- The ready for school center is an expandable system with each additional piece of software.
- The five centers are reading, writing, math, art, music, and science.
- Each center is represented by a physical button on the base hardware.
- Children can also print out reward certificates and supplemental worksheet-type activities.
- Includes a kid-friendly keyboard, writing , stylus and CD ROM software that helps preschoolers in getting ready for school.
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Computer Cool School is sure to get your young ones excited
about learning. Whether they are in school already or haven't
started yet, this easy-to-use educational toy will get kids ages
3 and above writing, reading, counting, painting, and more!
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Children will learning using a real full QWERTY keyboard. View
larger
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Kids can write and draw using the and stylus. View larger
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. What We Think
Fun Factor:
Durability:
(what this means)
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The Good: Easy navigation and crisp, clear graphics that are fun
and colorful without being cloying.
The Bad: Can't adjust the volume while playing the game.
In a Nutshell: Kids will enjoy the wide variety of activities
and will associate learning with fun! At a Glance
Ages: 3 and up
Requires: PC with minimum of:
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP
Processor: 1.2 GHz
Memory: 256 MB RAM
Hard Drive: 200 MB available
Video Resolution: 800x600 32-bit color DirectX9.Oc compatible
CD or DVD drive
USB port
Recommended: Printer, Internet Connection (for software updates)
Fast and Easy Set-Up
With bright, animated graphics and big controls that are easy
for young hands to use, Computer Cool School hooks up to your
computer via a USB cable. Once you've completed the quick
software installation, kids are ready to start learning and
playing. They'll love Leo the friendly leopard who leads them
through the game, and all the other colorful creatures they
meeting along the way.
Computer Cool School requires that you connect the Computer Cool
School keyboard to your computer with a USB cable and install the
game's software on your computer via a CD-ROM. The installation
is fast and easy; the software's set-up wizard walks you through
the process. Before letting your child play, you can use the
parental controls to set things like volume and number of copies
that can be printed. Parents can also create a pas that
protects their hard drive and prevents their child from going on
the Internet. These parental controls are easy to find and set.
The helpful instructions thoroughly describe the setup process
and all the different options for play.
Kids play using the sturdy plastic Computer Cool School
keyboard. It has big, colorful buttons that your child will learn
to use quickly, along with a drawing "" and attached stylus
they can draw with. The layout of the QWERTY keyboard is clever
yet simple, with buttons along the top and side that let your
young ones navigate to different parts of the game. They'll not
only have fun, but they'll also feel "adult" because the keyboard
looks so much like yours!
Learning Equals Fun!
Each time your child starts to play Computer Cool School, they
go to the home classroom where Leo the leopard greets them. From
there they can visit one of the four learning "centers,"
including reading/writing, math, science, music, and art. There
is also a "field trip" they can go on, which takes them on a
fun-filled visit to a farm.
Each of these centers is unique and filled with great
information and stimulating activities. Kids can choose to click
on different things and learn about them or participate in a more
interactive way, with quizzes, games, or writing and art
projects. In the art center, for example, they can create
original drawings with a range of tools and colors, and then
print or save them. In the science center, they learn about
different kinds of environments and the s and animals that
live in them. But they can also choose to play games that test
their knowledge and help them learn more.
The graphics in Computer Cool School are crisp, clear, and fun
to watch. The colorful creatures, buildings, objects, and
environments are beautifully rendered and the animation moves at
a good pace -- fast enough to keep your child's interest and let
them participate, but not so fast as to be dizzying. The audio is
equally clear, and in fact can be very loud -- so be sure to set
the volume low to start with. Though kids will be learning
constantly throughout the game, they'll also be having fun, which
is how learning should be!
Your Child Will Feel Like a Star
We really liked how the software uses your child's sign-in name
in the classroom in various ways. For example, there's a sign in
the classroom that says "Star of the Day" and your child's name
is on it. We also especially liked the art and music centers,
which will inspire your children to creative heights. In the art
center, you have a huge variety of colors and virtual art
implements to use, as well as "stamps" and backgrounds that your
child is sure to love. In the music center, children will learn
about different instruments and play them in combination with all
(or none) of the other included instruments. The clear and
colorful (but not cloying) graphics are another high point of
this game.
In general, Computer Cool School is very thoughtfully designed,
enabling kids to navigate a wide range of play options with a few
simple touches of a button. Our only complaint was that we
couldn't find a way to change the volume settings once we'd
entered the game. In order to change the volume, we had to back
out of the game and reset the parental controls.
There is a short learning curve for figuring out how to navigate
through the centers, but once you know how, it's easy to do. Your
child will be up and running in no time, having fun and learning
at the same time.
What's in the Box
Computer Cool School keyboard with USB cable; templates for
practicing writing numbers and letters; software; instructions.
From the Manufacturer
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Get ready for school with five learning centers! This
kid-friendly keyboard transforms your computer into a complete
get-ready-for-school system! Five learning centers are full of
skill-building activities in reading, writing, math, science, art
and music, each offering a well-rounded and carefully planned
curriculum — just like preschool. Computer Cool School is a great
way to introduce your child to computers, and it also helps
develop keyboarding skills kids need for school. To the right of
the keyboard is a with an attached stylus for writing and
drawing. The position of the stylus adjusts so it’s as
comfortable for lefties to use as it is for right-handers. We’ve
included templates to help your child learn to form letters and
numbers, 100+ printable activity sheets, and a learning CD to get
your child started. It’s easy to set up and connect to your
computer and comes with its own USB cord. You’ll appreciate the
pas-protected controls that block your child from accessing
your computer desktop or websites.
