Fisher-Price Fun-2-Learn Computer Cool School by Fisher Price - M6635 Reviews

just perfect!

K. Carmichael from florida - 5 out of 5.

This was a christmas gift for my 2 1/2 year old son. He LOVES this computer! From the moment we hooked it up he has played on it just about every day! He is able to turn it on and go to the different programs himself. The graphics are very good. The only downside is that we keep getting a keyboard error (which my son has figured out how to unplug the usb and replug it in) but I figured that it was due to the very old computer we have it hooked to. The computer cool school has exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend it.

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My son is busy and challenged

V. Howard from Baltimore, MD - 5 out of 5.

As everyone else has said, this is a great product for the preschool set. My son loves it and spends a long time playing with it. He has mastered most of the games within a couple days, but isn't tired of them. I love the different levels available and the supports in place when my son accidentally chooses a level too hard for him. The password to exit the program makes me feel safe enough to walk away for a few minutes without fearing for all my documents. This is a great product. We don't have any additional software yet, and just the included program is excellent!

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Time on My Hands

Adam's Mom from Dubai UAE - 5 out of 5.

What a great investment, my son is 3 years and 3 weeks old and has been using the cool school since Christmas. He loves it, and uses it independently. Lots more free time for Mom and Dad. Will be investing in additional cd roms to expand the learning. Thanks Fisher Price.

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Awesome Toy

Kara C. Self from Augusta, WV United States - 5 out of 5.

My daughter turned 3 in August and received the Cool School for Christmas. This toy is absolutely wonderful. She doesn't usually sit down and play with anything for more than a minute (very active child) but this toy keeps her attention for hours. We've bought most of the games for it so far and the fact they go over reading, writing, math, numbers, alphabet, etc. makes it one of the best toys she has. Her favorite feature is the painting. She can paint and add clip art to pictures and print them off to give to people.

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Will grow with my twins

Anonymous - 4 out of 5.

One of my 3 year old twins just loves the computer, so I decided this would be a good Christmas present for her. Now her sister wants it all the time too! The girls also received the Dora/Diego game for Christmas which was a great sanity saver - get the extra games. The included game is fine, but having a known character on the screen has made a difference in the use. Right now, the girls just love the art section because there are a variety of drawing tools (pencil, marker, paint, spray paint), and colors to choose from. Plus stamps of the charaters, and backgrounds from Dora & Diego, and they can save and print out their work (which they can do on their own). The rest of the choices only holds their attentions for a little while. I am hoping that as they get older, and hand/eye coordination improves, the other choices will begin to engage them more. I plan on buying other titles soon. The game was easy to load, and has good parental controls (e.g. can limit the number of pages printed so smart little ones won't use up your paper supply!). My only complaint is that I have no good place to store it when not in use, as the girls use the "family" computer - it's too tall to fit on our keyboard slid out shelf. Also, it is definitely a single user game, so not the best for twins (LOTS of sharing issues).

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Broke

Jean L. Milliner from blackwood, nj - 3 out of 5.

I bought 2 of them for my grandkids one is not hooked up yet and the other is broke. I have to return it as soon as I find my receipt. They are different from the one I bought my other grandchild last year. His has a place on the back for the cards and pen. It's a very educational toy but this one is a lemon.

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Computer Cool School

Susan Thomas - 5 out of 5.

This is one of the best computer educational games I have seen. My special needs daughter loves this and it is easy to use. It is well worth the money. And there are many different discs you can buy to add to your library. She uses it for hrs on end every day and has helped a lot. I strongly recommend it for eduacational and play purposes. Will add to our library of discs as money permits. You won't be dissapointed in this game

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My 3 year old LOVES this!!!

Sierra's Mommy from Big Lake, MN - 5 out of 5.

My 3 year old daughter got this as a Christmas gift. It is so easy to use. The buttons are large enough for her fingers, and the tutorials are easy for her to understand. At first she didn't understand how to use the pen, but after a few practice runs she is a pro! We decided to buy another one for my parents vacation home. For $[...], this is a great buy!

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FP Cool School... great choice!

Lene Walters from Wasilla, AKUnited States - 5 out of 5.

We bought this item for my 2.5yr old son for Christmas. This was an excellent purchase. He loves to play the games on this and they are educational to boot. We haven't done much with the writing pad as of yet, but I think it will be a hit as you can watch what you are writing on the screen. We purchased the following software to accompany it: Super Why and Leo's Dinosaur Adventure. Both of these have been great.

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it o.k

k.c - 4 out of 5.

MY GRANDSON ENJOY IT WHEN YOU LOAD IT UP PUT SOMETIME THE SOFTWARE GET LOST BUT WENT YOU LOAD IT AGAIN GRANDSON AT LIKE A BIG BOY CAUSE LET HIM LEARN HOW TO THE THE COMPUTER AND NOW HE WANT TO SEE IF COULD GET E-MAIL TOO HE ONLY 3YRS OLD HAHAHA

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fun safe little computer

C. A. Thomas from Georgetown, TX United States - 4 out of 5.

My daughter got this for Christmas and enjoys playing with it. I like that she gets to play on a computer without messing up my settings.

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Very nice!

Akiko Fredricks from TX USA - 5 out of 5.

I purchased this toy for my 3-year-old daughter. She enjoys play around and has fun. The best thing about this toy is writing pad. This toy has a several different software and basic program comes with it. The other softwares are not cheap. I would like to get more for her but not anytime soon. Only one bad thing about this toy is that while she is using it, I can't use my computer. But, hey, you don't mind as long as your kids are educated.

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A great choice!

B. Kluver from Nebraska - 5 out of 5.

I bought this Fisher Price Cool Computer for my grandson who has only just turned 2. He loves this thing. He is on it continuously fron day to night.

I told him I was buying him two more games - Elmo and Clifford - and everyday he kept asking about playing those new games and I had to keep reminding him I had not received them in the mail yet. But, we got them and he is still playing the computer every single day for long lengths of time.

His mom told me that when she would unplug his game so she could check her email or use the internet, he would come back in the room and immediately plug his computer back in and would be angry with her for unplugging it.

He already understands how to do everything with the pen for drawing and stamping and all of the other little things you can do.

I am so glad I just took a chance and bought this as a Christmas present. I could not have found anything better as far as I'm concerned.

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My Son Never Uses It! "Lame".

Jay Finnsey from Bucks County, PA - 1 out of 5.

First, we got Fisher Price's Digital Arts & Crafts Studio, which my son loves... especially since all he needs to do is press a button on the back and he's up and running on our playroom computer. (Though on older graphic cards this unit won't render properly). Ok... so expand his fun and learning with the Fun2Learn keyboard. I'll keep this review short... my son calls it "lame". The drawing is lame when compared to the Digital Arts Studio. My 6 year old son got through the onboard programs in short order and didn't feel challenged or exited. So we bought some other cartridges. They were more of the same. The reading modules are the worst. The music part is really lame... and the sounds are awful.

Go for the Digital Arts Studio... stay away from this one. We get more and better learning and excitement online at PBS Kids site or ABCya.

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Great educational game system - replacement for a DS or PSP!

M. Kinch from Philadelphia, PA - 5 out of 5.

Got this for my 4 year old boy for Christmas and it's been a huge hit. He loves the activities and can easily navigate around all the classrooms by himself. He's so proud of himself when he creates something, prints it off - and gives it to my wife and I as a gift!

Definitely a better option (in my opinion) than the nintendo DS, PSP, or even leapster. It looks like Fisher price is continuing to expand the classrooms (adding additional characters like SuperWhy and Elmo) - so you are not just limited to the original 5 classrooms.

The classrooms are expensive - but my son is watching less TV in favor of "school".

Product seems durable - no issues so far.

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She loves it! Her very own computer like Mommy.

Michelle K. Root - 5 out of 5.

My daughter (age 3 1/2) got this as a gift. It is very durable and easy to use. The software that comes with it is good for probably age 4 or 5 but I also ordered the Dora/Diego Software which she loves to use. I think she will be using this for many more years and I feel comforable with her using it and me not being right next to her while she plays. Easy set up as well.

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BEST COMPUTER GAME EVER FOR PRESCHOOLERS!

mom2karrottopz from somewhere, LA - 5 out of 5.

