EVERY so often a nursery product hits the market which encourages social interaction among peers. Jump Start Kindergarten is cross-curricular and ideal for introducing pre-schoolers to basic maths, reading, language and art skills. For maximising usage, try it out on several children integrating in a childminder's home based playroom or in a small nursery group.
A big deficiency in products like this is that they don't explain what to do on screen or zip through instructions too quickly. In JK a rabbit lends a guiding hand, speaking slowly and clearly. You're first introduced to him in the classroom, also the main menu screen, where some of the activities take place.
Many products fall into the trap of just having objects and characters move around to entertain. In this classroom actions are sustained to inform. The TV comes alive and provides video footage of related topics, and the number pad spews mice across the screen, changing in volume according to the number selected.
