Math Matters

Many children who have difficulty with math find it hard to understand why it is important to master this subject. Kids want to know "why do I have to learn this anyway?". So much of their future success in many professions can hinge upon a grasp of tough concepts. It is vital that they become proficient in the basics in order to succeed in advanced courses. Fortunately, at Learning Is Fun Store, we have software programs that will help children conquer their doubts and find out why it's important to become a math master.

A great teaching program that kids can relate to is Math for the Real World. Children get a dose of reality as they become members of a rock band ready to tour, in the process they learn how math plays a part in everyday life. They must manage their money, buy food, and use maps as they help their band climb the charts.

Kids practice; logic, fractions, decimals, perecentages, time, money, volume, weight and measurements. There are multiple levels of difficulty, over 4,000 problems and a reference library with detailed explanations for everyday problems.

Kids, parents and teachers are fans of the colorful character, Carmen Sandiego. A great way for children to gain respect for math as well as tons of practice is Carmen Sandiego Math Detective. The greatest landmarks in the world are disappearing thanks to Carmen and her sinister band. They have developed a shrinking device and your child must go on twelve amazing adventures to help restore them to their right size.

This game will have them determine missing numbers, ordering whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, integers and monetary values. Children will also develop geometry skills as they study shapes, angles and spatial relationships, construct geometric models, calculate area and perimeter, and apply concepts. There are hundreds of problems for them to solve while playing this entertaining game.

What child doesn't love a super hero? Mighty Math Number Heroes is an engaging way to learn important everyday skills from a gang of endearing characters.

Children learn about prediction, graphs and charts from Handsome Chance as they test their ideas on the probability machine. Fraction Man helps kids create fantastic fireworks displays as they practice basic arithmetic and learn about fractions and decimals. Geometry Man and his computer will assist kids as they build geometric shapes and solve brainteasers. With an exciting game show format, Star Brilliant and a cast of wacky contestants will have your child solving a variety of challenging math problems.

Music Appreciation for Kids

It is a sad and unfortunate fact that in today's economic climate, schools have had to cut programs that at one time were taken for granted.  An education should be so much more than just reading, writing and arithmetic.  For a truly well-rounded learning experience, children of all ages should have exposure to the arts as well.  Many of us can remember a time when schools would provide children with an introduction to culture by hiring music and art teachers who would come into the classroom.

In some instances, it is now up to parents to help make up the difference on their own.  In this article, we will focus on how to instill a love of music in children that will help them appreciate all the different ways that it can be expressed, even if they never learn how to play a note.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have some fine programs that will do just that.

Designed for children ages 8 and up, Creating Music: Playing Music is an extensive and entertaining introduction.  Children get to experience the magic of music before they even pick up an instrument.  Interactive games teach them fundamentals such as pitch, rhythm, the sounds that musical instruments make, and musical styles.  Adorable characters make learning fun as they guide your child through the program. 

Kids will also learn about composers, classical music and how written notes tell the orchestra how the music should be played. Children get to experiment with their own interpretation of music and then watch the music performed.


The Magic of Music is the ultimate home learning guide and is a multi-media experience for ages 10 and above.  This fabulous four CD-ROM program will take your child on a journey throughout history and there are presentations, performances and photographs to help enrich their experience.  They will trace the development of Western music from Gregorian chants to modern composers and listen to madrigals, troubadours, renaissance choral works, baroque opera, concertos and symphony performances.  Children will explore the great composers along with their works and contributions to symphonic music.

Kids will also have the fun of learning about the birth of jazz in New Orleans, Chicago and New York City dance halls. Learn about swing, big bands, bebop, cool jazz and soulful jazz.  They will also get to explore three different cultural groups; sub-Saharan Africans, Native Americans, and Polynesians and how they express their culture through music. Learn how geography influences music and listen to a variety of musical excerpts.  This is a very well-rounded teaching approach that can be enjoyed again and again.

