Features

• CD-ROM
• Guide Mia in her quest to find the parts for the time machine, and collect sparklies to use as fuel
• Explore a rich and captivating new world, with film-quality animation -- but watch out for Romaine Rat, he's always up to no good
• Teaches addition, subtraction, multiplication & division; geometry; logic; angles and lines, mental computation & other skills
• Age-appropriate difficulty levels that match national education curriculum

Reviews (7)

Wonderful computer animation and fun story
Kids don't usually learn much science (in public school anyway) and this computer game REALLY helps to fill that void. It is educational, VERY attractively designed, interesting, and my [...] daughter really enjoys it! It's not too hard either.

A good blend of storytelling and fun
We got "Math Blaster" for our six-year-old, who has been a very savvy computer user since he was 18 months old.It was so difficult to maneuver the character (jump over wrong answers, run through correct ones) he actually cried over it.
My 5 year old adores this game!
My 5 year old son love the Mia character and the stories. He loves the math(which does involve time), too! Even though the age group for this game is 6-10, he had no problems on Level 1. He only needed a little help with the time telling. As for the people that say this isn't educational enough I would say that it's not boring! My son has played the game over and over and never tires of Mia! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Pirate's plunder rewards players who discover all of the hidden objects and decipher the riddles in

Features

• CD-ROM
• Challenge your child to pick out the clues in the collages -- each clue helps them get closer to finding hidden treasure
• Put all the clues together to get the map
• Explore interesting places like lighthouses, train stations, forts, and more, while using & developing kids' rhyming skill
• Once you're done, you put together the puzzle to go off in search of the treasure left behind by pirates ages ago!

Reviews (60)

Mac Users Beware!
The product description is wrong, this is NOT OSX software.It's OS9 and can only be run in "Classic" environment.Any Mac purchased in the last two years, at least, does not come with OS9.You would need to have OS9 installed on your computer in addition to OSX.This will definitely affect the performance of the software and your machine in general.
Fun for everyone!
My kids (6 and 9 years old) and I spent hours playing this game. We took turns deciding where to go, and we all helped find the hidden images.

Great product
This was a great product - it is fun and educational and the graphics are great.It was such a fun product - that I purchased it first as a download but I went ahead and purchased the actual product so that I could have a CD of it forever.Buy it - you and your children will enjoy trying to find the items. ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Explore fantasy worlds and engage your brain
• Three fantasy worlds: Undersea, Outer Space, and Dragon's Lair
• Nine different adventures with 54 I SPY riddles
• Designed for kids age 6-10
• For one player

Reviews (36)

Buy this one Now
We have been fans of the I Spy Books & Software for some time, but this is our new favourite.The graphics are great & the levels within each "story" keep my 6 year old twin boys busy when Mummy needs a break.The I Spy Team should keep up the good work - this is a computer game that won't turn kids brains to mush!

i spy fantasy
i bought this cd rom for my son who thinks this game is fantastic, very easy for young children to use.

Neat!
My six year old daughter was reluctant to try this, but she did and she LOVES it! Great graphics, fun, challanging. Not sure how "educational" it is, but it is a neat, non-violent, gets-you-thinking game! ... Read more

Editorial Review

"Not too long ago, Zoombinis enjoyed the good life. Though they alllooked slightly different--different eyes, noses, hair, feet--such differencesmeant nothing to the Zoombinis. And so they lived happily on Zoombini Isle,making small, useful products, which were prized the world over." So begins anunsuspectingly addictive CD-ROM, featuring uncommonly fun reasoning games thatrequire serious problem solving and math-thinking work. Yet the perils that facethis cheerful society are not as fearsome as the amount of time you'llpotentially spend on this pursuit. Beware the chubby, chattering Zoombinis ifyou don't want to get hooked to your computer for at least 90 minutes asession!Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Windows: Pentium 200 MHz+ Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP 40 MB free hard disk space 32 MB RAM 8x CD-ROM dr
• Macintosh: Power PC 180 MHz+ Mac OS 8.6 through OS X 40 MB free hard disk space 32 MB RAM 8x CD-ROM
• Encore/RiverDeep

Reviews (95)

Why I like Zoombinis
Hi, my name is Manuel, I am 6 years old and I like Zoombinis a lot because of all the adventures they go through to pass activities and discover new lands. I also like them because the stories are very exciting.
So much fun!
This is one of the very few computer games where there are no glitches. The graphics, sound, and over all logic of this game are wonderous. Though some people may say it is for younger kids- they are wrong, my olmost fourteen year old cousin loves it- and even adults like it! It's not the same puzzle over and over agin either- clear directions and changing goals and directions give this game a little lift. There is so much more I could talk about with this game- but I don't want to bore you- overall this game is great!

