Designed for children aged four to six, each of the seven activities can be played separately from a menu or through an adventure. All are fully narrated on-screen, there are no text-based instructions, and you can click a repeat speech button to rehear any commentary. The teacher options allow you to change the difficulty (there are three levels), log-in details, activity content, settings and pupils' records. All the activities are supported by a comprehensive bank of photocopiable resource sheets.
Activities include writing invitations, shopping for food, and finding out what teddies like to eat or drink. Some activities would be suitable for slightly younger children. For example, 'Dress the teddy' involves helping teddy try on a range of outfits while also introducing the sequencing of familiar events; language such as 'first', 'next' and 'last'; and mouse skills such as point and click, 'sticky mouse' (click to attach clothing, click again to release) and drag and drop.
'Paying for shopping', which involves the identification of coins, 'The postcard', which involves making specific choices, and a 'Walk in the Woods', which involves simple instructions and directional language, would also be suitable for three-year-olds. In the adventure mode, each activity is played through once with a short 'end of adventure' sequence when all have been completed.
This software would be a useful whole-class teaching resource for literacy and numeracy as well as a means of introducing the activities before independent use.
Sherston Software 01666 843200 (Sherston operates a monthly on-approval service).
