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.com ---- Practice pre-math and problem-solving skills in this activity pack filled with multi-level learning games. Develop logical thinking and deductive reasoning skills, recognize and complete patterns, practice simple mathmatical operations, and explore estimation and prediction. Preschoolers strengthen early math skills as they help Blue win Big Prizes at the Prize Tent. Blue and her friends help strengthen early math skills, including counting and number re, simple addition and subtraction operations, shape and pattern re, sorting and classifying attributes, prediction and estimation, weights and measurements, sets and subsets, counting and spending money, and number line exploration and navigation. Review ------ Steve, Blue and the other Blue's Clues characters are in their usual good form in this set of six well-designed early math activities. The math practice is found at a Backyard Fair where children play games to earn Blue dollars. These can be spent at the Prize Tent where the pieces kids purchase gradually turn into toys. In one activity, children add and subtract building supplies to make a train ride for the fair. In another, they complete patterns on colorful floats, or sort snacks like cookies and pizza according to specific characteristics, e.g. cheese, no cheese. Each activity has multiple challenge levels that automatically increase in difficulty as the child successfully plays the games. Several of these activities are quite innovative. There's a Mother May I? game in which kids move Blue across a path by counting ropes. Children cleverly practice their color, shape and counting skills in a fun card game. In an ingenious measurement activity, kids place toys on scales to compare their sizes. The program's biggest weaknesses revolve around ease of use and level of responsivity. Kids can easily get from one activity to the other but with each play they have to sit through the instructions for every activity. While testers were generally tolerant of these delays, some of the younger kids (age four) lost interest. Navigation could have been more straightforward in a few of the activities. It was not at first clear how to pay for the toy components in the Prize Tent or where to place the shapes in the float sequencing activity. Games are saved, but the program does not keep specific records of a child's activities. The graphics and sounds are excellent, and the activities are generally solid. The program offers a fun and refreshing set of math and logic activities. Teaches: math, logical thinking, classifying and sequencing objects, counting, number re, measurement, early addition, subtraction, money skills Age Range: 3, 4, 5, 6 Copyright © 2000 Children's Software Revue -- From Children's Software Revue® -- "Subscribe Now!" ( https://secure.tradenet.net/childrenssoftware/csroffer.html )