Go, Go Kobango

I was able to review an online game site that focuses on reading skills for children ages 4-7. Go Go Kabongo is a program that aims to help children develop the critical thinking and problem solving skills that are necessary for basic reading and reading comprehension.

What it is:

KaBongo is a colorful online world where children play and learn at the same time. There are three different habitats: Laughter Lake, Galaxy Gardens, and Twister Top. Each habitat has 3 different games that target specific pre-reading or critical thinking skills.

(Click to see more information on the skills)

Each game has a learning purpose, but yet is presented in a fun, interactive way.
You can sign up for GOGO KABONGO! for free—which will give you access to the Laughter Lake habitat. In order to access the other two habitats, a fee of $4.95 each is charged.
What We Thought:

My 4yr. old and my 9yr. old tested this site out for me. It was above my 9yr.old, but she is always up for playing on the computer :) Both girls enjoyed being able to pick various games to play. My 4yr. old did however, get a little stuck on many of the games and then lost interest. My 9yr. old loved playing though. I’m pretty sure that if I let the 4yr. old try again after a couple of months, she would be more ready for the games.

I liked that I was sent progress reports on each child. You can view a sample progress report here. There are additional helpful resources for parents such as printable activities and hands-on activity ideas. Most of all, I liked knowing that my kids were playing and learning at the same time.

Right now if you sign up you can get Laughter Lake and Galaxy Garden habitats for free!  (normally only Laughter Lake is free). You can add the third habitat for only $4.95 .
For More Go,Go Kabongo Reviews See:
Disclosure: I am a member of TOS and I was given this product free for review purposes only. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Roman Town

I remember when I was a kid, one of the things I wanted to do when I grew up was to become an archeologist. Now I had my chance! I, er I mean my kids were sent a computer game called Roman Town to try out.

 

What is it?

Roman Town is a computer game that allows kids to excavate without getting dirty! This game is geared toward 5th-8th graders, but anyone from ages 8-88 can play. Players need to manage their diggers (those red stick figures in the photos), learn different archaeological techniques, uncover artifacts, and more. While doing that, students are learning about ancient Roman culture.

What We Thought:

At first I will admit that I thought the graphics were a little goofy, but we got over that quickly. My 12yr. old daughter played this game the most. In fact, I had to constantly see if she was actually doing schoolwork or if she was playing this game!  When I asked her what she liked about it, she said, “It’s like a mystery that I get to solve. I like the games and think it is fun.”

Now if you have a child who is a strong reader and likes history, then this game would be a great supplement to an ancient history unit.

Roman Town is regularly $39.95, but between now and February 21, 2011 you can get this game for just under $20.00 with the code TOS2011 .

 

For More Roman Town Reviews See: Disclosure: I am a member of TOS and I was given this product free for review purposes only. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Tiny Planets

Tiny Planets is an online website for kids ages 4 to 12. The site is based on a t.v. series by the same name, which features the cosmic adventures of  aliens named Bing and Bong.  Tiny Planets features games, videos, online books and a virtual world to take care of. 

Tiny Planets has 6 planet areas plus the homepage:

Tiny Planets: the homepage for the site; you can navigate to all the other sites from here. (Best to log in on this page before going to another section of the site).

My Tiny Planets: Basically a virtual world that you help create; you can earn/buy items to take care of your own planet.

Tiny Planets TV: Videos of Tiny Planet episodes. Many have to be purchased with keys in order to watch (10 keys.)

Tiny Planets Learning: Printable worksheets and lesson plan ideas.

Tiny Planets Labs: Place where kids test new games and ideas for the site.

Tiny Planets Fun: There are games, downloads and TV episodes on this site.

Tiny Planets Books: online books based on the TV episodes.

 What I Thought:

Safety:  I thought Tiny Planets did a good job at creating a safe gaming place for children. They provide screen-name options for all cadets (though this can also be a minus as it is hard to remember the names).  Since you can interact with other gamers, Tiny Planets only allows prewritten phrases for children to choose from. Another plus is that this is an ad-free site, so no worries that your child might accidently stumble on to a  not-so-good site.

Great graphics:  They graphics are really well-done.  I can see why they won two BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards. You will need to make sure your computer can handle it though.

Though most of the site is free, you can purchase keys to access certain components:

10 keys    $1.95  
25 keys    $3.95 
85 keys    $9.95  
250 keys  $25.95 
600 keys  $49.95 

Any item you purchase---books, videos, things for your planet---are yours forever. 

The site however, is confusing to sign up and navigate at first. The parent needs to set up cadet accounts and then add those accounts to the parent account. They could make this process easier.  Though the site does have some educational content, I’d say it is more geared toward entertainment (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing).

Though this site did not fit the needs of my family, it could be  a nice option for families who enjoy the Tiny Planets t.v. series, have kids who like space-themed games, or for parents who just need to know of a safe gaming option for their kids.

TOS: For More Tiny Planets Reviews See: Disclosure: I am a member of TOS and I was given this product free for review purposes only. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Knot So Fast!

I'm always on the look-out for good family-friendly games that have some sort of educational bent. When I was asked to review a new game from ThinkFun called Knot So Fast, I jumped at the opportunity. I know nothing about knots and neither do my children, so I was curious to see what we could learn from this game.

The game includes:

* Tug-o-war Scorekeeper
* 4 Ropes
* 4 Rings
* 30-second Timer
* 40 Challenge Cards
* Instruction Manual

There are several ways to play this game--which is a big plus. You can pick what works best for your group of players.

Basically, you pick a card (the cards are leveled from beginner to expert) and then race to be the first to tie the knot pictured on the card. If you tie the knot correctly, then you get a point. If your opponent doesn't think you've correctly tied the knot, he yells, "knot so fast!"

My visual-spatial skills need improvement! The kids beat me hands down each time. :) After playing, I did learn how to do a slip knot! Ok, I might have learned a couple more---but I had to have my kids show me how.

My 12 yr. old daughter was especially adept at this game. She must get this skill from my husband. Several times over the week I caught all three of my older kids sitting at the kitchen table practicing making these knots (hmmm--I bet that's how they beat me!)

What we thought:

Our family enjoyed playing this game. It was challenging and a little nerve-wrecking to try to complete the knot before the timer runs out. I like that there were different levels of knots, which made it an even playing field for the whole family to play. As a bonus, we learned a practical skill. Besides playing this game at home, I can see Scout groups, Keepers/Contenders of the Faith etc. using it to practice for a knot badge. I know we'll be pulling this out to play again and again.

Knot So Fast price at Timberdoodle: $17.25


Check out Timberdoodle for even more Hands-On games for all ages. And while you're there, sign up to receive their free homeschool catalog. They carry curriculum, books, games and more.

For more perpectives on Knot So Fast, check out what Michelle from Delightful Learning had to say and the review from Our Homeschool Fun.

Disclosure: As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of Knot So Fast in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.