I absolutely LOVE this toy! My 2-year-old loves playing on my computer, but she always hits the function buttons, sleep button, etc. With this special keyboard, she can type until her little heart is content and not mess anything up on my computer. She is learning to control the pen, which will help when she starts writing, and has learned to push the correct button to get to the games and activities she wants to play. It is very simple and child friendly, even for toddlers! She even knows how to start it up by herself. I also love the fact that in order to exit the software and access any other programs on the computer, you have to enter a passcode. Fisher Price thought of everything when making this!

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Three year old's Christmas gift

Roy Nelson - 4 out of 5.

This was a present to our 3 year old who just loves it. Nothing is better than providing a learning tool that is fun for the child.

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Awesome Toy For a Preschooler and Kindergardener

Misty L. Williams from Palmdale California - 5 out of 5.

My Daughters Grandparents purchased this Item for my daughter for Christmas. It arrived promptly. It was super easy to use. Just put in the disk upload and it is ready to go. You type in your childs name and it apears everywhere on the page so it makes them feel extra special. I can leave my 4 year old up at the computer and she loves to go from area to area learning something new on each subject. The only thing that I thought could have been better is that on the spelling subject so they can learn to write their letters you have to create a story for each letter and if you look in the corner of the page you can click on the letter and then it takes you the area where they can practice writing thier letter which I though could have been made easier for the child to find. I sit and play it with her but she likes to play it alone also. Great Educational tool Two Thumbs up

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Careful--not Windows 7 compatible!

J. Prall - 3 out of 5.

I was going to buy the product, but I called Fisher Price Customer Relations Dept. first to ask if the product is Windows 7 compatible. According to them, it is NOT. So the product is only compatible with XP or Vista!

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HIGHLY EDUCATIONAL!!!!! and I'm LEAPFROG JUNKY!!!!!

Hurshe Tsikata - 5 out of 5.

I decided to get this for my daughter for her 4th birthday instead of the Leapfrog Zippity because the Zippity doesn't teach any skills past what is considered preschool-aged. My daughter is just turning four in 3 days, but she is already able to work on subtraction, addition(1st grade level) and read at a 2nd grad level. So I felt that with the Zippity, she would be UNDERCHALLENGED. She has most of the skills that the Computer Cool School helps kids with but I mainly decided on the Computer Cool School because I want here to have fun too and it offere a VARIETY of educational games that a child is able to grow with at different levels too like math, reading, science,music and art. My daughter likes math. My only problem is that the math on this is too basic for her. She already adds and subtracts with two digit numbers. Every child is different and some grow at different levels.

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Great toy

K. Imran from FL - 5 out of 5.

It is perfect toy for 3-4 year old. Very easy to install and use. Tons of great options in the software.

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An enjoyable toy, but expect to buy add-ons

L. Peppin from Fort Collins, CO - 4 out of 5.

My almost 3-year old daughter got this as a present just after she turned two. She has enjoyed it a lot. It did take her quite a while to learn to navigate herself, though that's not surprising at her age. She can now do pretty well on it independently, and has enjoyed many parts of it. But we are now looking at add-on software for her 3rd b-day. A few months of 1-2 times per week use, and she's mostly "done" with the original program. We have not used the letter tracing functions -- just a little tricky for her hands to manage, but perhaps soon. But the keyboard itself is great for little hands to navigate, and she did finally get the touch pad on the side (it was hard for her to press hard enough while staying in the right place at first). We certainly like it enough to invest in more software for it.

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Dark Horse from X-mas '08 Still Going Strong!

MomofTwo - 5 out of 5.

My daughter received the Cool School Computer as an unexpected Christmas gift when she had just turned 4. Almost one year later, it is the only thing from last year's Christmas that my daughter still regularly plays with every week. She absolutely loves it! I find her printing off look and find games and drawing picture on the computer. She regales me with facts she has learned from the Cool School computer, like "Mom, did you know a tomato is really a fruit?!" She is excited to pick which games she will play each time she turns it on. She is now attempting to teach her little brother with this product. The only real problem we have is that we hooked up the system to my dh's computer, so my dd is often asking her daddy for her turn on the computer. We have also lost a few of the cards that come with the system. At first she did not use those, but as she has gotten older, she seems to use them more.

I felt compelled to write this review, as I have been surprised at how few people seem to know about this awesome product. We own an array of educational game systems from v-tech, leap frog, etc., but this is the only one my dd asks to play with again and again. Thanks, Fisher-Price!

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Great learning toy!

MELISSA BROWN from KS, United States - 5 out of 5.

My son was 5 when he received this computer as a gift and a year later he's still using it (can't be said for most of the toys/games we have). The software was easy to install and he quickly learned how to navigate through the different options. We leave it plugged into a USB port on the computer and he can turn it on himself with no supervision required. We've purchased 5 out of the 6 software cds (which you can find relatively cheaply) and all are great. We've purchased a lot of learning toys in the past, but this by far is the best one!

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Not Mac compatible very disappointing

JESSICA L BOEN from Simi Valley, CA USA - 1 out of 5.

I was so excited for my son to get this as a present for his third birthday. However it is not Mac compatible. It doesn't seem like it should be that hard for Fisher Price to include the Mac software along with the Windows software.

I am very disappointed.

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My son loves the games

Megan - 4 out of 5.

The good:
- My son enjoys doing most of the activities on his own. He just turned four and would actually prefer I let him play on his own.
- The games are reasonably easy to figure out. I played everything once on my own and then sat with him to teach him what to do. Recently I went to the Cool School website to review the PDFs they have on suggestions.
- Rather surprising to me, my son LOVES the Scooby Doo add-on game. It was a fantastic purchase and is certainly his favorite.

The bad:
- Well, probably not bad as much as expected: he doesn't do the letter/writing activities on his own. I sit with him and encourage him.
- If you want to use the Cool School to teach writing skills then this product is majorly flawed. Kids want to watch the screen instead of their pen strokes. I'd suggest a dry-erase board or cards instead.

All in all we are very pleased with the product. Our son is very entertained. We haven't noticed any knowledge or skills he's picked up from it but I think we will. He really likes to focus on the game.

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High hopes...... left dissappointed

Looking For The Best from Colorado - 2 out of 5.

Purchased for 4 year old son's birthday. He loves to play on my computer and is interested in most learning topics using books/ toys/ magazines and a few educational cartoons.

I thought this would be perfect but he would play on this to pretend he was working on the computer but the activities did not really interest him- I believe this is because the activites are too simple and passive (most are point and and listen- little question/ response activity). He would usually walk away within 5 minutes.

I returned it and bought computer software learning software for Pre K to 1st grade (brain play). It cost the same as one of the additional CDs for this toy and he loves it- it is much more interactive- and it still locks him out of the rest of my computer when he uses it. I have to set time limits for how long he can play.

The Cool School system has the potential to be as good or better as the educational software packages but falls short on interactivity and the price is about triple of most of these packages for just the starting system.

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Love this toy!

Tricia from Fayetteville, AR - 5 out of 5.

I am completely happy with the toy, and with the shipment. My children love this toy, and it is very educational.

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OMG so nice

M. Romero from Miami - 5 out of 5.

my daughter is only years old love, she has imporved too much, we have all program, at the begining i thought all programs are the same but not at all, she really loves scooby doo games,,,, i advice Fisher-Price Fun-2-Learn Computer Cool School for childrem of 2 years old and up

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So entertaining!!

N. Parker - 5 out of 5.

My girls, ages 4 & 6 were given Computer Cool School for Christmas. Actually my then 3 year old chose it out of the Target catalog, and I really thought it was a waist of money...but Nana bought it for them, and I am so happy she did!
It has entertained my girls for countless hours (although I set the timer, so they aren't on it for too long in one sitting) and they have created so many fun pictures. My 4 year old loves spelling "words" and my 6 year old is has fun writing sentences and creating pictures to go along. The addition train has also been a good introduction to addition for my youngest. After 5 months we finally bought two additional games and the girls have a renewed interest in it. Overall...the best Christmas present by far!!!

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Grandson loves it and is learning, too!

M. Kohl from Fresno, CA - 5 out of 5.

My grandson loves this and feels like a grown-up using a computer. He is learning so much. This is a very good product.

