Rating: 
Summary: This is going back
Review: I was looking for some software to help my fourth grader with math facts, computations, etc. (He's an Everyday Math victim.) The activites, even at the most advanced level, are much too easy for him. Pointing and clicking at different piles of cookies is not division. This is a complete waste.
Rating:
Summary: This is being returned to The Learning Company
Review: I just purchased this today, and it is extremely disappointing. I was looking for a software package that would help my 2nd grader learn his math facts, and this certainly isn't it, as far as I can tell. There is zero documentation included, so there is no way to steer your child towards games that would help his or her weak areas. I couldn't find a game that drilled them on anything, just a lot of pointless point and click activities.
Rating: 
Summary: Product is not very good
Review: I got this product for my 5 year old, and it is about right,
any 3-6th grade would not like it at all. The best thing in the game is the free cluefinders monkey adventure in my costco box.
Most of the games look like they were designed for windows 95.I liked the clips from grammar rock, I remember these as a kid, but you could by the DVD of Schoolhouse rock and get better versions of those.
Rating:
Summary: I would give it ZERO stars if I could!
Review: I completely agree with what everyone else has said. This was a total waste of money. The other reviewer was right when he said the extra software included (for us it was Star Flyers) was the ONLY good thing! How can they market programs that were designed for 3-5 year olds for Grades 1-3? Its ludicrous! DO NOT waste your money! The whole thing is unprofessional. There are no guides and even the paper inside the CD looks like it was BADLY photocopied. Again, if I could give it ZERO stars I would!
Rating: 
Summary: Not at all age appropriate!
Review: Admittedly, my Kindergartner is an advanced reader (reading at an early 2nd grade level). Nonetheless, I figured that a product that was supposed to cover 1st - 3rd grades would be beneficial over the summer. I was way wrong. First of all, the Learning Company has pulled a fast one. They market this as appropriate for ages 5 - 8, and have stamped each disc in the set with that age range. However, when you look closely at the box you will see that one of the titles shows an age range of 3 - 5; another 4 - 7; and the other two 5 - 8. So right off the bat, one of the products (Baily's Book House) is aimed at preK - K. The next one (Lets Go Read: Island Adventure) is a letter by letter phonics program. I don't think that our school standards overly high -- this is definitely a skill they should have before finishing Kindergarten! So not appropriate for rising 1st graders...much less 3rd graders. In addition, it moves at a snail's pace. I can see that kids would get frustrated because you cannot move at your own pace or even choose which letter you want to learn. It starts with T, then A, then H (so far). And you cannot choose to move to a different letter until you have completed the one it has assigned to you. Oh - and you should have a microphone (I don't). It'll progress without it, but try explaining that to your 3 year old ("he says to say 'tuh' into the microphone!") The next disc (LGR II: Ocean Adventure) is slightly more complex than the LGR I. But it does revisit the pre-K and K, skills explored so deeply in LGR I. Finally - the last disc - is a reading comprehension program. Finally, one that my son can use -- except, in order to really progress, he has to know how to type on the keyboard. So it doesn't matter that he can read the story himself, or express the main ideas and characters in detail -- he has to type them (or I should say I have to type them). Fortunately, there are other games that don't require typing. My last complaint is that there was NO documentation included with this -- not even a "read me" file. These games are not very "intuitive", so I have had to go through them on my own to see how to tell my children to use them. FORTUNATELY - I have a 3 year old at home. She definately can use the first two discs - and will probably have started Disc 3 well before Kindergarten. So at least it wasn't a total waste of money. Really, for her - it is perfect -- and that's the only reason it got 3 stars.
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Summary: Achieve! Phonics for Grade 1-3 or Pre Kindergarden??
Review: We recently bought the software. My daughter is in Grade 2. I figured since it says grades 1 to 3 it should be somewhat challenging. Like the previous reviewers wrote it's a waste of time for seven year olds. Great if your kid is three or four. I wasted my money on this one. Shame on you Broderbund! If you're going to write software for three year olds write it on the box.
