Educational Software for Toddlers, Kids, Teens and Adults.

Tips on how to improve test scores, grades and confidence for students of all ages. Information on the best methods for teaching the basics to toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Teaching Little Ones

By the time a child reaches the age of two, they are usually ready to start learning all the basics that help them identify the world around them.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have software that is designed to help you teach children about colors, shapes, animal names and sounds, and much more.  These programs will also help develop important memory and thinking skills. 

One of the best programs designed for very young children is Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby and Toddler.  You can start your youngster as early as one, it has special Peek-A-Boo and Hide & Seek games for learning colors, songs, and animals.  The Alphabet Express game helps teach letters and there is a Coloring Book with singing crayons!  With a little practice, kids can play and learn on their own.

An entertaining way to build a youngsters basic and memory skills is SuperStart Match & Learn.  Colorful graphics and animation entertain children while they play simple match and learn games.  As simple as it sounds, children learn to memorize images and how to group things by association.  In the process, little ones also learn about shapes, colors, numbers, animals and the alphabet.

Muppet Babies Toyland Train is an adorable way to teach youngsters, who doesn't love Muppet characters.  Your little one will follow baby Kermit as he chugs along to the various destinations designed to entertain and teach.  There are five seperate levels of learning - in level one, kids simply watch animals cross the screen one-by-one and the sounds that they make.  In level two, a child's input is required, either a click of the mouse or by tapping a key.  When your child reaches level three, they will be ready for the point and click activities which include popping balloons, sing-a-longs, dressing Skeeter in a logical fashion (socks before shoes, etc.), Shapely Corner where they will learn shapes and colors, and so much more.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Early Reading Solutions

Once a child begins to read, there are many software programs available to help further phonics, vocabulary and comprehension skills.  They are simple solutions to help instill a lifelong love of reading by engaging your child in fun and entertaining activities that will help make learning painless.  A favorite of many children is Clifford Reading, the Big Red Dog takes them on a journey through his neighborhood with his friend Emily Elizabeth.  With more than 100 reading lessons and fifteen printable activities, kids will learn and play for hours.  Learning is reinforced with a reward system, great fun while developing a wealth of reading skills.

A very trusted program is Jump Start 1ST Grade Reading, specially designed for first graders.  Children explore a fun circus atmosphere where they will play carnival games while practicing all of their spelling, reading and vocabulary skills.  There are six phonics geared activities and over 1,500 vocabulary words to learn.  You'll be able to track their progress and watch as their reading and comprehension abilities begin to soar.

Superstart Fun With Reading & Writing is another wonderful way to reinforce what your child is learning in the classroom.  This program is loaded with animation, fun language games, exercises, puzzle-solving, creative writing, decoding games and more.  Children will develop strong reading and writing skills that are essential for success in school.  All while have a great time doing so.  We welcome you to visit Learning Is Fun Store for more educational, yet entertaining, software for kids.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Feed Curiosity

One of the beautiful things about childhood is the natural curiosity that kids have about the world around them.  Parents can become frustrated answering the questions about "why".  Everything is so new and fresh to them, and their desire to learn and explore should be encouraged as much as possible.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have a variety of software designed to help satisfy the hunger for knowledge, it will both entertain and teach.

Children are fascinated by insects, frogs, and snakes, they are everywhere outdoors and most kids seem to love to collect and 'play' with them.  Help them learn interesting facts about them with World of Insects and World of Reptiles.  Loaded with facts, videos and colorful pictures, children will learn not only about what they made find in their own backyard, but, exotic species around the globe.  Each has a quiz that will help them see how much they've learned.

Although most of us never have a chance encounter with wild cats or whales, these animals have a beauty and mystique about them that we never really outgrow.  World of Whales delves into the strong connection that man has with these mammals of the sea.  This software is filled with fascinating facts and beautiful footage about whales, dolphins and porpoises.  Big cat lovers can pass their affection along to their kids with World of Wild Cats.  Kids will journey throughout the world and learn about habitats, behavior, and watch them in action.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Creative Projects for Kids

Kids love to watch cartoons and play with paint and Play-Doh.  They also love computers, so, why not combine these activities for hours of creative fun without the mess?  Children can mix their own colors and paint to their hearts content with Paintbook Creations.  They will be able to paint everything from a peony to a cheetah with their onscreen paintbrush and then print their creation to save or share.