I love'd this game!
I was probably 14 when I played Zoombinis. My aunt had it for my cousins and well for her too, and thought that I would really like it. Not only do you learn and have fun it's so addicting. The best part about it is that you don't even realize you are learning. I am now 24 and recently purchased the game for myself. Not because I need a refresher course but because I enjoyed it so much. I think that this is a great game for the classroom. I've encouraged many of my friends that educate to install into their classrooms. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This fantastic program will have your brain working as hard as a mandrill on a conveyer belt with bananas dangling in front of it. Don't worry, we'll explain. Read more

Features

• CD-ROM

Reviews (13)

Even More! Contraptions Galore!
I played this game in Video Production every so often, and while making contraptions, I literally NEVER wanted the end-of-the-period bell to ring for at least another hour. This game has no limits to what you can create. Imagination is the tool of success!

Crazy Machines Style game
I love this kind of smart software for kids. I would give it more stars but it is dated.

The Incredible Machine Strikes Again!
We had to play this game in school in our tech ed. class. Every day, I found myself wanting badly to go to 3rd Hour(My tech ed. class.) I would recomend this game to everyone. ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• An unknown assailant has vandalized the whale-watching boat owned by Nancy's host, Katie Firestone. Nancy will explore Snake Horse Harbor to uncover the truth to this new mystery!
• Use Nancy's new cellular phone & GPS system to collect clues and chart a course at sea
• Uncover clues and interact with townsfolk, as you study the strange threat in the rolling fog
• Click on the Second Chance option to avoid making mistakes
• Go kayaking in crystal clear waters and shadowy sea caves, and figure out if this crime is related to the orca whale that's been spotted in the harbor

Reviews (680)

Fabulous! Stupendous! Awesome!
OMG! This game is like, the best! The graphics were great, and the personalities of the people were great too! Almost everyone seemed like a suspect, and more than one person was the culprit. Being herinteractive's second game, this is great!
Nancy Drew and the Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
I thought that this game was totally awesome! I really enjoyed it! I played it in 4 days, and it usually takes me much longer! It wasn't too hard, but hard enough. It's not as scary as some of the Nancy Drew games. There are four charactors: Sally McDonald (the lady who asked you to come there), Red Knott (a birdwatcher), Emily Griffen (a lady who owns a store), and Jeff Akers (the closest thing to a police officer that the town has). You never meet Sally, but you meet the other three. Oh, yes. I forgot you meet the ghost dogs...

BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really didn't like this game at ALL! The mystery about somone dead was good and all, and I know it's Herinteractive's first game, but come on! Cartoon characters?! Plus, it was easy and short, and not hard at all. If I were you, I would NOT buy this at all, NAH-AH! I hope this review helped! =) ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Play as Nancy Drew in this interactive mystery-adventure game
• 20+ hours of thrilling game play; interview suspects
• New puzzles tie directly to the storyline and give important clues
• Solve the mystery on your own or team up with family and friends
• 2 difficulty settings for both experienced and new detectives

Reviews (56)

