The next toy story: kids' educational software is hot

Discount Store News, May 20, 1996 by Pete Hisey

For slightly older kids, VTech will introduce Smart Keys, a kid's keyboard (with a built-in splitter so that it can be installed once, then used anytime with the flip of a switch) that makes learning the alphabet fun (in part because the keys are in alphabetical order, not Qwerty) and includes a piano keyboard that teaches kids the rudiments of playing an instrument. They keyboard also includes eight directional keys, making on-screen navigation easier for youngsters. Most important, the durable $79 keyboard is virtually kid-proof and keeps jelly-stained hands off mom and bad's keyboard.

Packard Bell Interactive started out with budget multimedia storybooks, but is now firmly in the educational market with its A Learning series. Dinosaur in the Garden, the latest in the line, includes a read-along book in which various friendly but clumsy dinosaurs wreak havoc in a kid's house while the parents are away. But beyond the read-along, Packard Bell has packed in a spelling bee (with an on-screen keyboard to teach typing skills) that teaches spelling, pronunciation and vocabulary. Hidden word games, jigsaw puzzles and matching games all have educational aspects, and on-line help lets kids learn more about words and import new words into the spelling bee feature.

Each dinosaur has its own related screen that teaches kids more about each individual lizard, with instant access provided by clicking on the dinosaur.

Palladium Interactive takes on physics and astronomy with Nine Worlds with Patrick Stewart, an exploration of the solar system with the popular "Star Trek: The Next Generation" star. Kids can visit each planet or travel through time to discover how humans viewed the heavens at various times and in various cultures around the world.

If a kid finds something interesting, a NetProbe quickly reaches out on the Internet to retrieve more information, and the Nine Worlds Web site offers direct links to NASA, the online newsletter Galactic Gazette and even Star Trek's

For older kids, particularly those thinking about college careers, the Princeton Review is now packaging its achievement test preparation books in multimedia form. In particular, the Inside the SAT package offers a fun, interactive way to prepare for the test that can make or break a college career, with built-in tracking so that parents can help direct their kids' review activities to the areas that need the most help. Each copy includes a certificate good for 30 minutes of over-the-phone help from one of the Princeton Review's tutors. Most recently, the company introduced a series of titles to help kids perform better in middle and high schools, with drilling and mock tests in chemistry and others subjects.

Planet Earth: Explore the Worlds Within teaches high school age kids about the various regions of the world, combining an atlas, geographic database, information on ecology and demographics, and much more. MacMillan Digital USA and its partner, the German entertainment giant Bertelsmann, spent $12 million developing this title, which contains the raw information of a very deep encyclopedia along with cultural, religious and social information.