droolicious : learning games

Babble Giveaway: Win a LeapFrog Didj + Hannah Montana Game! (Ends 12/1)

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

When we first got some hands-on time with Didj, LeapFrog's new learning-game system designed to knock that learning-averse DS Lite out of your kids' hands, we went gaga: Not only does Didj play like a typical high-quality handheld -- which is to say, it blows away the simplistic graphics and gameplay usually associated with learning games -- but it also packs enough character-based kid allure to keep little ones returning to it.

This week, in fact, LeapFrog announced the latest in its series of licensed games, a Hannah Montana title aimed at girls in 3rd through 5th grade, and we've got a copy of the game and a Didj to play it on ready to give away to one lucky Droolicious visitor!

To enter the contest, just email your name, address and daytime phone number to us at babblecontest@gmail.com. On Dec. 1, we'll draw one winner from the pool of entries to receive a brand-new Didj ($89.99 value) and Hannah Montana game ($29.99 value).

Here's the skinny on the game -- which helps to teach multiplication, division, vocabulary, and time management skills -- straight from LeapFrog:

Help Miley study so Hannah Montana can take the stage! Miley is scheduled to perform as Hannah Montana this weekend, but only if she passes her big test at school on Friday. With four days to go, can you help Miley make the grade? Use your skills to fly through quizzes and puzzles so the show can go on! Earn points as you play to customize the game with outfits, dance moves and special effects for Miley's concert, and choose the skills you need to study for school!

For the full specs on Didj and the LeapFrog Learning Path online tool exclusive to all three of the company's "LeapFrog Connected" systems, visit the LeapFrog shop.

Weird Name, Great Game: Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge for DS

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

We reported not too long ago about the ways LeapFrog's been grabbing some of Nintendo DS' territory as a hand-held learning tool for the littlest gamers, but if we start seeing more DS titles like Natsume's new Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge (say that three times fast), the mighty 'frog could be kept at bay a little longer.

Aimed at those kiddoes for whom Brain Age is too advanced but big brother or sister's DS is just too alluring, the game does require some rudimentary reading skills, so don't expect to be able to slide it into Junior's DS Lite and just walk away. In fact, it seems Ham-Ham Challenge's developers already had that possibility in mind, as they've thrown in a bunch of features that enable Mom and Dad to monitor children's progress, adjust the game's difficulty level, control play time, and even grant rewards via special in-game goodies.

As for gameplay, nothing too taxing here, which is just the point: The characters, all pulled from our favorite hamster-starring Japanese cartoon, are there to entertain, while the 12 minigames are meant to give kids' brains a workout, specifically through focusing on memory, math, word-comprehension and fine-motor skills, among other kindergarten-age necessities.

Rated "E" for Everyone, Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge is $29.99 from Amazon.

Brave New Baby: VTech Whiz Kid Learning System

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:32:00 GMT

Looking something like a Toontown version of a tablet PC, VTech's Whiz Kid Learning System ($49.99) lets kids access over 120 educational activities with the touch of a stylus. Just plug in the cartridge, slide one of the accompanying activity pages into the tablet, and start playing; the base system's "Wondertown Whizware" software includes a set of games designed to help teach reading, math, logic, letter- and word-recognition skills, as well as music and creative thinking. Or, for kids who are a little more comfortable with the PC (and really, isn't that how they come out of the womb?), connect the tablet to your home computer to explore Wondertown CD-ROM content on your monitor; print out new activity pages; track your progress during a game; and access additional content via the Whiz Kid World website.

The Whiz Kid core system is recommended for ages 3 to 6; additional cartridge/activity-sheet sets are classified from pre-K (Bob the Builder, Spidey & Friends) to K (Scooby-Doo, pictured above) developmental stages and are sold separately for $19.99 each.

Nickelodeon Launches myNOGGIN for Ad-Free Online Learning

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:32:00 GMT

More power to those of you who've managed to keep your little ones offline, but for the rest of us, Nickelodeon has launched myNOGGIN, a subscription-based, ad-free site aimed at preschoolers through first graders. Featuring a variety of curriculum-based learning games developed with an educational advisory board, and hosted by familiar characters Blue, Dora, Diego and Moose A. Moose, the site offers three subscription levels: $5.95 for 12 months, $7.95 for six months, and $9.95 for a month-to-month deal. You can try a demo, sign up for a free trial, and read more about the "connected learning" approach before committing, and, as with any sort of gaming experience, this one is only as meaningful as the time you invest in it alongside your kids (there's even a Parent Center where you sign in to track progress). In other words, a baby-sitter it isn't.

It's a Tile Puzzle, it's a Video Game, it's WordLaunch!

Aaron Burgess — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:31:00 GMT

While some preschooler-aimed learning games operate sinisterly outside of preschoolers' comfort zones (factor in cartridges and software, and they aren't that easy on your wallet, either), here's something that may feel more familiar to little hands: The LeapFrog WordLaunch system ($39.99; ages 4 and up) combines a chunky, tile-based puzzle with a carnival-themed video game, allowing kids literally to build simple words and watch them appear on screen. Simply plug the WordLaunch into your TV's A/V inputs, and choose from 13 different games aimed at teaching phonics, word-building, short and long vowels, and consonant blends. As built-in bonuses for grown-ups, batteries are included, and the system and its 32 letter tiles tuck away neatly when play is finished.