Critical Thinking Skills for Kids

Critical thinking is an essential part of any child's development.  The ability to approach a problem from many different angles is a skill that should be honed to it's sharpest level.  It is so important to be able to employ these skills whether trying to solve a difficult math problem, or, just maneuver your way through the pitfalls that everyone experiences in living day to day.   At Learning Is Fun Store, we have entertaining programs that make developing these skills easy and fun.

Even young children should be encouraged to use their thinking skills.  A wonderful program for youngsters is Clifford Thinking Adventures, which features Clifford the Big Red Dog.  Clifford is a good dog and a true blue friend and it's time to celebrate his birthday. 

Your child needs to help his friends make it a special day by journeying through Clifford's neighborhood to find things that will do just that.  In the process, children experience engaging activities that will promote logic, problem solving, listening & following directions, memory, matching and spatial reasoning skills.

There is nothing better than a good mystery to get the mind working.  Elementary school children will enjoy playing Carmen Sandiego Jr. Detective, a globe-trotting adventure that has your child chasing wily Carmen and her gang through all sorts of exciting locales, including Brazil, Italy and Saudi Arabia. 

Not only does this program promote deductive reasoning and memory skills, it also teaches about other cultures, geography, how to read a map, and social studies.  Loaded with beautiful pictures and music, it will hold your child's attention so that they keep playing and learning.




Anyone, adults included, age 11+ can benefit from NeuroActive Program Learning.  This edu-game was designed by both brain experts and educators to help develop learning abilities.  Very user friendly, it is a series of sixteen different exercises that last four to six minutes each. 

These fun exercises help improve learning, make reading faster, boost memory, retention and problem sovling skills.  When used at least three times a week for fifteen to twenty minutes a session, it will produce measurable improvements.  By mixing up the different types of exercises, all areas of the brain are targeted and trained.

Spelling "Success"

English is loaded with all sorts of rules that are supposed to help you figure out how to spell words properly.  Of course, for every rule, there are exceptions, and, some words just don't have any logical reason for being spelled the way they are.  This can be confusing for children (and even adults), sometimes you just have to memorize the way a word is spelled.  You can help take the sting out of learning with software that entertains and teaches at the same time from Learning Is Fun Store.

Many adults have played Bookworm, now there is a version specially designed with children in mind, Bookworm Adventures.  Lex the charming bookworm is their guide for spelling fun.  Children practice their spelling prowess in three different engaging games.  In Adventure mode, children spell to help Lex solve the great library mystery.  In the fast-paced Arena game, kids fend off ornery monsters by spelling words correctly.  Children can also visit the mini-game hut where they can spell words for as long as they like at their leisure.

Very versatile, Mrs. Flinkster's Spelling Accelerator Grades 1-5 will follow your child throughout grammar school.  The program includes six different spelling games, each done in a different learning style, to help your child retain what they learn. 

Very easy to customize, parents can load spelling lists and the program will test children after they have played.  This is a great way to improve quiz grades.  Mrs. Flinkster's also comes with 1,000 pre-loaded words for each grade to help further their spelling acumen and improve vocabulary.






More than just a spelling game, Words Rock also challenges grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary skills.  Done in a "battleship-style" format that most kids are familiar with that is loaded with neat graphics and the possibility of earning points at every turn.  Children from kindergarten to eighth grade can enjoy the game.

Children become slug busters, chasing down clues to uncover the slippery slug's hiding places.  There are more than 3,200 activities that will keep them engaged and learning.  Designed to self-adjust for each player, a kindergartener has just as much of a chance at winning as an older child.  Up to four children can play at a time and parents can also monitor the progress that they are making.

Foreign Language Learning for Children

Schools traditionally start teaching students foreign languages in middle school.  Studies have shown that younger children have a great capacity for learning languages and that it helps stimulate cognitive and creative abilities, as well.  Parents can be a step ahead by helping their youngsters learn at a point in their lives when it is so much easier for them.  At Learning Is Fun Store, we have entertaining software programs which are intended to do just that.  Children play and learn through engaging activities that will make them want to learn even more.