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Best educaltional toy I've bought so far.

Cami from CA - 5 out of 5.

My daughter just turned 2 and a half. I figured if she was to young she'd grow into it shortly but she's into this like nothing else. It's very educational and she's eager to learn. I'm amazed at her willingness and ability to figure out how to play all the activities. The only problem is I couldn't get her off my computer so I had to set up her own little computer in the office. Luckily I had a spare pc and monitor in the garage and I found a little pink princess desk at Walmart for $40. I bought the Dora and Diego software a couple weeks after buying this product and my daughter got so exciting when I came home with it. I couldn't believe it! I've never seem her get so excited. I love this game.

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Good toy, but overall too expensive

C. Ryan from Lexington, KY United States - 4 out of 5.

My 4 year old son liked this, but he quickly got tired of it. It didn't take him long to explore a new game and then quickly tire of it after he had seen all its features/games. A new game only held his interest for a couple days and the games are pricey. There are skill levels for the math, but it didn't take him long to play all 3 and be bored. Also, there are only 5 or 6 games that go with this system. It is educational and fun, but too expensive for something that isn't going to hold his interest any longer than a day or 2. He's only had it since Christmas and rarely ever plays with it. We have all but 1 game for it. I think investing in a Leapster/Leapster 2 that can grow with your child and has many more games available is a wiser choice. That is what I have done now.

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Would be a great toy but...................

Eve A. Grueiro from monroe, ny - 3 out of 5.

My boys love this toy. If it did not malfunction 15 times a day, I would love it too. The stylus pen is apparently already broken (bought it for Christmas and now it is March). We have had a problem with the stylus pen wherein you would not be able to move it to the far bottom of the screen and then you would reboot the game to get it to work again. Now, the stylus pen does not seem to work very well at all. Gonna call Fisher Price to see if they will send me another pen. It seems that you can unscrew a panel and remove the pen (I guess Fisher Price was anticipating the stylus pen to break or they would not have made it removable). Other than that, I love the game and the software does not break the bank (about $20 per disk).

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What a racket! U have to pay extra $$$ for more software!

CQ DX from Ohio, USA - 1 out of 5.

This product would easily get 4 or 5 stars if it were not for the paltry amount of activities/screens that come with the unit. Come on Fisher-Price- for [...] bucks you should include a few extra discs of software to increase the functionality and value. One can easily spend another one [...] dollars or more just for the software alone! Which is what most parents will want to do, given the pathetically miniscule and cheap amount of activities that come with the unit. What a LOUSY value! You can buy a DELL netbook computer with built in Wi-Fi for the cost of the 'Computer Cool School' unit and the extra software that SHOULD HAVE COME WITH IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

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The Best Ever!

W. Brent from Yorktown Hts., New York United States - 5 out of 5.

I bought two for my grandaughters for Christmas and they loved it so much I bought one for my nephew for his birthday , I also bought one for my grandson for Christmas.As you can tell I am very impressed with this computer game.The child can't help but learn shapes, colors,numbers, the alphabet etc. It dosen't stop there...It also has music, sience, andthey can even go on field trips!!!!!As they get used to this you can buy different and more advanced game discs.They all just love it.

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Great fun!

C. Padilla from California - 5 out of 5.

This is a great investment for your child. So easy to use. My 5yr old just plugs it in the computer when she is ready to use it. She knows how to log in and what activity she wants to do. The keyboard is extremely easy to understand and use and durable for kids. My 3yr old is loving this too. They learn how to write numbers and letters on the keypad and many other activities to learn. Many art activities to do and help your child be as creative as they can be. Music & hide & seek games are plenty. And that is just with the basic set up . You can purchase more software for your child to play and learn more. The possibilites are endless. I cant see how anyone could be unhappy with this product. I did wait and get it at a great price on Amazon. I believe I paid just $39. Great price & look forward to purchasing more software for my girls.

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Gets lots of play in our house!

mom to 3 girls from Houston, TX United States - 5 out of 5.

I bought this for my 3-year-old daughter for Xmas and she loves it. She quickly learned how to play all the various features and switch from one game to another on her own. I like that I can limit the number of pages that she can print so we don't go through paper and ink like crazy. That said, she does love to print out her art work and coloring pages! Truth be told, her 6- and 8-year-old sisters like to have a turn with the art feature too! My 3 y/o is also enjoying learning to write her letters. I would buy this all over again.

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Disappointed

Anonymous - 3 out of 5.

I thought this would be a great toy for my daughter since she is gaining interest playing on the computer. Even though she is only 3 1/2 she is losing interest because there are not really that many different things to play with. You have to keep buying CD's for this product and I hate that. Give me everything in one package and charge me initially for it, don't rake me through the coals initially then expect me to continue to dump money into a bad product. I was just very disappointed that my daughter was bored with this toy after a week and I paid a lot out for it, then I was expected to keep buying CD's for it to regain her interest. Thanks but no thanks. Lately Fisher Price has really disappointed me in many products. Thankfully there are more toy company's out there.

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Great Toy! They learn and don't even know it!

mstyblu1 from Wyoming County, Pa USA - 5 out of 5.

I searched through all of the available kiddie "computers" I finally chose this one because it plugs into the actual computer and not the tv. I had previously bought one for the tv and it has sat here not played with at all! I wasn't going to make that mistake again. My child can sit next to me on one of our laptops with the cool school while I can work on the other.

As for the game it is easy to set up and requires a password to change any settings on the computer thus keeping the child from changing anything detrimental to the computer. My child has had so much fun while learning all along! I can't say enough about this product!

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Best Computer Toy!!

R. Shetty from Olean ,NY USA - 5 out of 5.

I Bought this for my 2 yr old son. He didnt quite get it the first day, but now he is used to most part of it. He loves paint brush. We also brought additional dora and diego disc for [...]$. He loves number games on dora and diego disc. I Guess as he grows it will be a complete eductional toy for him.

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Great Learning Tool

T. Jordan-puryear - 5 out of 5.

My 3 and 4 year old love this product. It helps my daughter write her letters better and my son loves the music and science. They play with it all the time.

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Fabulous introduction for young learners

ariel luna from USA - 5 out of 5.

My 2.5 year old received this present for Christmas and absolutely loves it. She's always loved clicking around my computer (I open a Word doc and let her go to town); now she has one of her own.

She quickly learned how to navigate both by keyboard and pen, giving her great practice for using the real computer someday soon. As another reviewer noted, the tablet area is truly a tablet and thus confusing for those of us used to touchpad navigation (where your position is relative to where the mouse is on the screen). Regardless, she has no problem with it and it's great for hand-eye coordination, plus imagine trying to learn to write your letters with your position continually shifting!

Thus far, she really likes the art programs - loves uses the stampers and different colors and tools to create her masterpieces. She checks out the field trips (by virtue of grandparents, we now have a couple of the extensions, so she has some variety), but loves the math and letter games. She's getting good at finding the right letter on the keyboard to match to the requested value in the game. Still finds some of the games a bit challenging, and of course finds the higher levels on most of them challenging. The books are a mix - she likes that it reads a story, and likes that she can add to it, but finds some of them quite boring. The ones that have multiple interactive stamps per page are her favorite. And aside from playing with the cards, she hasn't really even tried the writing exercises.

Personally, I think this is great as an educational toy for young children. Some of the extensions are rated higher than I believe they should be, and I think older children would be quite bored with them. For my little munchkin though, it's perfect and will continue to be for some time to come. It keeps her happily occupied, with many moments for "Mommy, look what I did/made!" I also like when she proudly shows me how to do something.

Oh, and I must agree with another comment I saw here about the password feature. It's wonderful that once in the program, she has absolute control and can wander at will and I don't need to worry about her accidentally exiting into the main computer.

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Great product!

Nanci Madder from Dallas, TX - 5 out of 5.

Both my children (ages 6 and 3) love this toy. My 3 year old navigates the keyboard and menu options expertly, so it is not hard for him to play with it independently. There are several activities and drawing options for each age range. The only disappointment is that it offers other "classrooms" but are not accessible. I am guessing that additional software will need to be purchased.