Rating:
Summary: Not age appropriate - best for grades 1-4 (5 at most)
Review: I purchased this product for a couple of reasons. The first is because of the good reputation of The Learning Company (I have several of their products) and "Schoolhouse Rock". Also, my child is completing 3rd grade this month. Software that reviewed third grade and went on into the next three years of school seemed perfect. Unfortunately, after I installed and started one of the four CDs, "Schoolhouse Rock", the program stated that it was for ages 6-10 (corresponding to grades 1-5). Another program, "Word Munchers Deluxe", also said it was for grades 1-5 after installing and running the program. This difference in age ranges is not stated anywhere in the discription or on the packaging of the software. The front of all of the CDs says "Ages 8-12", but this is not the case. These two programs look like my childs kindergarten and first grade level programs that he grew out of a couple of years ago. They focused on that level of computer experience as well. I would have been ok with grades 3-5 (ages 8-11) but the characters, graphics, and instructions were for a younger age group. It was too slow. "The Writing Trek" was very boring - maybe a good curriculum guide for elementary school teachers. The last program, "Strategy Challanges" wouldn't run at all, but I didn't care to find out why. I just uninstalled everything, and I hope to exchange it for something else. My child will not use these - they are not appropriate for his age. Another problem was found upon installing "The Writing Trek" CD - it says it is for ages 4-6. This must be an error.
Rating: 
Summary: Four award winning games, newly repackaged.
Review: This is a great value! The package contains four highly rated games -- Let's Go Read 1: An Island Adventure, Lets Go Read 2:An Ocean Adventure, Bailey's Bookhouse, and Stories and More:Time and Place. The games individually earned an average of 4.3 stars from the Children's Software Revue. The Learning Company must have bought the rights to these games and repackaged them, but they changed the age recommendations. Bailey's Bookhouse was originally marketed for ages 2-5, and I think it it is probably best for 4-5 year olds . The graphics aren't as flashy as those of newer games, but it is engaging and fun without a lot of high-tech animation. My four year old also enjoyed the first Lets Go Read Title (originally marketed for ages 4-6) which has well sequenced phonics activities that include use of a microphone. Stories and more is still above her head. It requires reading, and was originally marketed by Edmark as a game for grades 2-3. This is a great buy. Get it when your kids are pre-K or K age to get full use out of the games in the package.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful resource for the serious homeschooler!!
Review: We have been proud owners of this package for two years and have used it diligently to supplement skills and concepts introduced throughout the year for first and second grade. It has been a WONDERFUL supplemental resource. Unlike a lot other educational software packages that claim to cover a wide range of ages, this one means it when they say "First through Third grade". It is simple to use: After a concept (example: 2 digit addition) has been introduced to the student, you specifically set up games to reinforce those particular skills. After those skills have been mastered you then go back in (with a simple click of the mouse and check-mark skills you want to reinforce from a large pre-set list) It is honestly very simple to do. Explaining the process actually takes far more time that it does to actually do it. Although the games are very "friendly", with engaging characters and settings, the software is not meant to "entertain" as much as it is to teach. I would not at all be surprised to find this package in a lot of school computer rooms for kids to reinforce their skills on. If you are looking for a true educational software package that would be appropriate for (no younger than)first through third grade, this would be perfect for you and your child.
Rating:
Summary: Our kids favorite software -- my favorite too
Review: We purchased Achieve Math and Science grades 1-3 for my two children, 5 and 6 years old. We purchased Reader Rabbit 1st grade at the same time. My children choose to use the Achieve software -- Reader Rabbit is almost untouched. The activities progress in difficulty for each user from level A to level Z. Each user moves through the levels automatically. Level A is very easy with things like counting and sorting by color, identifying shapes. These beginning level activities were suitable for my 5 year old, and might be suitable for a 4 year old, but they were too easy for my 6 year old. However, just change the level manually, and the activities are challenging -- my 6 year old started with the intermediate activities and finds the activities challenging. Neither child wants to stop playing. The activities are obviously educational. Fractions, sorting by multiple characteristics, adding, subtraction, etc. There is very little downtime like with most other kids software. It is just one activity after another. Rewards are not long winded. There is some variety within each type of activity to make it interesting. So, I would disagree with many of the low reviews given by other reviewers. That said, I would not recommend this software if you're child is already in grade 3 -- most of the activities would be too easy.
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