Play-Doh Creations is just as fun as playing with canned Play-Doh, maybe even more so.  Kids get to invent crazy creatures at the Laboratory.  Then, they can go to the Mini-Mall where they can design costumes and hairstyles for them.  They can also create vehicles at the Play-Doh Factory or mix up delicious treats at the Bakery.  Children will develop early design skills and learn color theory as they customize their unique creations.

All kids love Nickelodeon cartoon characters, and for ages six and up, Nickelodeon Toon Twister 3-D is highly entertaining.  Children learn to be animators as they choose from 19 different characters including SpongeBob SquarePants and the Fairly Odd Parents to star in their own made-up cartoons.  They will pick backgrounds, props, and create their own title and credits, then they get to watch their creation.  Kids can even e-mail cartoons to friends.  So, come pay a visit to Learning Is Fun Store and get your kids creating.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Explore History and Culture

Learning about diverse cultures and the contributions and events that have shaped history and every day lives is an important part of any education.  It furthers our understanding and appreciation of the world around us and strengthens the bonds of humanity.  There are two software programs from Britannica that I would highly recommend for everyone, young or old, that we have available at Learning Is Fun Store.

A terrific multi-media experience, Britannica Profiles: Black History, is a powerful guide that explores black history from African culture to the civil rights movement and beyond.  There are over 1,000 articles that explore important historical events, inventors, sports and entertainment.  Over 700 biographies illuminate influential artists, athletes, leaders and scientists such as; Muhammad Ali, Ella Fitzgerald, Martin Luther King Jr., Sidney Poitier, Harriet Tubman, Desmond Tutu and Oprah Winfrey.  Film clips, videos and unique learning activities provide a well rounded journey.

Britannica Profiles: Hispanic Heritage is a fascinating exploration of the traditions and culture that has shaped  South, Central and North America.  You can take a tour of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, learn about the Panama Canal and the Bay of Pigs invasion.  Loaded with history and biographies about; Simon Bolivar, Fidel Castro, Oscar de la Renta, Placido Domingo, Che Guevara, Frida Kahlo, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Peron, Juan Ponce de Leon, Carlos Santana, Sammy Sosa, and many others.  Study Latin American literature and music, retrace the steps of Christopher Columbus, and much more.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Trivia Fun for the Whole Family

It's amazing how the human mind absorbs tidbits of information and stores it for future use.  You can be amazed sometimes by the amount of knowledge that you actually have stored in your brain.  A great way to exercise your head and have fun at the same time is with trivia based games.  At Learning Is Fun Store we have some highly entertaining trivia games that the whole family can enjoy together, or, play on an individual basis.

From the makers of the famous encylopedia, Britannica Quizmaster has over 2,800 questions and is designed to entertain and teach.  Concise explanations follow every answer to further your understanding on a variety of subjects.  History, geography, literature, sports and nature are some of the categories that will tickle your brain.

Superstart - Trivia Hunter is a wonderful way to be tested on, and learn about, all sorts of interesting facts.  There are ten categories;  animals, sports, oceans, dinosaurs, technology, space, music, mysterious places, food, and famous people.  It will have you solving hidden object puzzles to unlock fun facts and trivia questions.

The younger set will particulary enjoy Carmen Sandiego's Think Quick.  Carmen Sandiego and her cohorts are out to steal all the knowledge in the world.  It's up to you to outwit her by answering questions about math, science, history, geography, and the humanities.  This game is so popular that there have been over six million copies sold so far!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Now I Know My ABC's

No one can ever emphasize enough the importance of reading in a child's education.  It is the backbone and the key that opens up every other aspect of learning.  It's important that children start off with a solid foundation to build from.  You can begin to instill a lifelong love of reading and learning just by starting off with simple ABC's and the basic sounds associated with each letter.  Even toddlers can begin to make the association between the symbol (letter) and the sounds that form words.

At Learning Is Fun Store we have fun and entertaining software that will help youngsters learn and laugh at the same time.  Alphabet Express Deluxe will take toddlers on a magical train ride with a friendly conductor who will guide and encourage your child as they pursue all the activities.  Included are mazes, dot-to-dot puzzles, hidden letter pictures and printable and onscreen pictures to color that will have them practicing and learning every letter of the alphabet.  This program will increase their vocabulary, they will be able to complete upper and lower case letters and begin to make letter/sound associations.

Children love Dr. Seuss characters, what better way to teach them the alphabet than Dr. Seuss ABC's?  The computer screen will come alive with funny talking characters, crazy sound effects and an original soundtrack.  Even the youngest child can enjoy the merriment, there are over 400 alphabet inspired surprises with just the movement of the computer mouse. 

