Will Lapware ‘JumpStart’ Your Baby’s Learning?

Software for babies? It’s not a joke. Lapware--so named because babies play with it while sitting in Mommy’s or Daddy’s lap--is a growing niche of the software market. Some is marketed to children as young as 9 months old.

But does it make sense to drop a drooling infant in front of your expensive computer? I don’t think so. Babies need to interact with real people, learn how to use their bodies and explore their three-dimensional world.

Lapware can be fun when toddlers are developmentally ready--usually at about 2 or 3 years old--and have the spatial skills to move a mouse with purpose. Some children as young as 18 months notice that they can affect what happens on a computer screen. If that describes your child, you may consider introducing lapware earlier.

Knowledge Adventure published one of the first lapware products, “JumpStart Baby,” in 1998. Although a revolutionary concept, it was poorly executed. A new version has just been released, and this time Knowledge Adventure got it right. The “JumpStart Baby Deluxe” two-CD set is an excellent piece of software for beginning computing--but be sure to find this newest “Deluxe” version. Another winner is “Sesame Street Baby & Me.”

“JumpStart Baby Deluxe”

The purpose of the “JumpStart Baby Deluxe” two-CD set is to provide an adult and young child an opportunity to learn that the computer is an interactive medium. The nine activities encourage the child to bop the keyboard so that something interesting will happen on the screen.

Hosted by Teddy the Bear, children can:

* Play peekaboo.

* Color in pictures.

* Look at pictures or videos of relatives and friends.

* Talk on the phone to adorable animals.

* Help four animal friends sing baby songs.

* Move a frog around a pond full of colored turtles.

* Help Teddy get dressed.

* Watch an animated baby do hand motions to popular baby songs.

The child directs all these activities by hitting any key on the keyboard.

Another excellent aspect of “JumpStart Baby Deluxe” is the ability to personalize the child’s computer experience. Depending on how techie you are, you can add all sorts of interesting personal touches such as videos, photos and sounds. This personalization is available in three of the nine activities.

The software comes with Connect & Play Technology. Using the Internet, another person can join the child in playing three of the activities and interact in real time. Though adults may think this is cool, this advanced technology will undoubtedly be lost on your little cyberbaby and may create confusion.

“Sesame Street Baby & Me”

Featuring the famous Muppets from Sesame Street, “Sesame Street Baby & Me” provides 12 activities for a child and adult to explore. The software’s scope is broader than that of “JumpStart Baby Deluxe” because in addition to providing activities for keyboard bopping, it also provides activities that encourage the use of the mouse. Like the “JumpStart” title, “Sesame Street Baby & Me” focuses on teaching a young child cause and effect, but it also introduces more early learning concepts such as letters, numbers, shapes and seasons.

By using the keyboard, children can:

* Play peekaboo with Big Bird, Elmo and Ernie.

* See shapes, colors, numbers and letters.

* Interact with characters from songs sung by Bob McGrath.

* Learn about the world around them.

* Look at funny photos.

* Imitate Baby Natasha.

* Play do-what-I-do songs.

* Learn about the sounds that animals make.

Hitting any key will trigger an action on the screen.

With a mouse, children can explore four activities, including “coloring” pictures with an oversized cursor shaped like a crayon or activating musical objects by passing over them. Controlled movements aren’t necessary--random swipes with the mouse will work as well.

Parents can personalize their children’s experience by adding photos to one of the activities.

Choosing between these two titles, opt for “JumpStart Baby Deluxe” if your child is younger than 2. It also should be your software of choice if you are familiar with importing photos, videos and sound files, because you can better personalize it.

If you are starting the computer with a 2- to 3-year-old, “Sesame Street Baby & Me” provides greater longevity because it has activities that use the mouse in addition to hitting the keyboard. Plus, the content is more sophisticated.

But you can’t go wrong with either choice--they’re both outstanding.

*

Jinny Gudmundsen is editor of Choosing Children’s Software magazine.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Skinny

“JumpStart Baby Deluxe”

Ages: 18 to 36 months

Price: $20

Publisher: Knowledge Adventure

Platform: PC/Mac

System requirements: On the PC, a Pentium 133 with 32 MB of RAM and 35 MB of available hard disk space. On the Mac, iMac, G3 or better running System 8.1 or higher with 32 MB of RAM and 35 MB of available hard disk space.

The good: Terrific personalization for your child

The bad: Not much

Bottom line: A great way to start your child on the computer

*

“Sesame Street Baby & Me”

Ages: 2 to 3 years

Price: $20

Publisher: Learning Co.

Platform: PC/Mac

System requirements: On the PC, a 486/66 with 8 MB of RAM and 5 MB of available hard disk space. On the Mac, a Power PC or better running System 7.5 or higher with 16 MB of RAM.

The good: Offers both keyboard and mouse activities

The bad: Not much

Bottom line: Fabulous first-time-on-the-computer software