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Great Little Computer

J. Dolan from boise, ID United States - 5 out of 5.

My daughter spends 30-60 minutes at a time playing with this Fisher-Price computer...everyday. She has learned quickly how use it on her own, moving around the different learning tools easily without tiring. We will purchase a new program for her birthday. Highly recommended!!

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Educational and Fun

L. Holmes from Palm Coast, FL United States - 5 out of 5.

My son is 4 and we got him this for Christmas. He absolutely loves it and is learning a lot. It is full of activities to do on the computer and to print out to practice writing. Also, fun projects to do. All the programs available for it are excellent.

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Great for kids to learn!!

K. Giannotti from FL/NJ - 5 out of 5.

Santa brought this computer for my daughter who just turned 4, she has never gone to preschool or daycare, so this was really a great thing for her to have to help her learn. It is fun, she wants to play everyday with it, which is great, because as she plays she is learning. Helps learn to count, hels her recognize numbers & letters, helps her learn to write her letters. I love it, and so does she!

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Great!!!

H. Hodges from Idaho, USA - 4 out of 5.

I bought it for my boys and my oldest one really loves to play and try to learn the different things. He enjoys math and trains so the math part is really enjoyable for him. He has figured out how to use the pen and learning his letters better. Great learning toy.

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grandson loves it

Grandma - 5 out of 5.

Gave this toy to my grandson for his 4th birthday as an aid to prepare him as he progresses in his education. His mother reports that it is a great toy, engages him in meaningful activities, is user-friendly, and most of all, fun!

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Educational and Fun

Nancy Ramos from Bridgeport, CT - 4 out of 5.

We got this for my son for Christmas he was about 2 1/2 years old. He absolutely loves it. The age requirements start from 3 but if you purchase a younger game it's pretty manageable. It's great for a parent and child to interact and the child also enjoys seeing their favorite characters which helps them learn even faster and while having fun. I recommend this product.

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The U-school Tool

A. Johnson from Mesa, AZ - 5 out of 5.

My grandbaby can't stay off of this learning computer. He loves to practicing writing his A's because it's first letter in his name. This is one of his favorite toys.

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Great for young kids!

Cindy E - 4 out of 5.

This is the perfect gift for my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter. It is teaching her better hand control for now. It allows her to be on her own computer while her parents are working from theirs!

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My 3 year old loves it !!!!

D. Rodriguez from Dallas, TX - 5 out of 5.

My 3 yr old(who will be 4yrs old in 3 months)loves it. She's very excited to have her very own computer and has easily maneuvered through the software. I assisted her in the beginning and continue to monitor her, however she's in that independant stage and proud that she can do it 'by herself'. She started with the Leo sofware that it comes with and I assisted her in figuring out the many features. I had to read the directions to learn the basics and then we figured out the rest by trial and error as we went along. I just put in the Sesame Street software and discovered it has a female voice explaining what to do as my daughter explores (Leo doesn't). She is easily figuring this one out on her own. Therefore, I definitely recommend buying the additional programs. Her favorite part is writing her letters. She is now able to write her name on paper by herself after only 3 weeks of practice on the computer. She is lefthanded, and although it would have been nice to have been able to move the writing/mouse pad to that side (like the other educational devices offer), it has not inhibited her use at all. We just move the whole keyboard to the left side so she can use it. The letters on the keyboard are still within easy reach. The majority of activity takes place on the pad anyway. For those that don't know, the writing stylus acts as the mouse. It has a part on the bottom that 'clicks' when the child presses down and this is how the activities are performed. Whether she's clicking on a word, clicking continuously to draw or write, or clicking on object to count, all is done with this stylus. I believe I read that a regular mouse can also be used, but in my opinion that would be much more diffucult for little hands. I highly recommend this product!!!!!! Great job Fisher-Price - now just put out more software (Backyardigans would be nice).

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Fisher Price Computer Cool School

Kimberly Jones - 5 out of 5.

Bought this for my 3 year old for Christmas. He loves it. Very educational. Great for teaching fundamentals of computer usage. He's learning his letters, numbers, shapes, colors, etc. My 6 year old is also enjoying it. There are different levels on all of the games so it is great entertainment for both of them. The price on Amazon was about 1/2 of the price in retail stores.

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Grandaughter loves it!

happy grammy from Massachusetts, USA - 5 out of 5.

I purchased this item for my 3year old Grandaughter, and the reports back from my daughter are 5 stars all the way. They find it easy to use and captivating. They can't wait to get the additional software to stimulate her learning even further. My grandaughter quickly learned how to use it, stays attentive and asks to use it regularly.

I haven't had a chance to view it myself, but can't wait to see all it can do.

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Educational Fun

Joyful from midwest - 4 out of 5.

our child always wanted a turn on the computer and has been learning numbers, letters etc. Needless to say he LOVES IT. We just purchased the clifford program and it seems to be very simular to the orignal one that comes with the purchase. All in all this is a good product. Children can play music, draw freehand, and write their letters. I thought it was good for him to pratice on the computer as computers are a part of our eveyday life. Even though by their generation they may have something diffrent. :)

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Great learning tool

M. Villareal - 4 out of 5.

When my daughter tried this item at a local toy shop, she got hook on it, learning now is easy and with a lots of fun

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Fisher Price Computer Cool School

Scrappydog - 5 out of 5.

This product is amazing. My 3 yr old granddaughter constantly wants to work with it. My dil told me she is learning to write her letters and loves to be on it. We are very very happy and I recommend this product very highly!!

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Fantastic Bargain!

Christie Lou from Glen Burnie, MD - 5 out of 5.

My three year old LOVED this toy and played it for HOURS on Christmas day. She has repeatedly asked to play with this toy everyday since then. It is easy to set up, easy to use and very child friendly as she can navigate around on it herself.

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computer cool school

Louann Fryman from cynthiana kentucky usa - 5 out of 5.

my grandson got the computer cool school and games for christmas and he likes to play it every chance he gets. he is 4 and 1/2 years old and really likes the scooby doo game

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Computer Cool School: Perfect Gift for your Preschooler!

Kelly R. Kieffer from Ohio USA - 5 out of 5.

The computer cool school is very impressive. My daughter, who is turning 3 in 2 months, has mastered the game already... it is easy to use, but at the same time there are a few things she doesn't understand yet, making it so that she'll grow into it & as she starts to understand it more she will continue to stay interested in the game. It say's ages 3-6, but my nieces & nephews (ages 5-9) all love it as well... as a matter of fact, I love it!!! lol

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Computer Cool School

Dawn Fetherman from Bucks County, Pa. - 5 out of 5.

My son LOVES this toy. The only problem that I have had is that sometimes it crashes. So I have to shut down the computer and reload it. That can be a bit annoying, but my son really enjoys playing with it, so that makes it all worth it.

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great buy

Kim from Cedarbrook, NJ - 5 out of 5.

My daugter received this for christmas and just loves it. She is aquiring computer skills and educational learning. Would recommend.

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If your child needs a little extra help, this is the one!

C. Riker from Vernon, NJ - 5 out of 5.

Not only is this product fun for my 5-year old, but she has already shown improvements in Kindergarten. My daughter was struggling a little with letter recognition and this product is a great tool for assisting with that in a fun way. I am very happy that I made this purchase for Christmas. My daughter thinks Santa is the greatest.

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Great Educational Entertainment!

Maria Maria from Texas - 5 out of 5.

I purchased this product for my 4 year old boy, and he loves it. It is very easy to use, has many features that he can easily navigate, and you can expand the usage by purchasing additional software. It is very durable. My son has already dropped it several times, and it is still alive! I recommend this product.

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Cool School is Cool!

Laini Rose from Mid-Michigan - 4 out of 5.

Bought this for my 4 yo for Christmas and she loves it. She played with it a lot the first week or two and has slowed down now, but it is something she can easily turn on, use and then "log off". I haven't purchased additional CDs yet, but so far she is able to practice writing her letters/numbers, performing math problems, and it has limited reading capability. She really enjoys the art option and learned to change the backgrounds, stamps and colors by herself the first day. I am impressed with it; it is easy to use. It was a good investment and I would recommend it.

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My 4 year old LOVES this! and so Do I.