A Great Game
Guess what? Just last week, I was exploring this old ghost town and was suddenly knocked out by a bank robber! (I think) Then, as if that wasn't enough adventure, I woke up in the ghost town's jail! Using my lariat, some old bricks, and a chair, and an old key, I managed to get myself out of there. The next day, I explored some ancient Indian cliff dwellings, found treasure, and turned in a criminal. And I won't even tell you about my first day...
???
A lot of people are saying the toolbox and screen are annoying. I wonder why because I always wanted a bigger game screen since TRT (that was my first game) since the old toolbox/converstion box take up almost half the screen. Plus the old toolbox always had problem. If I scroll down I have to scroll down 3 times usually for the scroll bar to stay in the same place. The game is meant for people ages 10+ if you are older than 5 you should be able to understand how to work the tool box. You point, you click, you get whatever you want, you X out. Oh, so hard. Not.
Secret of Shadow Ranch-Wow.
In The Secret of Shadow Ranch, you are invited to Arizona to stay on Bess and George's aunt and uncle's ranch. Unfortunatley, Bess and George seem to have a (ahem) "little" delay getting there with you, so for now, you're on your own. Spanning over a 3-day period, Shadow Ranch is definatley one of the best Nancy Drew games. The "new" big-screen, a cellphone in it's own compartment (with internet and email, though you can't send email!), and (my favorite), a notebook where Nancy keeps a journal (for all) and a checklist (only for Junior Detectives). And, as always, the toolbar, which takes up less space but holds more items. (A LOT more.) Begin your visit with a mystery. Where are the Rawleys? It turns out, at the hospital (!). Seems Ed Rawley had a little accident. He'll be OK though- but the Rawleys are staying at the hospital. And- what's this about a- PHANTOM HORSE??? Seems there's a lost treasure in the area- is it truth, or just a legend???
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Exciting, interactive, learning adventure with Mia the mouse
• 9 full-featured literary-skills activities each with 4 levels of difficulty
• Specially adapted, navigation engine for complete control over Mia
• Teaches spelling, vocabulary, reading, phonics, word recognition, and more
• For kids ages 5 to 9

Reviews (6)

Graphics are excellent but game sucks.
The creators of Mia's Reading Adventure would be better engaged creating movies and not children's games. There is just way too much expository and not enough interaction to make this worth your child's effort. If you're looking to teach your pre-k/k child reading skills I'd recommend the Blue's Clues games instead. Any older children would probably get as frustrated as mine did.

Content is ok but without state saving
I bought this CD for my 5 years daughter. She likes it but it is quite hard for her to progress. Everytime you need to spend a few minutes to listen to the sing without a way to get rid of it. There is no state save function in the game, every time you need to start from the begin.

useful as a game, but not to learn to read or help with the process
I thought this game would be useful to help my daughter start with the reading process, but that is not the case. As a game it's pretty entertaining, and it has very subtle clues that makes children have to think and look farther beyond.I would place the correct ages for this game between 6 and a half and eight and a half years old.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Over 25 hours of spellbinding game play
• Enhanced challenges with two difficulty settings
• Suspects move, sleep and interact according to game time schedules
• Forgiving ""Second Chance" option erases blunders and rookie mistakes
• Play alone or with friends and family

Reviews (75)

Great family game
This is the first game I was able to play with little help from a walkthrough. My family has two computers: I played this game on mine and my 8yo and 12yo played it on theirs. It was fun to be able to help each other when needed.
Disapointment
I have to say I thought this game was going to be really good but it wasn't. It was OK. I think it's very hard. Partly entertaining. But Her Interactive wasn't exactlly in it's finest hour with this game.
The curse of blackmoor manor
OK I looked at other's people's review and a lot gave it 5 stars. I have to say I disagree. 3 is as good as itgets. I guess thoswe 5 star people like really hard stuff and dont mind that it is extremely difficult and alchamy and hard. Mostly i dont like the secret passage. you know i spent a LONG time trying to find this stone thingy that you pick up and then trying to get back. well u dont use it for anything u dont need it. so i havethis thingy. i solved the mystery then i played again and didnt find the stone thingy. no i dont mean the glowinggo onei think its a map type thing. but i love the nancy drew series. there really good. but i reccomend buyning an easier one and better one first if this is ur first game. then try this one later once u get good at nancy drew. hey i like this game its just way down my list of nd games. it my 3rd least favorite after the first two. but i like it im just saying that its not the best one and her interactive just didnt do as well on this one. but if u like really hard puzzles then here you go. just my opinion. the other ones are better exept ofr the first two. enjoy! either this one or another depending on what you like.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Educational role-playing games that are both enriching and amusing
• Help Mia retrieve her mother's lost hat and find her way home
• Covers age-appropriate scientific concepts and scientific terminology
• Rich and captivating 3D world from a mouse's point of view
• Designed for kids ages 6 to 10

Reviews (3)

FUN, FUN, FUN!!!
July 27, 2005
Big video game, little educational value
If one is looking for an educational program to help a child learn there are much better programs on the market than Mia.
Mia's Science Adventure
My daughter, who's five, loves this program!She's learned a lot from it!Thanks Kutoka! ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• When Mia's grandmother is about to win the art competition, the lights suddenly go out. When they come back on, Mimi is gone, and so are the sparklies she had won. Help Mia find out who did this and why!
• Children will get to practice their Spanish & French while tracking down clues
• Kids will have a fun time learning as they explore and use their detective skills to help Mia!

