SmarterKids.com Selects Summer's Best Learning Products; #1 Educational Store Identifies Best Toys, Games, and Books for Outdoor Activities and Summer Travel

Business Wire, May 15, 2000

Business/Technology Editors

NEEDHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2000

SmarterKids.com (NASDAQ:SKDS), the award-winning online educational store and resource for parents, has identified their "SmarterKids.com's Summer's Best"(TM) selections. SmarterKids.com's education team selected and reviewed these toys, games, and books to determine the products that are best suited for outdoor activities, travel, and trips to the beach while offering educational benefits.

"Every summer parents are faced with the challenge of keeping kids busy and learning," said Susan Graham, director of education at SmarterKids.com. "The first three months of each school year are spent reviewing the skills learned in the previous year, since many children take a vacation from learning during the summer. "SmarterKids.com's Summer's Best" selections instill a sense of fun and creativity outside the classroom, while making sure the learning process continues."

SmarterKids.com's products are reviewed and rated by SmarterKids.com's education team based on the following criteria:

      -- 100 skill areas                    -- Application
      -- Learning styles                    -- Ratings
      -- Approach                           -- Media type

"SmarterKids.com's Summer's Best" Products for Travel

Whether traveling to grandma's or driving across country to the Grand Canyon, SmarterKids.com recommends these products that are perfect for a plane, train or a car .

-- Brain Quest for the Car - This game of knowledge and fun facts includes a set of cards featuring 1,100 questions and answers all about America. Also includes original games designed for play in a car. Includes a score pad and pencil. (Workman, $8.99, Grades: 3-6)

-- Electronic Hand-Held Monopoly - Hand-held device pits one player against any of 5 different talking opponents. Clear graphics and verbal directions make this a truly interactive experience. Included instructions explain the options of this classic property trading game. (Parker Brothers, $24.99, Grades: 3-12)

-- Feltkids Travel Playset - Sturdy portfolio-like case unfolds to reveal a blue felt playing surface for the included 24 colorful felt pieces, depicting a boy, girl, and various items related to traveling. (Learning Curve, $24.99, Grades: Toddler-1)

-- The World's Greatest Travel Game - Matching game designed for travel. Includes two trays each containing twenty-five plastic cubes featuring illustrations of various objects. (Woodkrafter Kits, $16.99, Grades: K-4)

"SmarterKids.com's Summer's Best" Products for Outdoors

Looking for fun science projects or ways to encourage a love and appreciation of nature? SmarterKids.com's recommends the following games and activities.

-- Backyard Science: 21 Science Projects - Twenty-one science projects help children explore various science concepts such as botany, the five senses, bubble science, and more. Kit includes a magnifying bug viewer, thermometer, colored light filter, eyedropper, 60-page instruction booklet, and more. (Educational Insights, $8.99, Grades 3-6)

-- Celestial Seeker - This compact, hand-held device opens up to reveal a screen displaying one of 20 Northern Hemisphere constellation cards that are illuminated from behind, allowing for viewing at night while stargazing. A built-in compass and instructions on each card help to guide young astronomers to the constellations. (DaMert Company, $15.99, Grades: 2-5)

-- Flower Press - Complete kit to decorate and assemble a small wooden flower press. Includes 4" wooden flower press, corrugated cardboard and blotting paper, plastic stencil, stencil brush, paints, gift tags, ribbon, tweezers, and craft glue. (Alex, $12.99, Grades: 2-5)

-- MagniScope 30x Field Microscope - Portable microscope designed to facilitate exploration while "in the field." The lens provides 30x magnification. A small detachable light provides extra light when needed. (Educational Insights, $17.99, Grades: 1-4)

-- Smithsonian SmartLabs Weather Center - Set up your own weather center and learn about powerful storms, how to plot a hurricane's path, how weather satellites work, and more. Use the included tools to measure outdoor temperature and annual rainfall, gauge wind speed, and determine wind direction and wind chill. (Natural Science Industries, $9.99, Grades: 4-6)

Summer Family Fun Activities

These summer activities are perfect for a rainy day or a family outing, and are guaranteed to keep learning a fun part of summer vacation.

-- Keep a journal - With all the fun activities and travel that summer brings, a journal is a great way to keep track of daily happenings. Photos and souvenirs can be added to the journal.

-- Play license plate games - While traveling, look for out-of-state license plates and try to name its bordering states. Each right answer earns a point. Name the capital of those states to win extra points. For a game with a mathematical twist, look for license plates containing two or more of the same number. Add the values of the duplicate numbers to earn points.