Zoboomafoo - Animal Alphabet is a magical tour of twenty-six different creatures that each represent a letter of the alphabet.  From Armadillo to Zebra, your child will be enchanted by the learning games, animal videos and printable activities.  Not only will they learn the alphabet, but, interesting facts about animals and the sounds they make.  This program also teaches early phonics, counting, colors and develops logic and critical thinking skills.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Musical Adventures for Youngsters

It's never too early to introduce your child to the pleasure of listening to classical music.  Beautiful music can stir and uplift the soul in a way that nothing else can.  A wonderful way to teach children about the different sounds that musical instruments make and how this combination works comes from the makers of Superstart software.

Each of the titles in this series spotlights the music of a different composer.  Children learn about the composers life, listen to his music, and play games.  Youngsters will see and hear the sounds of instruments in an orchestra.  They get to test their new-found knowledge by matching sounds to pictures, when correct, an animal plays the instrument.  If they get them all correct, an entire animal orchestra plays.

Included in the Musical Adventure series are Motzart, Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi.  Every one of these entertaining and stimulating programs includes games that will help develop important memory, logical thinking, sound discrimination, music differentiation and vocabulary skills.  It is amazing how quickly youngsters can learn to identify and appreciate classical music.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Learning Fun for Children

Children today are very fortunate, they don't have to rely on just classroom time and textbooks in order to learn.  Computers have added a whole new dimension to teaching children.  There are many benefits to this method of learning, including the fact that computers are non-judgemental and kids can go at their own pace and go over materials as many times as they need to.  Most software programs have special sections for parents so that they can monitor their child's progress.

At Learning Is Fun Store, we have just added some variety packs that will provide your child with hours of entertaining and engaging learning experiences.  One of these packages is Teacher's Pet Early Elementary 2010.  Desgined for kids between the ages of five and nine, it includes five well-known software titles at a great price.  First off, Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum will entertain and teach them the right way to type.  There are two Reader Rabbit programs to improve reading skills.  Mighty Math Carnival and Zoombinis Island Odyssey will have them practicing math and improve thinking skills.

Teacher's Pet Upper Elementary 2010 also contains five super software programs.   Kid's will hone their skills in math, history, geography, thinking and creativity.  There are two Mighy Math titles that turn math into games that kids actually want to play.  The Oregon Trail 5th Edition will virtually transport children back to the days of covered wagon trains where they will need to make decisions crucial to the trains success.  Thinkin' Things is loaded with puzzles and teasers, while Carmen Sandiego will take them on a geographic  detective story.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Preparing for Higher Mathematics

By the time a child reaches middle school, he or she should have mastered all the basic skills necessary to conquer more advanced mathematical concepts.  As they begin to approach higher math, it can become overwhelming quite quickly.  It's easy to get left behind and get lost in the shuffle.  At Learning Is Fun Store we have a variety of math software designed to give middle school kids a helping hand and the additional practice they need to get a good grasp.

One program that is very helpful for students comes from SelectSoft Publishing, the Speedstudy series.  This software is designed by educators and is presented in a fun, multimedia environment.  Math concepts are explained in step-by-step animations and real time quizzes reinforce learning.  To reinforce skills such as area and perimeter, decimals, fractions, percentages and statistics, Speedstudy 6th Grade Math is a good solution.

Speedstudy 7th Grade Advanced Math and Speedstudy 8th Grade Math Advanced will introduce your child to pre-algebra and algebra and give them a firm understanding of equations, positive and negative numbers, vectors, square roots and much more.  These programs will help take the stress out of learning math and give them the confidence that they need to succeed.  We invite you to come visit our website for more software solutions that will grow with your child.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Silly Fun for All

At Learning Is Fun Store, we have a large selection of educational software.  However, we also believe it's important to sometimes just get silly, forget your cares and have a good time.  We've tried to gather some games that both kids and adults can enjoy.  For a little prehistoric amusement, Caveman Antics will have you using your brains to keep ahead of devious dragons, mad mushrooms and blue goblins while gathering objects you need to win the game.  It has a special easy level designed just for kids.

For outrageous fun that the whole family can enjoy, pick your sheep and get ready for Champion Sheep Rally.  These normally mild-mannered creatures show a whole different side when they're racing each other.  Watch as they try to take each other out by catapulting chickens or use jet-packs to get to the front of the herd.  Eight different tracks and eleven different sheep to pick from make it continuously exciting.

