Jump Ahead 2000 Starting School Triple Pack

The three CDs are easy to install and once up and running my four year old loved the "Starting School" CD. She enjoyed moving around the classroom finding out what moved and what games she could play, enjoying the games greatly.

To gain the maiximum out of this cd some experience of the use of the mouse is essential as the games do require some fine movement of the controls, skills which the manufacturors imagine have been homed with the use of the earlier software in this range. With this assumption in mind the software is designed to ensure further development of mouse skills while supporting the development of knowledge of the alphabet, number symbols and quantity, pattern making and phonics all of which are vital for any child entering school.

With phonics in mind the use of an English accent thoroughout is a plus point for children within English school as is the emphasis on initial sounds.

Overall the games are fun and the themes of the CD especially the birthday party theme of the "Starting Maths" CD ensure your child will be interested in completing as many tasks and games as possible to prepare for the party. The games can be set at appropriate levels of difficulty therefore providing scope for development of skills as the child progresses and ensuring further value for money. This option is given to the child during the games on the Maths CD with lots of praise and encouragement from the narrator so some children can really use them independently.

The ability to check through the " report card" on what you child has achieved on the games is also an excellent facility for parents to use and can highlight areas where support may be needed.

The characters are friendly and it is lovely to see a variety of children used within the animation, reflecting our multicultural society and giving children characters to relate to within the games.

As a Nursery Nurse who's job it is to prepare children for reception class I found these CD very clear and enjoyable and they reinforce the skills that children should have upon entering reception class.

This means that the assumption is your child will have knowledge already of letter shapes and sounds, of number symbols and counting ability to work with this software independantly. However it is a good way of teaching these skills to your child if using the software with them and an excellent way of streching and developing those skills of children already comfortable with these concepts.

I would recommend this pack to anyone with a reception age child, or younger if they already have the appropriate skills. The child will enjoy them and the adult can also enjoy supporting the child in the tasks as well. I will certainly be buying the earlier software in this range for my younger child and progressing onto the year one and two software as my daughter develops.