K. Scott from Pensacola, FL USA - 5 out of 5.

My son loves the Cool School, He likes being able to do things himself. I also love it because you can set up a password so your child has to stay in the cool school program and cannot exit into your main computer. Which means I dont have to always be sitting here supervising because theres nothing he can do wrong on it, and he loves playing on the computer, and i like that he is gaining computer skills at the same time. I find that is a expensive toy and the games are expensive to however, I love that there is something like this that keeps my child safe from the internet and all that is included with that, and that it keeps my computer safe while allowing him to experince and gain computer skills and learn.

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fun To Learn

Scott Warren from Illinois - 5 out of 5.

I bought this for my 4 year old. We are very pleased with this item. It is a great tool in helping her get ready for kinder garden.I would recommend this product to everyone.

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love this smart toy!

Carly M. Hickey - 5 out of 5.

I purchased this for my 5 year old step daughter for Xmas and she absolutely loves it. She claims it as her favorite toy of the year.We still have not purchased any of the additional games but the ones that come with it provide hours of fun learning. I would recommend this for anyone preschool to 1st grade looking for an educational game for their kids!

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Grtandchild's Christmas present

Rebecca J. Yauchzee from Battle Ground, WA USA - 5 out of 5.

As an educator and a grandparent, I was looking for a toy that would withstand an active child, keep her attention, and be able to be used for the next child. So far, it is living up to it's promise. We are happy with the product, the software available and the ability for her to jump from one concept to another quickly for those 3 year old minds while sneaking in learning.

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Great toy for toddlers

Shane Teed - 5 out of 5.

My three year old used to ask for this every time in the store. After getting it for her birthday, she asks to play it every day. It's proven durable, as she knocks it off the keyboard tray a few times a day, while we can also see some improvement in some of the basic number and letter lessons over just the past week.
The art section are fantastic, letting her draw and paint, and stamp in her favorite characters, letting her make her own scenes.
Overall a great buy for my 3 year old.

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Educational and fun

ellyn - 5 out of 5.

The Computer Cool School is a wonderful way to encourage learning in
young children. My two grandchildren, ages 3 and 4, are having so much
fun while learning so much.

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Too cool for school? Then go to cool school:)

K. Brewer - 4 out of 5.

We got this for our 3 year old, and she loves it. Depending on your child's level of knowledge on the subjects before they start, you can just turn it on and let them go with it. Easy to use and makes learning fun. Great buy!

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Great Product!

Mombo from VA - 5 out of 5.

This was so easy to hook up. My 4 year old loves loves loves it. It is super user friendly for the kids, my 7 year old even likes to play around with it. My 4 year old spends hours on it. He absolutly loves it. Great gift. Not junk or a waste of money would highly recommened.

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Great toy

K. Garcia from Seattle - 5 out of 5.

My 4 year old daughter is captivated by this computer. She is able to navigate it all by herself. She can't get enough. It has held up to my 2 year olds attempt to "play computer" so I have to say it is pretty durable too. I highly recommend this toy!

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Great Product

A. D. Lehnert from Oklahoma - 5 out of 5.

I have a 4 year old girl and a 2 year old boy. We bought the Sponge Bob and Dora games to go with it. They love it. At first they just drew in the arts and crafts center and I thought...Oh great they aren't going to learn anything! Now, they have started exploring it and it is a great product!

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Fun first computer

Mom of boys from Omaha, NE - 4 out of 5.

My three and a half year old son loves the computer. He is especially interested in the math/ numbers and the art centers. He doesn't find the ABC center very fun but as a parent, I find the ABC center to be really good. Now if I can just get him to practice writing his letters. The art center is fantastic. There are so many options and creativity. We're looking forward to purchasing additional games/ disks for the system.

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Nice educational toy

Liz C - 4 out of 5.

Overall, the Computer Cool School is a great product that is highly interactive and educational. Our 3 1/2 year really enjoys it. The only negative is that when the program is running, the monitor will not go into "sleep" mode until the program is terminated.

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Cool computer for kids!

Grandma Lynn from Los Angeles, Ca - 5 out of 5.

We bought this item for our grandaughters ages 2-1/2 and 4-1/2. The older one took to it right away and with help figured out how to use it beautifully. The younger will need more teaching by her parents when they get it home after Xmas. It hooked up great and very user friendly. This seems a great introduction to computers without them having access to one's adult computer--no mess ups!

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Cool computer

C. Prather - 5 out of 5.

I bought this for my 3rd old grandson for Christmas. He was thrilled..loves computers as so many little ones do now. We hooked it up to a lap top and he loved that he could write on the screen...kept him very busy and i think with more time and practice it will be great for him. He enjoyed having his own keyboard and we liked that he couldnt mess up anything with programs etc with the computer itself. He lives out of state but my son says he still enjoys it and so do they. It should benefit him for quite some time.

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Wonderful

Randi Webb from houston, tx - 5 out of 5.

The Cool School is awesome! My 4- and 3-year old kids love it. They want to play on it everyday. They both learned how to use it very quickly, even though neither of them had used any type of computer before. It has several activities for fun and learning. I definitely recommend this product to anyone! It is absolutely wonderful!

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DEFINITELY MONEY'S WORTH

Diane Ward from florida - 5 out of 5.

MY DAUGHTER PLAYS WITH THIS EVERYDAY. IT'S REALLY HELPED HER WITH HANDWRITING AND MOTOR SKILLS. I'M SO HAPPY I MADE THIS PURCHASE.

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Excellent Educational Tool

M. Williams from Ft. Pierce, FL USA - 5 out of 5.

This product is wonderful. My daughter is 5 years old and she has been having problems with her letters and sounds. This has really helped and she loves working on it. I have to restrict the time because the first day she wanted to play on it all day!!! The art portion is really fun because she can use her imagination and it is wonderful for me to see how her little mind is working.

Excellent Product!

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Wonderful! Educational! Interactive!

Christie from IN - 5 out of 5.

We purchased this as a Christmas gift for our two 3yr. old grandsons. They were excited to have their "own" computers. It's easy to hook up to your existing computer and we purchased additional CD's to download. They have endless hours of educational materials that are all interactive.

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This Is Great

Nico's Mom from St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. - 4 out of 5.

This is ideal for kids in pre kindergarden whos learning how to write their letters and numbers. It also teaches kids what sound each letter makes. This keeps my 4 year old and her 5 year old cousin busy...especially the art center.

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Fun and very educational!

M & M from Chicago - 5 out of 5.

This is a great computer for children without having to buy a whole separate computer since it plugs into mine. Easier to monitor what they do that way. My daughter really enjoys it! I love it!

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Too Cool

Lori Hall - 5 out of 5.

My 3 year old loves this! I am a first grade teacher, and I believe this is very educational. It is easy to use and he has loads of fun. I have bought several VTech and Leapfrog things that I thought would be good, but my son showed no interest. I highly recommend the Clifford software for 3 and 4 year olds. I was surprised at how nice the graphics were, and the variety of things to do. Any software difficulties were resolved by simply uninstalling and reinstalling the software, and then restarting the computer. I only had to do that one time. Great buy, worth the price!

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Great First Computer and Learning Tool

T. McIntyre from Bossier City, LA - 5 out of 5.

We love this product! The drawing/writing board encourages handwriting practice and being able to print what you write brings a great sense of pride. My 5 yo daughter is so proud, she is now writing sentences and even short little stories then she can draw pictures to go with them. Great product, great price!

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Must Have

texas mommy at heart from usa - 5 out of 5.

We bought this for our 5 year old son and he loves being able to do stuff on his computer without our help! The software it comes with can get old fast so the additional software is worth it. We love the fact that he is "locked in" the system so he can't get into anything he is not supposed to! I would recommend this to everyone!

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Not Mac Compatible

Callie Jackson from Sasebo, Japan - 1 out of 5.

This toy looked great when I ordered it, but it's not clearly labeled online (only on the package) that it doesn't work with Macs. What a disappointment Christmas morning when we could not play with the present from Santa. The next day I bought the Click Start My First Computer from Leap Frog and we've been very happy with it.

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fun for independent kids

Amy from Petaluma, CA - 5 out of 5.