You'll laugh out loud when you adventure with Super Granny 3.  You have to help Granny rescue her precious kitties who have been catnapped and taken to an amusement park.  Sprint through five different themed areas along with Granny in her super sneakers.  Solve puzzles and complete stunts to gather them up before her enemies can.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Let's Learn - Abstract Concepts Made Easy

Teaching children about objects and things that actually represent something entirely different can be a difficult task.  Take money, for instance - it is something that we place an abstract value and importance on, but, why?  Couldn't we use rocks for trade, why does paper money spend, what about credit cards?  Part of  a wonderful series called Let's Learn, is Let's Learn: Money and Economics which answers all this and more.

Each Let's Learn software deals with what are seemingly easy concepts, until you try to explain them.  They each have three levels of difficulty; easy, medium and hard.  The easy level introduces the basic concepts, then as children progress, there are advanced concepts tackled.  There are games and quizzes specially designed to keep them engaged so they learn more.

Let's Learn: Time and Date teaches kids all about hours, minutes, seconds, days, weeks, and all the basics.  Beyond that, it will explain how and why these measurements work, the history of time measurement and why we have time zones.  Let's Learn: Temperature and Weather explains what makes weather, all about how temperature is measured, and includes the history behind the science along with interesting facts.  We welcome your visit to Learning Is Fun Store for this software and other titles in this series.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Basic Skills for Toddlers

Young children are like little sponges soaking up as much information as they can.  As they are learning and exploring the world around them they can be so much fun to teach.  Everything is so new to them and their curiosity is endless - that can get to be a little frustrating at times.  At Learning Is Fun Store we have a selection of entertaining and practical software that will engage and educate your toddler.  They will become familiar with computers and get a good grasp of skills they will need before they start school.

A nice combination package of software titles is Adventure Workshop Toddler 9th Edition.  This has some of the most loved software, by parents and toddlers alike, available.  Included are Bailey's Book House for ABC fun and pre-reading development.  Sammy's Science House will introduce youngsters to facts about animals, plants and weather.  It also includes Reader Rabbit Toddler and Arthur's Preschool, both provide a wealth of learning fun and activities.

Both youngsters and parents adore Walt Disney characters.  Disney Fun and Skills Pack - Preschool to 1st Grade is loaded with skill-building activities and early lessons.  Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Brother Bear will have your little one learning about shapes, words, vocabulary, spatial awareness and the ability to follow directions with four fun-filled discs.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Adventures for Kids

Adventure software designed for kids is a great way to encourage them to think and use their imaginations.  They can pretend that they are the exciting characters visiting exotic locations.  While children are having fun, they are also exercising their grey matter and discovering that puzzle solving can be a rewarding experience.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have a wide variety of thinking games that will take kids on outrageous adventures.

A favorite amongst children is a character called SPY Fox.  Those of us who are fans of James Bond can truly appreciate this character.  SPY Fox prefers his moo juice shaken, not stirred, and is always with his faithful companions Monkey Penny and Professor Quack, the supplier of his quirky gadgets.  Your child will love going along on his missions including; SPY Fox in Cheese ChaseSPY Fox in Dry Cereal and SPY Fox Operation Ozone.

If you want to introduce your child to the fun that a great mystery story can be, Scooby-Doo is a wonderful way for the journey to begin.  Every child, and adult for that matter, loves that adorable character.  Scooby- Doo and the gang have some awesome adventures in Scooby-Doo - Showdown in Ghost Town and Scooby-Doo - The Glowing Bug Man.  The story lines are just spooky enough to be exciting for children without being too much.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Understanding Our Government

It is the responsibility of all U.S. citizens to have an understanding of how and why our government works.  When you listen to the news, it can be very difficult to comprehend the lack of knowledge displayed.  Even politicians are guilty of not understanding the Constitution, something that was taught when we were in school.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have software that will help prepare your children for their future duties.

High Achiever - U.S. Government is a curriculum standards based program with 108 lessons and interactive quiz questions.  It begins with explaining the documents that our country was founded on, explains the principles of American democracy, promotes an understanding of Constitutional Rights, the branches of government, the Supreme Court and states rights.

Speedstudy U.S. Government is another wonderful program that is also standards based with an entertaining multimedia approach.  Every concept is explained is an easy to understand, step-by-step format.  This software covers all the basics along with a look at how media influences the government and a look at how political campaigns function.