Big Thinkers Kindergarten

Big Thinkers Kindergarten

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Type of Product

Humongous Entertainment educational game for children.

User Level

Has grade-specific activities in math, reading, writing, art, and creativity, for Kindergarten children, ages 5-7 years old.

Review

It is easy to install if you have Windows 3.1. With Windows 95, which I used, you don't need to run install. You just put the CD in and sit back and enjoy. You are presented with a dialog box telling you that the program runs best in 256 color mode. Also the program runs a test checking your CD ROM speed the first time you use it. There is no Users Guide, but the cover on the CD package has instructions inside; and there is a very good Readme file on the CD that provides you with all the information you need. It is so easy to use that you don't need anything else.

Big Thinkers Kindergarten is not only fun but an educational tool as well. Children will really enjoy this program, and parents do not have to worry that their child is spending time on only a time filler program without other benefits.

This program introduces kids to Ben and Becky Brightly, the Brightly twins, who guide them from room to room. The twins morph, twist, and turn into a variety of entertaining objects. They are done in a friendly, comic book style. As Ben and Becky lead your child through six different rooms, he/she is tackling challenges and collecting SmartStars. The activities help your kids to learn:

First Letter Identification
Measurement & Estimation
Sequencing and Patterning
Spelling & Phonics
Time Telling
Alphabet Skills
Reading & Sentences
Counting & Computation
Geography & Directions
Environmental Science
Thinking Skills
Spatial Perception
Art Creativity
Music Creativity

Children can have fun doing the following:

Face Making--creating a one-of-a-kind face for Ben;
Twin Time Telling--watch Ben's face turn into a clock face and tell time;
Refrigerator Measurement--use pickles, olives, carrots and other food items to measure Becky's height;
Bird Perch Math--an addition and subtraction game based on the number of birds perched on Ben and Becky's pole-like arms;
Pick of the Litter--pick up objects and decide whether they belong in a trash can or recycling bin;
Fishy Words--pick which fish has the missing first letter of a word;
Find the Twin--find Ben hiding somewhere on a landscape that includes mountains, trees, rivers and a volcano;
Music Maker--play with 8 different instruments and match musical patterns;
Bubble Business--complete the shapes and color patterns after Ben blows bubbles;
Twin Skywriting--learn letters and phonics while watching Becky morph into a plane and skywrite the alphabet;
Things in My Shoe--identify items that Ben pulls from his shoe and throws into the trees;
Animal Food Maze--guide Ben through a maze blocked by mounds of animal food and watch him change into the animal that will eat the food blocking his path;
Silly Stories--customize mini-stories with zany words and funny endings;
Which One Doesn't Belong--choose which Becky doll is different.

Kids are rewarded by fun and laughter when they perform these activities but they also earn SmartStars. SmartStars can be kept in a BrainBank. When enough stars are earned, kids can compete in a SmartStar game to earn a SuperStar of Smarts certificate. Activities are divided into five main academic categories and each category has a corresponding color of SmartStar:

Category

Mathematics–Blue
Language Arts–Red
Creative Arts–Yellow
Science/Social Science–Purple
Thinking Skills/Spatial Perception–Green

Personal Comments
This is a challenging package with a sophisticated look. It's all great fun. It has excellent features. There is a shortcut to previously played games. You can print screens and activities, and there are multiple difficulty levels. The animation, graphics, and audio are first-rate. There are lots of things to click on and watch and listen to. I enjoyed playing it, for the review, of course! Then I had two volunteer reviewers: Morgan, age 5 and Natalie, age 3. They are familiar with games and have a collection of their own, but this was the first time they tried Big Thinkers. I sat with them for approximately 5 minutes and gave them minimal instruction. After about 2 hours, I came back and had trouble getting them to stop playing. They had gone through all the rooms and even earned enough SmartStars to play a SuperStar game. Morgan said, "I liked finding Ben in the find and seek game." Natalie said, "I liked everything."

System Requirements

Operating System: Windows 3.1 or higher
Processor: 33 MHz 486
Memory:8MB
Hardware: SVGA (640 x 480) 256 colors
Sound Card
Double-speed CD ROM drive

Other Goodies

There is a sheet of Becky and Ben stickers.
The CD has demo versions of the following:

Pajama Sam in No Need to Hide When its Dark Outside
Lets Explore the Airport
Putt Putt Saves the Zoo
Freddie Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
Freddie Fish 2 and The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse

Technical Support

Their Web site: http://www.humongous.com is an excellent source for information, games, reviews and whatever.