My 3 1/2 yr. old and 6 yr. old both have lots of fun with this computer. They both enjoy being independent and doing things without my help, so they enjoy being able to easily turn on, switch games, save files and print... all without my help. I love the parental controls so I can set a max number of pages to print per session (can choose 0-20 or unlimited, I chose 2 and it's perfect). They also can't turn off their computer and do anything else on my computer without entering my password. The computer is nice and compact. We put it on the slide out keyboard tray (we usually leave our keyboard on the desktop) and then plug the USB into the side of the monitor. So quick and easy. I also like that the "grown up" keyboard and mouse still work at the same time as the kid keyboard and pen mousepad, so if my little one does need a little help, I can use my mouse and do something for him (and he usually doesn't even realize I clicked something for him).

My kids enjoy the software that came with the computer. We also bought the Dora and Diego game which they also enjoy. My one complaint is that I don't like how Fisher Price put all the available games on the main screen and the doors are only open of the games we own. So the kids see the other 4 games that aren't options and want to play Spongebob or Scooby, which of course can't happen unless Mom and Dad go buy the games. Smart marketing, but not fair to the parents who have to buy all the games! My kids would be happy to play with the games they have, but now that they know there are more games out there, of course they'll want more.

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My Daughter Loves This Toy

A. Montgomery - 5 out of 5.

My 4 year old daughter received this for her birthday. She absolutely loves it. She just received the Scooby Doo and Sponge Bob programs for Christmas, and wants to play on the computer all of the time. It is fun and educational. I have already seen great progress in her letter writing ability and her math skills.

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Dalton Loves it. 49 months old

Charles Lee - 4 out of 5.

As soon as it was hooked to his new laptop he started learning how to do it with a little help from his dad he was soon into dora and enjoying every minute of it. It is really a cool learning tool for children. Kids should have to take keyboarding in the fifth grade.

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Best Christmas gift for my daughter!

N. Dowda from Georgia, USA - 5 out of 5.

My daughter loved it, she stays playing with it for hours. It is a very educational toy and it has different levels according to age.

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Excellent Product

T. Stucky from Kansas - 5 out of 5.

I bought this for my daughter (who is 3) for Christmas. She loves it!! It is a great way for her to learn how to use a keyboard/computer and not get into any of our programs!! It is also just a great learning tool for her. There is a lot of good information and she loves the writing pad!

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Just Started

Parent from New York - 5 out of 5.

My 3 year old daughter just got this toy and has not been able to stop playing it. It was very easy for her to learn how to use and I am amazed at how she is mastering it. I can't attest to the educational value yet as she has only had a few days on it but I can't imagine that it would be anything but educational since we have had so much success since opening it. This is the best present she received and I am so happy that we bought it for her. I got a great deal on Amazon ($32.99). Well worth the money even at $50. Haven't bought the other software yet but going to get them. Looks like its a little hard to find the Elmo one but I am on mission.

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Overall a good product

Rebecca Gwozdz from Colchester, VT United States - 4 out of 5.

My 3 yr old son received this gift for Christmas. Although it is easy for him to use, he does get a little frustrated with having to wait for the thing to stop talking before he can choose what he wants to do.

The writing pad was fine for writing. He loved to use the cards to trace his letters. However, it is near impossible to use for the other screens. Thankfully we have a wireless mouse for our computer that he could use instead.

We also found it frustrating that the menu screen listed the other available software as an option even when we had not purchased any of it. So there he is seeing some of his favorite characters and we have to tell him that he can't play those games. I realize they are probably there so that you WILL purchase the other software, but was frustrating for us none the less.

Overall I would say that he is going to enjoy using the Cool School. There are the few down points to it, but they do not seem to effect him any and was well worth the purchase.

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Cool Education Tool

Kywildcat - 4 out of 5.

I purchased this for a Christmas present and immediately upon opening it, my nephew wanted to play on it. He is in kindergarten and this is an excellent tool to learn things they are already learning in school. The flash cards of letters also help in learning letters and I like that they included upper and lower case letters. This computer provided cool educational games to learn art and science. It makes for an enjoyable way to learn things and help kids learn about computers.

I hope that there are more games in the future as we've only seen a couple of them.

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Fun, but hoped for a little more

Jenna M. Hoosier from Philadelphia, PA - 4 out of 5.

My daughter just recieved this for Christmas, so I cannot attest to it's durability, but she does enjoy it. She got the Dora game, however she has been playing the game it came with for the past three days and we haven't even opened the other game yet. So far I think the games are cute and appropriate for her age (she just turned 3).

Although I am happy with this item, I am dissappointed about 2 things. First, my daughter is using a computer that runs Microsoft 2000 and this toy is not compatible. It must be installed on a computer that runs XP or Vista. Very disappointing, but my own fault. I should have checked into this before purchasing. I guess it's time to update. I have installed it on my computer until then.

Second, this was meant to be the ONLY keyboard for the computer. I was looking for a kid-friendly keyboard that could function with other games/applications so that I would not have to have another keyboard for her to play her other games with. Before purchasing this I was told that it would work, but it does not. I checked the parental control options and it seems there is no way to use it with anything other than the games it comes with. I even tried typing in a word document - wouldn't work. Again, dissappointing, but still happy with my purchase.

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cool school computer

a ny mom from ny - 5 out of 5.

love this! both of my children (ages 3 & 6) love to play with this. educational for both.

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KIDS ARE HAPPY

James Eveland from Clearwater, Fl - 5 out of 5.

THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO WAS TO HOOK UP COOL SCHOOL FOR OUR 4 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER. SHE SPENT MOST OF THE DAY SITTING AT THE COMPUTER. NOW I KNOW WHY THEY NAMED IT "COOL SCHOOL". GREAT FOR KIDS...

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Blown away by the quality and value for money

ScOObydoo from USA - 5 out of 5.

I've tried several regular PC keyboards with my 2 1/2 year old in the past weeks, but none were really any good. The Fisher Price computer cool school is different though. The keyboard is very durable, and has a nice long cord on it. You'll need an empty USB port on your PC, but installation is quick and simple. Once installed, a simple press of the power button on the keyboard brings up the software.

The basic software package has several activities, including music, art, maths and animals. Our daughter learned how to use the pen/tablet pretty quickly and is now using it without any help. The art portion is her favorite, and is a great alternative to using paper and paint, plus a lot less messy!

All in all, this has been her favorite Christmas toy, and we got several of the "top sellers" for her. Sadly the expansion packs are not always available directly from Amazon, so be careful not to spend more than the $16 MSRP for the CD with Sesame Street, Dora, Clifford or Spongebob.

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software issues!!!!!

Carol L. S. Shannon from florida - 2 out of 5.

I posted a couple months ago. We bought this for our three year old and she played on it for hours. Then the next day it wouldn't start. I had to unistall and then reinstall the software. After a long time on the phone with customer service we returned it And tried another., thinking it was just a bad one. The same thing happened. We'd be able to play it at first and then the next day it won't recognize the program. So we returned it. My post and questin never showed up here??? Hopefully I can get some answers this time !! Mt Dd got this for xmas. A few days before actually....From New York so I was ecstatic that maybe being from a different state we wouldn't have a bad one this time. WRONG!!! It worked the first night and then again every day since I have had to uninstall and reinstall the software for dd to be able to play. You try that every time a toddler wants to play. By the time I do all the uninstalling and reinstalling she's moved on to something else. We love this toy we just wish it actually worked properly. PLease has anyone else had any kind of software or hardware issue. I have a new Laptop and it says I have all the requirements???? HELPHELPHELP I'm about to pull aqll my hair out

2 people voted this review as helpful and 1 people voted this review as unhelpful.

great for grands

B. Morgan from waukegan - 5 out of 5.

My oldest grandson, 5 yrs., is having trouble writing his letters properly and this has been great in helping him get them the right way. He and his younger sister just love being able to play on the big computer and are learning alot.

0 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Great Product with Terrible Customer Support

L. D. Richardson - 4 out of 5.

I give the Cool School 5 stars for it's durability and how much usage my ADD & PDD son has gotten out of it. However, I am floored by the fact that when we lost the disc, we could not go to the company's website and download the software driver. In this 'day and age', I find that a little behind the times. I mean, Fisher Price Customer Service staff were very nice, and did offer to mail us a new disc (via snail mail), but with small children and those with ADD, that could make a fairly expensive toy into old news by the time the new disc finally arrives. Fisher Price needs to fix this problem before Christmas.

