Keep your family safe from germs and bacteria
Meet Mickey Mouse and friends live
A sprinkling of Latte Creations makes an everyday coffee break extra special
Some surprising facts from the Colonel
Critical thinking: how computers can help
Although the computer isn’t a cure-all, appropriately applied it can go a long way, with your guidance, towards boosting a child’s critical thinking
One problem today is that children’s attention spans seem to be getting shorter and shorter. That can undermine the concentration and problem-solving abilities needed to develop good thinking skills.
But watch a ten-year-old transfixed by his favourite video game for hours and you’ll witness the epitome of attention span. The trick, therefore, must be to find an activity worthy of their attention AND your approval.
That’s why we like the following educational software games so much. These titles are specifically designed to give children’s mental muscles a workout, yet they’re so much fun they’ll never even feel the burn.
Thinking’ Things Galactic Brain Benders Collection 3
It's as good as its predecessors; it has received 55 awards, including Best Children’s Software (by Parenting magazine) and the National Parenting Centre’s Seal of Approval.
Like the first and second collections, this one features the cute little creatures called Fripples. Five activity areas help teach skills such as deductive and inductive reasoning, synthesis and analysis, interpretation of evidence and predicting outcomes.
In Stocktopus, an octopus stockbroker helps players analyse and exchange items with traders from different parts of the world.
You must determine the trade sequences required for success in your personal portfolio. In Fripple Place, children try to match resident Fripples to their assigned rooms. (It sounds simple enough, but it had us scratching our heads!)
Most liked by out child testers was the Carving BLOX area. Intended to introduce basic physics principles, players attempt to carve a unique set of six balls using a variety of virtual tools and a thin piece of malleable metal.
1 | 2 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Created: 05/02/2004 Updated: 05/02/2004
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
