woof@hpfclm.UUCP (woof) (11/28/84)
I'm interested in getting a home computer that will run lots of preschool-type software. So far, I am considering an Atari, a Commodore 64, or an Apple ][. What's available in the way of kids' software? Steve Wolf [hplabs,ihnp4]!hpfcla!woof
eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve) (12/05/84)
> What's available in the way of kids' software?
For the Apple, there is a cute little program called Elf ABC.
I got mine from the A.P.P.L.E. users group and it is probably
generally available.
Each time a key is pressed, the program draws an appropriate
picture on the screen and plays a short classical music piece.
The program makes no pretenses to be educational, but my 10-month
old thinks it is great! He also likes Fire Organ (public domain)
which "plays" a different visual pattern for each key. The pattern
is constantly changing. Some look like birds flying, one is
talking faces (his favorite), another overlapping boxes, etc.
(Lest I be flamed to death over forcing an infant to use computers,
let me point out I can't keep him away from it without closing the
door. The baby decided on his own that computers are great fun
(he seems to understand the cause and effect of the keyboard and
display), and I can not use the machine without him wanting to
climb into my lap. This is both rewarding and frustrating.)
--
Mike Eve Boeing Aerospace, Seattle
...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ssc-bee!eveal@hpfclq.UUCP (al) (12/15/84)
Check with your local teacher's supply house (in Fort Collins, Colorado it's Rainbow Educational Materials or something like that) and see if you can get a catalog. I did, and boy can you get all sorts of stuff. You can get LOGO, games, tutorials, simulations and all kinds of things. The only problem I can find is that *most* of the software is for Apple IIs and is over $25 a package. al stone <somewhere>!hplabs!hpfcla!al