1 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Excellent computer/educational toy!

R. Estes - 5 out of 5.

Our 3 yr old received this for his birthday and has been playing with it almost every day since. It is very easy for him understand and figure out what to do with the activities. Our 7 year-old also enjoys playing with it, even though it's below his level at this point. Very much recommend this toy.

Only gripe is with Fisher-Price, because after launching the software it shows all 6 available packages, even though you may not have all of them purchased/installed. They still show up on the selection screen, just slightly greyed-out than the ones that have been bought/installed. Obviously a marketing ploy that they shouldn't have to do. Our son constantly asks to see/play the software that we have not installed, because each is based on characters he's familiar with (Thomas, Diego, Scooby-Doo, etc...)

3 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

The Coolest Cool School

B. Mathison from Texas - 5 out of 5.

This is the best money I have ever spent.My granddaughter is only 4 and loves this computer.I highly recommend this product

0 people voted this review as helpful and 1 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Great product

Cheryl Hatch from Long Island, NY - 5 out of 5.

I have 2 daughters ages 3 & 4 and they love it. Its so easy to use they put it on themselves. It teaches letters, writing letters, numbers, shapes and so much more. They love the art center. I haven't purchased any games for it yet they are pricey but for what it comes with is great. A++

2 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

A few disappointments, but a pretty cool toy

Mp from Alabama - 3 out of 5.

Bad points:
-Am I the only one that realized the keyboard's home keys are way off? This bothers me... though it may not others. I was hoping it would also reinforce correct computer usage because I'm also getting my daughter her own computer this year for xmas. She's great with a mouse and navigating things on the PC and loves to type... it's just sort of disappointing that the Cool School keyboard isn't accurate.
-A few other issues I have with it is that there isn't much Science content and there isn't an option to create your own music in the music section. I had hoped there would be some cool games or something in these sections.

Good points:
-The writing tablet activity is great! My daughter will be four in about 10 days and she loves it. She could write all her letters before she got this so I'm not sure how it will be for teaching your kids to write, but it's fun for her to practice her handwriting. It's really easy for her to find the right card and set it up. Someone else mentioned that it was impossible to write the letters without them being pointy/disjointed... my kid hasn't had any trouble with it (I tried it too and didn't have any trouble).. perhaps they got a faulty unit?
-The art section is also great... it's a lot like the Digital Arts and Crafts Studio.
-I haven't bought any additional software for it but I love that the option is there. She loves Dora and Clifford.

Overall, it's a pretty cool toy despite the disappointments. I suppose I just went into it with my expectations set a bit too high.

PEACE:)

2 people voted this review as helpful and 3 people voted this review as unhelpful.

PERFECT FOR MY LITTLE WHIZ KID

A. Haywood from Chicago IL USA - 5 out of 5.

I bought this as a Christmas gift for my daughter. She's 4. I set it up while she was sleeping and it's great. I can't wait to see her face on Christmas morning when she opens this. All she has to do is plug up the usb and she's good to go. I purchased the Dora and Deigo and Spongebob software as well. She already knows the basics of my computer so I know she won't have a problem with this. I think I'm going to have to get a bigger desk.(LOL)

1 people voted this review as helpful and 1 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Too much fun

V. Verma from CA, USA - 5 out of 5.

I got this toy for my daughter who just turned 3. She is a Gifted and Talented child. She knows all her colors, numbers, Alphabets, sounds. Still it is fun for her to explore. She loves to practice writing her alphabets and numbers and loves to draw and color with the software. She plays on it around 45mins to 1 hrs 30 min. every day. She hasn't stoped liking it yet and I say this because she is one of the first ones to let you know if she doesn't like it. I bought the LeapFrog ClickStart: My First Computer also for her, but after 1/2 hrs she comes to me and says "Can we return this please." She was done with all the activities and did not find it worth playing with it again. Judging by her fascination with this toy, I would say it is one of best educational toys you can give to your child. But I must warn you: "Kiss your PC good bye."

It has many games which come with it as you purchase the unit but I am planning to buy some more.

5 people voted this review as helpful and 5 people voted this review as unhelpful.

awesome toy

Kelly Dion from pennsylvania - 5 out of 5.

very educational and fun. My son is 3 & it's perfect for him. no violence, very educational

3 people voted this review as helpful and 1 people voted this review as unhelpful.

great educational toy

W. Limpornpugdee from Horn Lake, MS - 5 out of 5.

My[...] daughter received it as a birthday present. She loves every game included in it. Her [...] friend also likes to play with it. It teaches the concepts of number, letter, music, art, words, etc. It's very easy to hook up this game to a computer. Just turn on a computer and plug in the usb attached to the game keyboard. The game will open up automatically.

The coolest part of this toy is the pen and pen pad, which allows for writing letters and drawing. It also has background pictures and stamps to choose, so kids can use their imagination to make their own pictures.

But as far as teaching kids to write a letter, I would not depend on this toy. I still think pencils and paper work better. It is not easy for a little hand to write a letter with this mouse pen (or maybe because my daugther's fine motor skill is a bit delayed). You'd have to push the pen hard while you are dragging the pen in order to see the letter appear on the computer screen. So, I have to show her how to write with this pen most of the time. Maybe, she needs to practice writing with it more often. But it does make it exciting for her to write a letter.

2 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

My twins love it!

Erin Connelly - 4 out of 5.

My 4 year old twins received this for their birthday last month. They are really into "learning" stuff like practicing counting, letters, numbers and so on. Yeah, it may not be a really great learning toy but what toy is? That is what school and parents are for. This is a toy that just help to reinforce what they have learned from school or parents.

My daughters like the drawing part the best. It may not have a specific learning objective like other areas but the game itself gives them independence and the navigation helps with dexterity. And of course the stamps are tons of fun.

They also play with the math games where they have to click on a specific number of shapes. It helps with shape recognition and counting. And the letters/sounds help with letter recognition as well as phonics. Everything on the toy helps them to learn something.

Someone else mentioned the Click Start is so much better. I have to disagree. We also have the Click Start by Leap Frog and the mouse on that is so small and so touchy that my daughters get frustrated with it very quickly. Either the styllis or regular computer mouse can be used to navigate and select on this toy and it seems to be much easier for them. And the games on the Click Start (we have most of them) are not any more educational or fun.

The large, simple buttons make it easy for them to navigate from one area of the "school" to the next with little help from me. The Click Start has typical video or computer game menus that 4-yr-olds have a hard time getting back to and understanding what to do next to get where they want to go.

My one gripe would be that the blue plastic cover on the styllis pad comes off often. But, overall it's a fun and educational toy. I can't wait to get more of the CDs.

7 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Fun Toy that Sneaks in some Education

a0188279 from Texas - 5 out of 5.

I bought this for my 4 yo twins. My daughter has taken to it and is on it all the time. I will have to buy the add-on software soon.

My son has played with it but is not as interested in it because it doesn't have cars in it...but he does play with it occasionally. When they do play with it, they are on it for an hour or more, and don't need my help to get around because the buttons and on-screen options are very clear and user-friendly.

It "sneaks" in some education with the base software that comes with it, but it doesn't really do more than expose a child to phonics. I have read alot about the add on software and some of the other SW seems like it expands on the educational portion. I am not holding my breath, but we will end up with the expansion SW.

Let's be realistic; no software or toy is going to teach your child something without either your involvemnet or a child's motivation or curiosity to learn. The basic software on this is fun enough to keep my children actively learning by bits at a time, but they are not going to learn phonics from this thing. Thus, I gave it 4 stars.

They have a great idea here, the human interface is easy for kids to navigate. However, it could be improved upon in terms of educational value without sacrificing entertainment value. It does cover phonics, but does not emphasize the phonics; it will say soemthign like, C says "Ka" (once) and then show how to write it. The child then traces it on the pad after finding the card and inserting it under the flip-up plactic window. My daughter likes searching for the right card, but there are so many cards and they are both upper and lower case, I could see this being frustrating for a child. The program is not able to tell a child if the letter they just drew matches the letter to be copied, but it's fairly apparent visually at a glance if the letter is close to the model on screen. With alot more money in the electronics, this toy could be much, much better...but you get what you pay for. (E.g., I wish the tracing letter activity came with a touch screen/stylus a la palm-pilot or Leapster so the child could be visually guided with dotted lines as to the shape of the letter to be drawn.)

