Pajama Sam's One-Stop Fun Shop "Kids Can Design, Direct, and Print Their Own Creations"
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Pajama Sam's One-Stop Fun Shop by Humongous Entertainment is part of a new series of CD-ROMs that invite kids 3 to 8 to join their favorite Humongous characters in an exciting world of self-expression and ongoing discovery where they design, direct, and print their own creations. The series also includes two other titles: Putt-Putt's One-Stop Fun Shop and Freddi Fish's One-Stop Fun Shop. Each One-Stop Fun Shop title includes everything needed for children to develop printable creations with hundreds of interchangeable pieces of art starring either Putt-Putt, Pep and friends; Freddi Fish, Luther and their underwater adventures; or young superhero Pajama Sam. Kids also have the option of creating original characters and designs. Masterpieces can be created which can be enjoyed long after the computer is turned off, and they look good on any refrigerator. Key features are: (1) Party supplies--make party hats, cards, placements, invitations, masks and banners; (2) Personalized stationery--make greeting cards, postcards, thank-you notes and envelopes; (3) Toys--create trading cards, pinwheels, airplanes, finger puppets, mobiles and much more; (4) Coloring book--the software provides an on-screen or printable coloring book; (5) Parent's Printer Saver--controls wasted paper with parent regulated, password-protected, pre-set paper allotment feature; also saves ink by allowing to print outlines only; (6) Download Artwork--downloadable holiday-themed artwork from the Humongous Entertainment Web site. The product is available on a CD-ROM that can be used with a PC with Windows or a Macintosh. Price $19.99. The Humongous Entertainment Web site is a great place for both parents and kids to visit. There is all sorts of information, games and such. http://www.humongous.com
The One-Stop Fun Shop series aids children, ages 3 to 8, to be creative while designing their own projects. They help instill a child's confidence in his or her ability to develop artwork.
Installation. No installation is required. Just load the CD into the CD-ROM drive and click the Play button to start the game. There is no User Guide but there is a detailed on-disc help file, including game solutions, hints, and technical support information. The CD cover booklet also has some information. Activities. In the Activities section, children can find three different fun activities. Character-O-Matic–Children can design a brand new Pajama Sam by giving him different eyes, hair, clothing, and more. It then can be printed out or imported into another project. Paint Pad–Children can design a new creation in the paint pad area, where a variety of wild and wacky tools are available for use. There is a color palette and an eyedropper tool to choose and mix colors. Drawing utensils include: a bubble wand to put colorful bubbles in and around paintings; chalk to color sections; a large brush to paint big areas; a medium brush for general painting; a small brush for fine detailed painting or lettering; a paint can to flood fill a section; a rainbow brush to add rainbow streaks, swirls, and bows to paintings; a spray paint can to speckle or fill-in paintings; a stamp selection where children can select a stamp and add it to their painting; and a whipped cream can to create puffy dollops or streaks. There are other tools similar to what is found in adult software: a magnifying glass to examine work up-close; an eraser to remove small amounts of color; an undo feature; and a clear feature to start a project all over again. Storybook–Children can make their own stories in the Storybook, and can add color by either using the paint can or print out the story and color it by hand. Stories can be narrated on screen, also. What Can Be Made: There are a variety of sections where children can create items: Party Stuff--When children click on the Party Stuff icon, they can create the following: cards in various shapes and sizes; hats such as crowns, jester hats, tiaras, party hats, and more; envelopes; paper chains; and placemats. Useful Stuff--By clicking on the Useful Stuff icon, kids can create the following: bookmarks; doorknob hangers; growth charts; lists; name tags; and picture holders. Cards & More--This section allows kids to create: banners; cards; envelopes; pennants; and signs. Stationery--In the Stationery section, children create: calendars; certificates; diary pages; letterhead; postcards; and envelopes. Toys--In this fun section, children create: airplanes; mobiles; pinwheels; masks; trading cards; bracelets; and puppets. Parent's Printer Saver--The printer saver gives parents control over wasted ink and paper. Parents can password protect the print option, set the number of pages that can be printed and choose to print or not print background images and outlines in order to save ink.
Pajama Sam's One-Stop Fun Shop is indeed a fun product. This series is a great addition to the Humongous Entertainment line of software. There are enough projects for a variety of children of different ages and skills. Children can have fun while keeping track of important dates with the calendars they make; create growth charts, or make greeting cards to give to relatives and friends. And the Parent's Printer Saver feature allows children to create and create while parents can be worry free about wasted paper and ink.
Windows: Pentium 90, Windows 98/95 with 16MB RAM. Macintosh: 80Mhz Power PC, System 7.5.3 with 16MB RAM.
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