Reviews (5)

Excellent practice for young children!
Sept 15th, 2005
Pretty good product
This product is pretty good.My little boy is 5 and is just really wanting to learn Spanish so I bought this product to help him.The animation is spectacular but he got bored with it very quickly.

Easy to Play, Easy to Load, Easy to Love!
This game is great!After buying Mia Reading I thought it was a great idea to get my 2 girls to start learning Spanish since we live in a global village. They game was easy to load, easy to navigate and the level was perfect for beginners. The high quality 3D animation will blow you away. Even my husband who learned 3D animation at the Vancouver Film School was blown away. The best part is, that they love playing it as they think it is a game. They forget they're learning numbers and vocab and how to put together simple sentences. Well recommended. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Based on the I Spy book series by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick, Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Animate the puppets while writing their lines -- try to pick the word that rhymes
• Match the words and pictures & solve the riddles
• Design your own handmade puppets and scenery
• Sort the props into their correct cubbies
• Multiple backgrounds and puppets encourage creativity

Reviews (6)

I agree - Not perfect but very good
This is a fun computer game.My 3 year old enjoys it, but finds it pretty easy.There are times in her week when such a game fits that bill.I will be buying more copies for gifts.The graphics are a little disappointing.

Independent game
My youngest son is 3 and really enjoys computer games.I limit his time, especially since many that have entered our house don't seem to have many redeeming qualities or he can't do them himself.This is a game he can play by himself, which occaionally comes in handy, and I feel that it is not devoid of educational value.He also enjoys playing I Spy Treasure Hunt and Spooky Mansion with his 6 year old brother.

Boring...
This was so heavily hyped, I had to have it for my five-year old twin girls.What a bore.They're either too old for it, or there is the outside chance that Scholastic really didn't put a lot of effort into this.It would bore a three-year old.Compare to Spooky Mansion or Treasure Island - can't compare with these gems.I'm 50 and play the latter two. ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Solve rhyming riddles by finding hundreds of cleverly hidden objects, race against the clock playing Oops Hoops and Codebreaker, or create your own I SPY picture riddles. I SPY School Days challenges you to use your brain! , Exlopre nine unique play areas, Solve over 1,600 object and word searches, Play dozens of I SPY riddles, puzzles, and games, Make your own I SPY picture riddle Syste

Features

• CD-ROM
• Grade-based software that covers essential kindergarten skills
• Combines an exciting world of fun and lively games with lovable characters
• Teaches math, literacy, thinking, and creative skills
• 3 difficulty levels to choose from; play as either the boy or girl character
• For kids ages 4 to 6

Reviews (9)

Tedious game-play with little emphasis on learning
The problem with this game starts with the introductury movie... it develops slowly, goes on forever, suffers from disconnected animation and does little to set up the ridiculous premise for game play.
Really disappointed
I guess I'm spoiled by the I Spy games I've purchased for my children. This game has an enormous amount of "story"...it's almost as bad as sitting your child in front of the television. Interaction is confusing and frustrating. I'd rate this lower but it's clear that a lot of work went into the animation, which is top notch. I just wouldn't classify this as a learning game.

Fun Game But Requres Good Hand Coordination
I purchased this game for my 3 year old who already reads a little and knows her numbers well. I hoped this game would help her learn addition. She loves to play it, but several of the games require hand coordination beyond her ability (the hand cart one in particular, as noted by another reviewer), and catching bubbles. It was frustrating to me because she knew the proper answer but could not "execute" because her movements were too slow. Over time, she has improved enough to play most of the games on level one. The game is very engaging ang the graphics well-done, but the educational part is under-emphasized. The game that "teaches" addition involves frogs jumping to lily-pads and my daughter is so focused on the frogs that the addition lesson is hardly noticed. ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Learn math without numbers in this fun and challenging adventure
• 12 perilous puzzles with 4 levels of difficulty each; puzzle reformulation
• Organize information, reason with evidence, and test systematically
• Helpful puzzle clues and handy practice mode; printable activities
• For ages 8 and up

