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JumpStart World Kindergarten (Windows)

common sense media says

Masterpiece in children's tech is fun and brainy.

parents & educators say
See all 7 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this kindergarten software game uses technology in a new way. As children play, the game stealthily (but safely!) connects to the Internet to receive new content, thereby presenting a constantly changing world for kids' educational missions. Families need to run Windows and have a broadband connection to play. Parents will get regular email progress reports and parent tips. This title is also released under the title of JumpStart 3D Virtual World: The Legend of Grizzly McGuffin.

Educational value: Helps kids master essential kindergarten skills, including counting, color and shape recognition, alphabet identification, and following directions.
Positive messages: The gameplay focuses on social themes like friendship, sharing, and teamwork.
Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Players can make purchases using the game's currency of gems.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on JumpStart World Kindergarten

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how the game's world is different each time they play. How does that happen? Which buddy do you like best? Why? What are your favorite areas to play in? Have you used your earned gems to buy a pet? What is your favorite way to move around the world? What have you learned while playing this game? Do you think about learning things while you're playing, or is it just about having fun?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Upon entering JUMPSTART WORLD KINDERGARTEN's personalized 3-D gaming world -- where waterfalls flow, butterflies flutter, and virtual friends are always available -- kids pick a character to represent them while they play, using the computer's arrow keys to control movement. Then they set off on missions suggested by other characters they meet: For example, they may need to find floating red orbs (a clever way to get players to explore the world), interview other characters to solve a mystery, or buy something from the game's vending machine to help another character. Gems, the currency within the JumpStart world, are earned by playing learning games in either the Math Arcade or the Reading Arcade. There's so much to explore: discovering a new path, bouncing on jump pads that send you flying across the world, taking a ride down a massive slide, swimming in a lake, talking to other characters, painting pictures, acquiring (and playing with!) pets, trying educational games, and much more.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

JumpStart World Kindergarten connects to the Web to send updates about kids' progress and receive new content based on how they're doing -- but parents don't have worry about their children's safety, because their children are never playing online. Every time kids enter this beautiful world there's something new to find: Seasons change, holidays are celebrated, educational games change, and new areas open as more content is added.

The initial boxed product (also available in a downloadable version on the software's Web site) costs $20 and contains the first two (out of 12) content installments. Those "starter" installments include more than 30 educational games and missions for kids; after installing the software, parents will receive regular email progress reports and tips. Additional installments are $8 each, with each new segment building on the skills already learned.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Windows
Not available online
Genre: Edutainment
Developer: Knowledge Adventure
Released on: May 18, 2007
Price: 20
ESRB Rating: E
This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

naprim
parent of 6 year old
4
 
Terrible Service.
I purchased this product membership for Trouble in Town in Oct. 2010. Four days later it stopped working and my daughter was not able to update her progress. She has a pretty updated computer so, there isn't a compatibility issue. I contacted them about the glitch and it took a week for them to get back to me. I did their troubleshooting. The game started to work fine again for a week. Then the game shut down and stopped working. It's been over a month now and I contacted them repeatedly. It still does not work and they refuse to give me back my money. Buyer Beware!
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helped me decide (17) | had useful details (12) | read my mind (10)
EARNESTFISHER
kid, 11 years old
10
 
THIS GAME ROCKS
I think it's AWSOME!!!!!!!!!! NK
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helped me decide (13) | had useful details (12) | read my mind (13)
haley2
kid, 9 years old
4
 
i love it common sense media
i'm in kindergarten i love it my mom and dad let me play it as long as i want. my 2 year old brother loves when i play it
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helped me decide (14) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (10)
alyssa12345
kid, 9 years old
2
 
don't purchase it
don't purchase it it is bad and boring
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helped me decide (11) | had useful details (11) | read my mind (11)
boohun
kid, 10 years old
 
iffty i hate
who cares im seven and i dont care
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colmonroe
adult
 
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helped me decide (11) | had useful details (10) | read my mind (11)
the_terminator
teen, 14 years old
 
a masterpiece for a kindergarnders life
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helped me decide (10) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (9)

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age
Our child development rating guidelines