult management features, strength of support materials, and value for the cost, rather than being examined for outcomes on children's learning.
Age Group Program Brief Description
Three years Reader Rabbit's Includes matching, sorting, patterns, letters, and older Ready for Letters and word meanings in five activities. These are Grandma's Kitchen, Mix & Match Bedroom, ABC Bathroom, Picture Parlor, and Grandpa's Workshop.
Kid Pix Easy-to-use graphics and writing creation
0i program. Mouse is used to draw, dribble paint, stamp letters, erase, and create shapes and backgrounds. Keyboard is used for word
processing. Children can record their voices along with the drawings and writings.
0i program. Mouse is used to draw, dribble paint, stamp letters, erase, and create shapes and backgrounds. Keyboard is used for word
processing. Children can record their voices along with the drawings and writings.
Living Books These storybooks have approximately 12 0i pages. The story is presented and each word in the text is highlighted as it is voiced. Each page includes contains 10 to 20 objects that are activated by clicking on them. Examples of stories are Just Grandma and Me, Arthur's Teacher Troubles, Arthur's Reading Race.
Four years A to Zap An alphabet book of 26 open-ended activities and older 0i exploring letters, letter names, words, numbers, counting, and other concepts.
Bailey's Book House Children explore alphabet letters and sounds, 0i play with rhyming words, manipulate
prepositions, construct stories using preset lists of characters, settings, props, and actions, and create and print their own cards and invitations.
prepositions, construct stories using preset lists of characters, settings, props, and actions, and create and print their own cards and invitations.
| The Playroom | Children explore numbers, time, the alphabet, | ||||||
| 0i | and other learning concepts. In one game, | children type words that are shown on the | screen. When the word is completed, the | program pronounces each phoneme and | highlights each letter. | ||