I Spy School Days
Scholastic
$19.99
Win, Mac OS (CD-ROM)
Ages 5-9

by Michele Masters

Hunting for things seems to take up quite a bit of a youngster's time! How many times are you asked, "Mom, where is my . . . ?" While I Spy School Days may not motivate your child to organize a cluttered room, it will help to hone his attention to detail! I am a mom who dislikes seeing her child spending much computer time on games which, while fun, seem designed to shrink brain cells rather that stimulate that brain to think and ponder! I Spy School Days is full of challenges which will stimulate your child and mine with brain-teasers, riddles and puzzles.

Oops Hoops are filled with objects that need to be correctly sorted according to shared characteristics. Using classifying and sorting skills, your child can challenge his best time among the nine different screens.

Wood Block City is an ever-changing urban setting which combines riddles with pictures. After listening to the riddle at the bottom of the page, the young player will hunt for the objects described. The scene can be viewed from several perspectives, and some of those riddle objects are well-hidden!

My son's favorite activity is Balloon Popper. This game features an elaborate collection of objects arranged into an intricate contraption which, once set in motion, pops a balloon. It cannot work, however, until the riddle is solved and the missing part found and put into place.

Chalkboard, Nature, and Codebreaker all feature clues and riddles which must be solved. Reading skills, problem solving, and visual discrimination skills all get a workout while playing these games. Exercise should always be such fun!

Treasures can be earned by solving the I Spy riddles, and then used to make an original I Spy riddle and picture puzzle. The player can make up his own riddles, even record them with a microphone! Print out the puzzle to challenge friends!

I Spy School Days is a fun way to help to build and use vocabulary, reading, and strategic thinking skills. The puzzles are intricate and visually exciting to a child's eye! This title will challenge and exercise your child's mind every time he plays it!

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About the Author
Louise Larson Janke has been reviewing educational software titles for nearly three years. She is the owner of The Tutor House , a mailorder children's software resource.