Reviews (1)

Good Game, make sure you are getting a version that is compatible!
The game is great and WOW what awesome service as far as delivering the item in a timely manner and packaging it well!!! Check out the other versions available to see what the game is like - customers have left some very accurate and helpful reviews. Ignore the reviews that say you can play the old version from 1996 on a computer that has XP. You can't, but the newest version is meant for XP, so get that one if you need to. Great and very unique style of puzzles... will really exercise a kid's brain to the max. ... Read more

Features

• Multi-subject edutainment game for children aged 5 to 7
• Covers math, science, reading, creativity, and problem solving
• 3 levels of difficulty so children can grow with the game
• High-quality animation with beautiful, distinctive 3-D graphics
• Sequel to Didi & Ditto 1-Kindergarten

Reviews (1)

Great for schools and learning at home!
This game is excellent. I am a first grade teacher so was sceptical when I saw software claiming to teach the same subjects I cover in my classes through traditional means. I wanted to be open-minded so bought it and tried it with my students on our classroom's computer during the lunch hour. I must say i am dissappointed for having not tried this sooner.My students were glued to the screen the entire time and even after the lunch break they all wanted to continue playing.There are 16 activities covering reading, math, science and creativity and 3 diffifulty levels which allows the children to learn at their own pace and level. I especially like teachers mode which gives direct access to the activities and monitors the childrens progress. It also saves their games so other students can go on and play. The graphics are also astounding and I'm guessing this is what helps keep their attention so they end up playing longer and thus learning more. I would definitely recommend this to other teachers and parents who want to reinforce classroom materials at home. ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• 20 engaging activities and games; collect items to help Little Bill make a big surprise
• Develop early math and thinking skills while launching a submarine, traveling to outer space, and more
• 4 adventures--a different surprise for each season
• 3 levels of play automatically adjust to your child's progress
• Starring popular characters and voices from the hit TV show, including Phylicia Rashad

Features

• CD-ROM

Reviews (16)

Avoid at all costs
I agree with the reviewer who urges you to stay away from this and other Scholastic products if you run Windows XP.I received School Days and Spooky Mansion today but can't get either to run on XP, even though I am generally quite adept at working with computers.I will never buy another product from this company, even if it works well on XP.These products say they work with "Windows 95, 98, 2000 or later."Don't believe it.

Not Windows XP Compatible
I just tossed this one in the trash. It looked like a good game for my girls but unfortunately Scholastic doesn't believe in updating or supporting their products. I'd be very leary of buying any software from this company since software returns are difficult to negotiate. I would appreciate a list of truly Windows XP compatible children's software titles. Windows XP has been around for at least a couple of years now. I don't understand why compatibility is such a problem. Their support site cites that the problem is "you have too much installed RAM." Well, for most software, that is not a "bad" thing.

I spy school days! FUN!!!
Just a great fun game with so many rooms and levels. My 7 year old loves it and it helps in learning to concentrate! I like watching her play. There is a room where she can make her own clues for an I spy game. How fun is that and gives a child the room to invent and create!! Buy!! ... Read more

Features

• Help save the day in 2 unique adventures with this fun learning game
• 9 interactive challenges; 3 difficulty levels increase playability
• Enforces strategic thinking, problem solving, geometry, and math
• Entertaining games with beautiful graphics
• 2 32-page puzzle books included; for ages 7 to 10

Reviews (1)

totally spies rocks
i love totally spies and i want this game! it seems like alot of fun. i would also like the first mission dvd the paper doll book and the chapter books. you gotta get totally spies! ... Read more

Editorial Review

With brain-teasing graphics and puzzling riddles to solve, this spooky addition to the Read more

Reviews (39)

Macintosh OS X Native Users
This information was taken from Scholastic's Technical Support website.
I Spy Spooky Mansion
My kids (4 and 7 yrs old) love this game.The haunted house element of this game adds a nice twist that makes this game even more fun than the other I Spy games.These games also have some educational value and are fun to play with multiple players or with the entire family.Highly recommended.

FIX for running under Windows XP
In reading the review from Angry Dad, I thought it best to give the "workaround" for the running of this game under Windows XP.
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Subjects:  1. reading, language, rhyming    2. classification, logic, memory