andre@bmcg.UUCP (12/07/84)
If your interested in computer learning games for your kids then I would suggest going to your local library. Some of the ones here in San Diego have coin operated APPLES along with software ranging from spreadsheets to learning games for the kids. You can probably evaluate some of them before you decide to buy, also there might be some public domain software that you could copy. Being the proud owner of a new APPLE IIe I thought that I would be the only one using it (my wife was totally against the idea and could'nt see any use in it). The problem now is that I don't ever get to use it because if its not my wife doing her homework then its one of my three kids hacking away. The oldest (boy age 7) took to it right away and is becomming proficient in DOS3.3, the second (girl age 4) is learning her abc's with some public domain software that I got at the library. Oh yes, I have my son play a game called MASTER TYPE (about $30) which makes a game out of learning to type (you blast away alien space ships by typing the correct letter displayed on the screen). From what I have read this is among the best seller software list. The youngest(age 14mo) doesnt do much except climb up on the computer chair and strikes keys to watch them appear on the screen. He becomes very hostile when removed from this. As a bit of advice to parents, if you are planning to get a home computer to use yourself then make sure that the kids will have one of their own (sounds expensive but the I got for the kids was a VIC20 that was on sale at K-MART for $60 hooked up to an old color TV that I had).