A wonderful introduction into understanding other languages is Foreign Language Success for Kids.  Children learn quickly and easily by participating in interactive activities and playing fun games.  There are four different languages for them to learn; Spanish, French, German and Italian.  They will learn basic vocabulary skills, greetings, important phrases and play number games.  Included is a printable picture dictionary along with interactive quizzes and tests.

Charming and captivating, Mia's Language Adventure draws children into learning French and Spanish via an engaging mystery adventure.  Mia's grandmother, Mimi, wins an art contest and then is kidnapped, they must help Mia find her.  While the story is in English, children participate in activities that will teach them letters, numbers and hundreds of words.  Kids also receive instruction in grammar and how to construct a sentence in these languages.

Muzzy, a colorful BBC character and award-winning language program, is a highly entertaining way to get kids learning.  Muzzy Start a Language! Spanish uses memorable cartoon characters, lively humor, and interactive play to stimulate a child's natural ability to absorb language.  They learn how to use hundreds of Spanish words in conversation via segmented activities.  Included are; transportation, clothing, families, shapes, colors and more!

Preschool in a Box

It isn't necessary to send your child to preschool in order to get them ready for their elementary school years.  There are so many wonderful programs available for your home computer that will help you teach so many skills.  This software also has the added advantage of helping your child become comfortable with computers and technology savvy.  At Learning Is Fun Store, you will find a wide selection of programs that are all tried and true.  Your choice mainly depends on the characters that you think your child will enjoy the most!

Filled with charming characters, Dr. Seuss Preschool is enchanted learning for children.  Horton the elephant and other Seussville characters guide your child through more than 250 skill-building lessons. Children discover; numbers and counting, letters and phonics, shapes and colors, and early reading.  Colorful environments, original music and skill levels that adjust as your child progresses will hold their interest.  They will also develop their listening skills and learn how to follow directions, which is so important.

Chances are your child is already a fan of Sesame Street.  They can enjoy learning with characters Ernie, Bert, Elmo and Zoe any time with Sesame Street's Let's go to Preschool.  This engaging program will guide them through early language, reading and math fundamentals and multiple skill levels adjust as they gain confidence in their new found skills.  Children will also explore cause and effect, music, and creativity with this fun-filled software.

From Edmark, a leader in educational software, comes Millie & Bailey Preschool.  This program has become a favorite of parents, teachers and children for all the learning and developmental skills that it teaches.  Multiple skill levels ensure that the program grows right along with your child as they learn letters, rhyming, phonics, comprehension, numbers, similarities and differences, quantities and size relationships.  This program also helps develop critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and direction following skills along with a healthy dose of courtesy, confidence and self-esteem!

Scientific Thinking

Kids' have a natural curiosity about how the world around them works, and, you can help satisfy their questions.  Science is a subject that will help them hone their thinking skills as they learn how to make observations and use their deductive reasoning skills to predict what will happen.   At Learning Is Fun Store, we have a selection of fun software that will enable them to do simple experiments on and off the computer that will keep them engaged and entertained as they learn.

With eight different interactive environments for children to traverse, MyFirst Amazing Science Explorer is packed with learning activities.  Children learn the answers to hundreds of questions, such as; why is grass green or how does a light switch work?  There is information about electricity, forces and energy, heat, light and sound, living things, materials, reactions, simple machines, and space.  Included are twenty printable experiments that use simple household items and a printable scientific notebook that children can use to document their observations just like a real scientist!

Thinkin' Science - ZAP! is another engaging program that is loaded with entertaining interactive experiments in an accurate onscreen environment.  Children will get to observe reactions as they experiment with bending, bouncing and blending light; see, hear and control soundwaves to make BoogieBots dances; tinker with electricity by manipulating onscreen images of circuits and switches and learn about voltage, current and resistance.  Complex scientific concepts are explained in an easy to understand fashion.

One of the coolest software programs ever, The New Way Things Work is a wild ride through history that explores 150 of the greatest inventions of mankind.  With the help of author/illustrator David Macaulay, this program is packed with awesome machines, movies and animations that explain the workings from 7,000 BC to the present.  There are clickable maps loaded with links that will help users solve questions and the Mammoth School House where children can test themselves on their newfound knowledge.