Getting the Upper Hand on High School

When a teen reaches high school, the pressure to succeed can be enormous.  Kids have to contend with trying to keep grades up, and, at the same time they are bombarded from every direction.  They are encouraged to participate in a whole host of activities, study, have a social life, try to fit in and prepare for either college or the working world.  It's easy to get a little lost, but, at Learning Is Fun Store, we have some software solutions that can help ease the pathway to achievement.

High School Advantage 2011 is a wonderful program that can follow your teen throughout the upper grades.  It will help improve your students confidence and grades by engaging, reinforcing, supporting and motivating them with interesting and challenging lessons that they can learn at their own pace.  A wide variety of topics are included, some of them are algebra II, geometry, trigonometry, biology, chemistry, physics, US history, US government, economics, writing and researching papers, as well as basic conversational Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Another fine educational software suite for teens is High School Success Deluxe 2010.  This comprehensive software covers over 100 subjects and includes over 600 learning activities and 2,000 exercises to keep students engaged in learning.  Perfect for any learning level, topics include algebra, writing, biology, chemistry, history, foreign languages and much more. You also receive access to tutor.com and Britannica Online Premium for additional learning support.

Not Just Fun and Games

At Learning Is Fun Store, we believe that there should be a healthy balance between learning and having fun.  When you make a game out of learning, you take the sting out of the process and it becomes much easier to digest.  When the teaching method isn't dull and boring, children pay better attention, listen longer and learn more.  We have just added some new software for the younger set that we are happy to say is quite entertaining and educational.

To help teach kids the essentials they need by first grade, Excelerator PreK-1st Grade is an ideal solution.  It is the perfect mix of skill-building lessons and entertainment that will keep youngsters playing and learning.  There are more than twenty animated, multi-level games that will help children grasp key early math, spelling, vocabulary, memorization, problem solving and creative skills.  Self-paced games allow children to learn at their own speed as they play color, letter, and number matching games, sorting exercises, match cards, and there is a Creativity Center for drawing and painting too.

For early elementary school students, Excelerator 1st-4th Grade will increase confidence and boost grades while keeping kids engaged in learning.  This program will help your child grasp essential concepts in addition, subtraction, geometry, vocabulary, problem solving, art, music and more.  There are over 25 games that will have kids play and solve mazes, matching puzzles, brainteasers, tricky puzzles, silly riddles and connect the dots.  At the Creativity Center they can even create their own music, or, draw and paint.

Learning the Disney Way

We've all grown up with the charming and endearing characters created by Walt Disney and children still love them.  Disney Learning is an enchanting and entertaining way to start your child down the path of early learning.  Their programs are loaded with age appropriate lessons that will build the knowledge and thinking skills kids need to succeed.  Designed for children 18 Months to Age 3, Disney Learning Toddler will teach your child all about colors, shapes, letters, numbers and early phonics with the help of Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.  There are 74 activities, including a charming journey through the Hundred Acre Woods via illustrated pages that come to life.

With youngsters Ages 2-4 in mind, Disney Learning Preschool begins to teach children early math and simple spelling.  There are seventy activities with Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.  Also included is Disney's Stanley Wild For Sharks game where kids will explore Stanley's underwater world and learn valuable environmental, social and emotional lessons.

Disney Learning Kindergarten is designed to further develop creativity, imagination and critical thinkings skills with 60 fun learning activities.  Children learn phonics, spelling, increase their vocabulary, practice addition and subtraction, and more.  Kids get to go on a special phonics quest with Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice as they search for lost items.  All of these programs entertain and teach, youngsters have a wonderful time and learn so very much.

Spring Fever

Spring is in the air and it is that time of year when people start thinking about taking care of all those household tasks that they have been putting off.  You might also be contemplating some new additions to your backyard.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have some software that will help you catch up on repairs or make homemade furniture for your yard or patio.

Black and Decker Everyday Home Repairs is a fantastic way to save money.  This comprehensive video guide will provide you with step by step instructions for repairs to windows, doors, walls, ceilings, basic plumbing and electrical as well as exterior repairs.  It also has a project estimator that will help you determine if the repair will fit your budget and you can print out instructions, material lists, photos and the tools needed to complete the job.  You will also learn trade secrets and tips to help you complete common repairs.

Many people enjoy woodworking, get ready for spring with birdhouses for your feathered friends or a new picnic table in time for barbeque season.  Instant Woodworking Design gives you detailed instructions on these and many more projects.  Choose your project and the dimensions you'd like and the plans will be drawn up right before your eyes.  Each project has a material list and includes nailing points.  There are plans for a dog house, bookshelf, wine rack, shelving and more.

Investing in Success

There are many software programs available for children that are curriculum based for individual grade levels.  However, there are also some fine software suites that are designed to follow your child through multiple grades step-by-step.  These programs are a slightly larger investment up front, but, over time can actually be more economical.  Designed by educators, they will boost confidence, kids get to learn at their own pace and computers have infinite patience and are non-judgemental.

Academic Fitness Elementary School is brought to you by the makers of trusted Weekly Reader.  It will follow your child through first to fifth grades and allows you to monitor progress.  It covers all the core subjects including; Science, Social Studies, Math, Literature, English, History, and Geography.  It has 150 hours of tutorials, 7,600 questions and answers, I-Pod content and over 30 hours of audio books.  When all the content is considered, it is quite a bargain.

Another excellent program is Elementary School Success Deluxe 2010.  This program journeys with your child from kindergarten through fifth grade.  Endorsed by educators, it has award-winning lessons in a variety of core subjects.  There are over 800 fun and educational activities and 5,000 exercises.  This program also gives your child access to free homework help from Tutor.com along with a bonus Encyclopedia Britannica  Children's Learning Suite.  Come visit Learning Is Fun Store for these and other fine learning programs.

Out of This World

Many children still dream about becoming an astronaut and blasting off into outer space.  At the rate that technology is advancing, that dream just might become a reality for more and more of them.  Until that day arrives, help them learn more about our galaxy, the universe and the space program with some fascinating software.  Let's Explore Space Missions takes a look at the past fifty years of space exploration.  Kids will learn about U.S. and Russian astronaut programs, missions and space probes.  They will also learn about what scientists believe is in store for us in our future space endeavors.

Britannica Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe attempts to answer age old questions that everyone has about the universe.  Children will find the latest information on how a galaxy develops, where shooting stars come from, what causes an eclipse, and much more.  This program is packed with videos, simulations, and photographs of galaxies, nebulae, stars, constellations and the solar system.  Kids also have access to internet-based activities, research projects and productivity tools for school assignments.

Kids can take a fantastic journey in the Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe with exciting 3-D tours.   Just about every subject involving outer space is covered, kids can watch astronauts in training, learn about space technology, stars, constellations, planetary systems and much more.  It even includes an interactive virtual observatory to explore the night sky.  So, come investigate all the different knowledge adventures available at Learning Is Fun Store.

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.