Didi & Ditto Kindergarten (Windows, Mac)

In DIDI & DITTO KINDERGARTEN, from the creators of the award-winning Mia series, kids choose to play as one of the twin beavers, Didi or Ditto. Zolt, a vegetarian wolf, captures the twin that the player didn't choose, and the adventure begins. Because Zolt isn't fond of beaver meat, he agrees to release the captive twin if he is given fruits and vegetables. The player scurries to earn the food by playing 12 educational activities that cover math, literacy skills, thinking skills, and music.

Kids visit eight lush, 3-D landscapes looking for food. Loads of clickables permeate the environments and educational games. Kids play with Tiny Turtle at the Waterfall, where he is blowing shape bubbles with an underwater tube -- players grab the shape bubbles and move them into position to complete a pattern. In Blue Bear's cave, youngsters party with balloons that teach them letter identification, alphabetical order, and phonics.

This software works so well because of its darling animated characters. Kid testers were delighted to meet Hootdini, a little owl who performs magic that never quite works correctly, and Comedy Ann, a mosquito who tells jokes. The educational activities are well delivered and can be played on three levels of difficulty, which makes this software useful as a child grows.