Leapfrog Explorer Learning Game School Survey So glad I got this! We love the Magic School Bus so I was hopeful this would be a lot of fun and wasn't disappointed. There are several different games and activities that teach facts about the ocean and animals that live in it. As she progresses through the games, my daughter Emma (4 1/2) can earn badges, providing a fun incentive to keep going - I love hearing her happy squeal when she earns another one. Three different levels of play (easy, medium, hard) make this game fun for a wide age range - Emma usually does Easy or Medium. The game is specifically recommended for ages 5-8, but Emma has enjoyed it very much and done well independently so I think it's safe to say 4-8. Here are a couple of our favorite games with descriptions: Guess the animal by shining a flashlight in the dark: You have three chances to guess which animal is hiding in the inky ocean waters. . . answers are multiple choice! Learn about the food chains: It starts out explaining how each animal is part of the food chain. You begin at the bottom as one species and work your way up the food chain, navigating the ocean waters and staying away from those things that might eat you, but filling your stomach with your prey. If you make it through you move on to the next species! The sorting game: You find the animals that "have fins", "have spots", or other differentiating characteristics by touching them with your stylus. Other games have Emma tracing the lines to reveal a sea creature, racing to the finish line while avoiding pitfalls, and exploring different areas of the ocean while filling a virtual notebook with facts, photos, and more. I really recommend this there is just SO much to do! Emma loves the games and as a mom I'm loving the fact that she's learning as she plays. I appreciate that it talks about the fish or sea creature featured briefly before jumping into the game, mentions facts about the ocean and creatures throughout, and that it clearly describes how to play each game (what buttons to use, etc). For the children who can't read yet, it highlights words and reads them out loud. It's been a great fit for us and valuable educationally. I hope The Magic School Bus makes more games like this - I will buy them if they do! Note: I was sent this game for review purposes. I always give my honest opinions with pros and cons on every product I review. :) My son (age 4 1/2) enjoys this game. I was hesistant to purchase because the age states 5-8 years old, but my son seems to do well on it. He gets very excited when he completes a lesson and "earns more gas" for his gas tank, which means he can then go through the ocean to explore another part. It's engaging and has three different challenge levels (easy, medium and hard) which is nice for as they get older and grow in their skills. Hope this review his helpful! As a lover of the ocean I want to introduce my grandson to the wonders below the sea. This was educational and informative with great pictures. Really good Leapster game makes up for some of the bad ones (Scooby, Tangled). The information on marine animals isn't dumbed down like you'd imagine. An impressive game is the food chain one, just one of several. A classic show in a great game. . . I hope they make more versions. Perfect for ages 5-7. I have a 4 year old boy and a 6 year old girl. The girl went through it completely in about a week (playing an hour or less a day). She wanted to go back through and play it again and again though. My son hasn't gotten all the way through it yet. It's a little more difficult for him, but not hard enough he can't do it. I would highly recommend it.
http://gradebit.com/31147