Price

$29.95

Big Thinkers Kindergarten
Click on a thumbnail to enlarge it. Use your browser's "BACK" button to return to this review when done.

Type of Product Humongous Entertainment educational game for children. User Level Has grade-specific activities in math, reading, writing, art, and creativity, for Kindergarten children, ages 5-7 years old. Review It is easy to install if you have Windows 3.1. With Windows 95, which I used, you don't need to run install. You just put the CD in and sit back and enjoy. You are presented with a dialog box telling you that the program runs best in 256 color mode. Also the program runs a test checking your CD ROM speed the first time you use it. There is no Users Guide, but the cover on the CD package has instructions inside; and there is a very good Readme file on the CD that provides you with all the information you need. It is so easy to use that you don't need anything else. Big Thinkers Kindergarten is not only fun but an educational tool as well. Children will really enjoy this program, and parents do not have to worry that their child is spending time on only a time filler program without other benefits. This program introduces kids to Ben and Becky Brightly, the Brightly twins, who guide them from room to room. The twins morph, twist, and turn into a variety of entertaining objects. They are done in a friendly, comic book style. As Ben and Becky lead your child through six different rooms, he/she is tackling challenges and collecting SmartStars. The activities help your kids to learn: First Letter Identification Measurement & Estimation Sequencing and Patterning Spelling & Phonics Time Telling Alphabet Skills Reading & Sentences Counting & Computation Geography & Directions Environmental Science Thinking Skills Spatial Perception Art Creativity Music Creativity Children can have fun doing the following: Face Making--creating a one-of-a-kind face for Ben; Twin Time Telling--watch Ben's face turn into a clock face and tell time; Refrigerator Measurement--use pickles, olives, carrots and other food items to measure Becky's height; Bird Perch Math--an addition and subtraction game based on the number of birds perched on Ben and Becky's pole-like arms; Pick of the Litter--pick up objects and decide whether they belong in a trash can or recycling bin; Fishy Words--pick which fish has the missing first letter of a word; Find the Twin--find Ben hiding somewhere on a landscape that includes mountains, trees, rivers and a volcano; Music Maker--play with 8 different instruments and match musical patterns; Bubble Business--complete the shapes and color patterns after Ben blows bubbles; Twin Skywriting--learn letters and phonics while watching Becky morph into a plane and skywrite the alphabet; Things in My Shoe--identify items that Ben pulls from his shoe and throws into the trees; Animal Food Maze--guide Ben through a maze blocked by mounds of animal food and watch him change into the animal that will eat the food blocking his path; Silly Stories--customize mini-stories with zany words and funny endings; Which One Doesn't Belong--choose which Becky doll is different. Kids are rewarded by fun and laughter when they perform these activities but they also earn SmartStars. SmartStars can be kept in a BrainBank. When enough stars are earned, kids can compete in a SmartStar game to earn a SuperStar of Smarts certificate. Activities are divided into five main academic categories and each category has a corresponding color of SmartStar: Category Mathematics–Blue Language Arts–Red Creative Arts–Yellow Science/Social Science–Purple Thinking Skills/Spatial Perception–Green Personal Comments This is a challenging package with a sophisticated look. It's all great fun. It has excellent features. There is a shortcut to previously played games. You can print screens and activities, and there are multiple difficulty levels. The animation, graphics, and audio are first-rate. There are lots of things to click on and watch and listen to. I enjoyed playing it, for the review, of course! Then I had two volunteer reviewers: Morgan, age 5 and Natalie, age 3. They are familiar with games and have a collection of their own, but this was the first time they tried Big Thinkers. I sat with them for approximately 5 minutes and gave them minimal instruction. After about 2 hours, I came back and had trouble getting them to stop playing. They had gone through all the rooms and even earned enough SmartStars to play a SuperStar game. Morgan said, "I liked finding Ben in the find and seek game." Natalie said, "I liked everything." System Requirements Operating System: Windows 3.1 or higher Processor: 33 MHz 486 Memory:8MB Hardware: SVGA (640 x 480) 256 colors Sound Card Double-speed CD ROM drive Other Goodies There is a sheet of Becky and Ben stickers. The CD has demo versions of the following: Pajama Sam in No Need to Hide When its Dark Outside Lets Explore the Airport Putt Putt Saves the Zoo Freddie Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds Freddie Fish 2 and The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse Technical Support Their Web site: http://www.humongous.com is an excellent source for information, games, reviews and whatever. Price $29.95