THIS SOFTWARE A DELIGHT AS CHILD'S PLAY.Byline: Shirley Henderson Chicago Tribune What's all the noise about children's software being predictable? We can't hear you over the sounds coming from the ``Dinosaur in the Garden'' ($19.95; Packard Bell Interactive), a Jurassic-packed CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). for ages 4 to 9 chock full of surprises and, of course, dinosaurs. Children will be delighted to find not only an Apatosaurus Apatosaurus (ăp'ətəsôr`əs, ā'păt'ə–), [Gr.,=deceptive lizard], quadruped saurischian dinosaur, estimated to be from 70 to 90 ft (21 to 27 m) in length and to weigh up to 30 tons (27 metric tons). (formerly known as Brontosaurus Brontosaurus: see Apatosaurus. ) eating the veggies in the garden, but also a Parasaurolophus in the dining room, a Plesiosaur in the pool and a Tyrannosaurus Tyrannosaurus (tīrăn'ōsôr`əs, tĭr–) [Gr.,=tyrant lizard], member of a family, Tyrannosauridae, of bipedal carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs characterized by having strong hind limbs, a muscular tail, and short in the garage stomping on Dad's car and knocking over tins of paint. Some fun and educational options let children select Click & Play, which allows them to play inside the pages in a storybook by clicking on items and characters in the picture. They'll find out more about Triceratops Triceratops (trīsĕr`ətŏps) [Gr., = three-horn face], genus of ornithischian quadruped dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous period. , spotted making a sandwich in the kitchen, by clicking on the sun icon. Children will find out the dinosaur's eating habits and other tidbits. They can click on ``Read to Me'' for story time or on ``Surprise,'' to find options such as challenging jigsaw puzzles and spelling bees. The graphics are colorful, and children will laugh themselves silly as they explore the antics in each storybook scene. For PC, requires a 386 processor running at 33 MHz with 8 MB RAM, Super VGA display card and a double-speed CD-ROM drive; also for Macintosh. (Rating: Three Stars) ``Kids Theater Series Activity Pack'' includes five fun-filled CD-ROMs for ages 3 to 10 (Ocean America; $39.95). Ever wonder what the dishes and plates do after dark? In ``Plates are People, Too,'' you can enter the world of Platesville. Go to the social event of the season given by the Tuppers or change to the storybook and read. In ``The Gumball gum·ball n. A small ball of chewing gum with a colored sugar coating. Shop,'' they can purchase sweet concoctions and participate in a sing-along. Calvin Calamari, an octopus on in-line skates, helps guide you in ``Playball Zachery,'' where kids can print out different scenes to be colored in, practice their spelling, play memory improvement games and figure out a jigsaw puzzle. ``Magic'' will transform kiddies into junior magicians with instruction on card tricks and simple illusions. Some tricks require scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends and may not be suitable for young kids. The last CD-ROM is ``CraftPax Activities,'' which offers instruction on making crafts and games. For PC, requires Windows 3.1 or 95, 486 or better, VGA (Video Graphics Array) The display standard for the PC. All PC display adapters support VGA, and Windows machines boot up in "VGA mode" before switching to higher resolutions. color monitor, 8 MB RAM, double-speed CD-ROM; also for Macintosh. (Rating: Three Stars) |
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