Educational Software

When a new child enters your family, it can be an exciting time for everyone involved. Whether you’re becoming a new parent, a new aunt, or a new brother, there is one gift that you can always give that new member of the family. Simply look for educational toys and your gift is sure to be a hit with the new parents. Helping your new family member develop fundamental and rudimentary skills, an educational toy is sure to offer concrete benefits and amusement.

Some of the best educational toys include interactive games that help develop reading, spelling, or mathematical skills. But a lot of people don’t realize that the umbrella of “educational toys” does not have to be so limited. Even toys that help develop motor skills can be considered educational. In this way, don’t count out items such as trikes and jungle gyms as educational. Although they’re teaching a different skill set, they are still an essential part of that child’s development.

The Middle Ages were one of the darkest periods in world history – rife with disease, poverty and human cruelty. The previously enlightened civilizations of Rome and Constantinople had fallen victim to the bubonic plague, rampaging barbarian hordes and dangerous superstition. Few people could be said to enjoy life during this era: kings and land barons had it pretty good, but what about all the illiterate peasants forced to grind out a subsistence lifestyle?

Monks and other members of the clergy were often the only ones afforded a chance to learn. Of all the people alive in Europe between 700 and 1100 AD, most were unable to read and write. Monks and some enlightened kings were the rare exception, and they kept the light of logic and reason burning for future generations. Reading is fundamental for success and self-advancement today just as it was in the Middle Ages. Kids should take advantage of interactive reading games in order to further their own educations.

In New York, Illinois and many other states across the nation, newspaper writers and professional educators are lamenting the fact that lowered expectations have hindered math curricula. Simply put, teachers and legislators have lowered the bar in terms of what they expect from students in math, and tests have been made easier to compensate. Not all the blame should be placed on teachers, and children cannot be held culpable for losing interest in a subject that doesn’t seem to relate.

It’s up to parents to foster their children’s academic growth out of school. What’s the use of sitting in a classroom all day if most of the material “learned” is forgotten as soon as the bell rings? Educational math games on the computer can help get kids engaged in the learning process in a way that rote memorization and vague chalkboard equations simply cannot. Here is a case of technology being put to good use.

You may have noticed lately that many people would do anything to avoid attempting a simple math problem. It’s astonishing how many adults are worried about experiencing embarrassment once their ignorance is revealed. The issue can be traced to a lack of math fundamentals, which should be learned early in life. Some people simply lack a solid foundation.

With this in mind, it’s important for parents to encourage their children to embrace math as a fun concept that deserves to be studied. Math games for kids can be thought of as a welcome change from rote memorization and other techniques that don’t appeal to young children. With any luck, your kids will grow up to take pride in their math skills and they won’t have anything to hide when the topic arises.

With kids increasingly attached to their gaming consoles, it can be difficult trying to encourage them to partake in games that offer a little more educational value. In fact, many kids will groan and drag their heels when they believe they are made to play with anything that boasts an educational bent. But there is one easy way to get your kids involved in some educational (and fun) games.

This is by purchasing them educational games that can be played on their various consoles. Whether they’re attached to their Nintendo DS or their Xbox, there are a number of video games that are interactive and entertaining but also offer some educational merit. This way, you’re a happy parent because they’re learning, and they’re a happy child because they still get to play with their gaming console.

Chances are if you were in school in the last decade, you’ve heard of the educational math program Number Munchers.  While this rudimentary effort in interactive math games wasn’t all that brilliant, it did make math fun for kids who didn’t think the subject could be.  When it comes to interactive math games, it’s more about generating interest in math than it is teaching it.  Children learn through study and through a process like osmosis, in which knowledge is absorbed into the brain through mere contact with the subject matter.  Like immersion in a foreign language, children might find themselves understanding math they didn’t even know they could because of subconscious memory of the subject matter. 

Number Munchers pit the protagonist against the evil Troggles who would attempt to capture him at every turn.  The protagonist would ‘munch’ the correct numbers, and then gain access to some amusing scenes where those devious Troggles would be tricked.  While not innovative in the sense of modern games, this first effort into interactive math games had children interested in the game as well as the math, and through that osmotic process, were able to learn a great deal.

This is a great article on how to use your computer for educational purposes.  Sshh don’t tell the kids.

By Nicole Munoz

Computers have become a common and needed part of life in today’s society, making computer education imperative for children. Young children will typically begin to show an interest in the home PC by their toddler years. While it is may be a good idea to begin introducing your toddler to the computer in very short sessions, most children can began to learn and understand a computer’s functionality by preschool age.

Preschool age children can learn to turn the computer on by themselves and will quickly learn to operate the mouse. Simple games that teach and reinforce basic school readiness skills are great for this age. Computer education for preschool age children should be limited to short sessions of about 30 minutes a few times a week.

Kindergartners are normally still exploring the basics of computer use and will probably do best with activities that reinforce simple skills. As children become more comfortable with the computer, more complex games and activities can be introduced. Computer education for kindergartners typically consists of short sessions of no more than an hour, playing games that correlate with their classroom learning material.

By first grade, children have usually gained a good understanding of how to use a mouse and they are learning to use keyboard letters to type. Games that focus on keyboard skills can help young children become fast and efficient computer users. Early elementary age children are ready to move beyond simple reinforcement and skill drill activities to the many different functions of a computer.

First through third graders should use the computer as a supplement for their classroom work. A student studying about stars and planets can use the internet to search for pictures and information about constellations. An assignment about Africa can include a search for videos of African animals. Allow your child to work on their own, but stay close by to prevent access to inappropriate content and to answer any questions.

Software programs that allow children to create, like an art or publishing suite designed specifically for kids, can boost creativity along with providing exposure to technology. Grade level skills can also be practiced and enhanced with math, reading, and spelling computer games.

Computer education for children should also include writing and creative writing activities. First graders are beginning to familiarize themselves with the keyboard and can write short letters or emails. By second and third grade, children can use word processor programs or writing software designed for children to write and publish their own short stories and poems, as well as use email to write to relatives.