In the end, however, it is practice that makes a child learn how to draw letters. The phonics could be done better, as well. I didn't see anything like "which one of these pictures starts with "KA" (while showing the letter C)? and showing a clock, an apple, and a ball and the child can choose and get immediate feedback, etc...I did NOT see that, but it could have been implemented. I HOPE that the add-on Sesame Street SW has better learning games for phonics. I can't seem to find that add on SW in the stores, however. I have checked 3 so far...

This toy is worth the price (I paid <$50 at a sale), since it does engage my children and they ARE getting some exposure to phonics sounds, letter shapes, and computer skills.

Another good point is that I do not get interrupted for small issues like how to exit an activity to go to another activity. They can do it themselves. The keyboard has some large buttons that when pressed will take a child to that area. A 4 yo can get frustrated pretty quickly with a computer, but mine are completely self-sufficient on Cool School. I bought this as a supplement to learning phonics from ME everyday, the old fashioned way.

We also own the Easy Link Internet Launch pad. Cool school is a better introduction to computers, and is more educational. Both Fisher Price toys are capable of protecting the computer from being accessed by the children to other areas via password protection that the parent sets up upon installation. I recommend Easy Link only for older children, age 3-1/2 and older due to the fact that it only launches the child to a site and the child must understand how to navigate the internet site.

Fisher Price has it down pat on how to keep both your kids and your PC safe.

10 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

My Kids LOVE This!!!

K. A. Shavatt from Pasadena, MD - 5 out of 5.

My kids absolutely love this. My 4 year old is learning her letters, numbers, and colors. She's learning how to actually write the letters. My older kids love the art section and music section also. I think it's a great way to help kids learn the basics without them really know it. They think they are just having fun. Much better for the environment than countless worksheets to practice on.

2 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Great even for the youngest ones

Darkness - 5 out of 5.

My 2 1/2 year old is already loving it... he figures out stuff so fast...i was really surprised. The grafic is super. just like a good computer game.And the sounds and special effects in just the basic software is great as well.
He loves to draw and play with the backrounds and stamps. So since he cant count yet or write letters he still find himself alot of stuff to stay busy and have fun. he loves it.

i can only hope fisher price will come up with more software ..maybe for the more little ones too..that cant count and write yet... so...

i would buy it over and over again.

0 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Not the best!

J. Craig - 2 out of 5.

I bought this for my 5 year old and he liked it. The only thing is i don't think it is very educational. To me it was not what the video made it to be. It has the writing and the A B C's but nothing tells them if they are doing it right or not so you have to watch. My child would rather paint all day instead of reading or writing. I don't think it was worth it but we also don't have the extra disk and don't want to waste money if it is gonna be the same.

7 people voted this review as helpful and 4 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Solid product - plus a tech tip

John Dupuy - 4 out of 5.

We have tried a few 'early computer learning toys' and found them wanting. This is the first one I have seen that is properly interactive, bug free, and well built.

My kid is only 2, so he is officially too young. But frankly, he has mastered the paint part of it already; he is quickly learning the rest.

A few technical points:

1. Yes, its like a USB keyboard but it does not act as a keyboard if the software is not running. So, the kid is not going to be able to mess with your PC outside of the software--a good thing. The software auto-launches and closes with the on-keyboard "power button" so the kid can start it up without help. My kid is 2 yrs old and learned that fast.

2. The tablet is like a tablet, not a mouse. Its position on the screen is absolute rather than relative. It might take the adult (me) a bit to get used to. My kid finds it easy, but he doesn't have 20 years of habit to overcome :).

3. The docs are evasive about where the kids drawings are saved. Here is the answer for Windows XP users:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Fisher-Price\Computer
Cool School\US\User0\Base

The 'Application Data' directory is normally hidden. Substitute 'User0' with the relative position on the log in screen. The files are regular .png graphics files. Fair warning: don't change these files. The software won't expect that. This is simply a hint for making a copy of them to email to friend/grandparents :).

If there is any downside to this thing, it is that it contains a limited amount of content. The kid hasn't explored all of it yet, but I suspect I'll end up buying the software expansions.

---------------
FOLLOW-UP: A few friends of mine have tried running this product with Windows Vista. Very buggy. I only now recommend this for XP users. Typical of many toy manufacturers, they simply don't get software. It is not a "make once and forget about it" thing. You have to keep and plan for updates as the industry changes. The price they sell it to distributors for should account for those future costs.

60 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Excellent For "Just Learning" Preschooler

Cher from Sacramento, CA - 5 out of 5.

I bought this computer for my 3 3/4 year old grand daughter. She goes to preschool where her group is at the "pre-kindergarten" writing stage. When I introduced her to the Cool School, she quickly adapted to the steps involved to accomplish a task. The variety of subjects were varied enough to keep her attention as well as motivated her to complete one subject before moving on to a new one. She seemed comfortable with the colors, graphics and sounds, and was familiar with the operating requirements after one sitting.

The most amazing observation I made was the improvement to her dexterity after her first hour and a half of "home work". Whereas she had difficulty moving the pen to the correct arrow at the beginning, she was spot-on at the end of the first period. By the second session she was attempting to write her letters on the writing pad.

The art program is particularly excellent. Both the grand daughter and her mother had great fun creating fabulous "paintings". I think that the variety of media and tools that are offered is excetionally thoughtful, and that it allows for instantly rewarding creativity.

I have purchased 2 additional learning discs, but I think that she will make a lot of headway with the original program, and I will save the discs for later.

Bravo and thank you to Fisher-Price for this amazing teaching tool, not toy! I'm sure all of my grand children will be eager to learn on this computer.

7 people voted this review as helpful and 0 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Great for kids under 3 too!

M. McGee from Orlando, FL - 5 out of 5.

I bought this when it was first released for my 2 1/2 year old. I hooked it up to my old Dell with Windows XP (this is not Mac compatible - and I converted to iMac in Dec). I bought the additional Dora & Diego software, and the Clifford software will be installed on her 3rd birthday in 10 days.

She LOVES this thing! I LOVE THIS THING! It keeps her busy, and she easily mastered all the navigating. The first month we had it, the old Dell had no sound - she still managed to use it and enjoy it in silence. Now, I almost wish I hadn't gotten the sound fixed! HA!

I'll definitely purchase the additional software to keep the variety in the activities.

The only problems I've encountered: sometimes a warning pops up that the keyboard cannot be detected. I just unplug it and plug it back in. Problem fixed. The cards that are the templates for writing are very slick and impossible to stack neatly - get a small basket or something for them.

I've found it quite durable.

The best feature for parents is that it requires a password to exit the program, so if you install this on your main computer, the child cannot get out of the Cool School program and into your computer! Brilliant!

43 people voted this review as helpful and 1 people voted this review as unhelpful.

Fun but not very educational

BruinBear from Los Angeles, CA - 2 out of 5.

I bought this for my 4 year old daughter and although she enjoys playing it, I really question the educational value. There are different subjects for her to explore, but the product is not really teaching her anything substantial. We have a lot of Leapfrog products and I have to say that this product does not teach her anywhere near as much as those do. Some of the product is hard to use as well - the letter writing part seems like a great idea but in reality it is next to impossible to actually recreate the letters and not have them look like disjointed pointy things (that look nothing like the actual letters). My daughter got pretty frustrated with that activity and now doesn't even try that one anymore.

My niece has the ClickStart from Leapfrog and now I'm wishing I'd bought that instead - it's really helped her learn how to spell 3-letter words and it's great that there's so much focus on computer skils too (another thing the Cool School does not do).

All in all, definitely not worth my $[...].

113 people voted this review as helpful and 12 people voted this review as unhelpful.

VERY COOL ''COMPUTER ' ;

ANDREA GONZALEZ from VISALIA, CA - 5 out of 5.

I bought this toy mostly for my 5 yr old but my 7 yr old also likes playing it. Very simple to install I had no problems at all. Each game add-on has a lot of things to do. Very educational, highly recommend. It is somewhat similar to to the Digital Arts and Crafts Studio but this is more of an educational toy than just pictures.

21 people voted this review as helpful and 2 people voted this review as unhelpful.