The Land of Me

Review

Common Sense Media says

Imaginative pre-reading game encourages kids to be creative.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Land of Me is an interactive, educational story game told in six chapters. In each chapter, three animal friends visit one of six different locations and take part in an activity. At each location, kids are asked a series of questions and their answers are reflected in the final product created at each location. Each of the six available chapters has additional hotspots to click, and crafts, coloring pages, and other activities to download and print. The software is British, so American families should be prepared for some spelling differences that can be confusing for early readers.

  • Positive messages2
    Characters in the game take turns being the focus of attention and they are rewarded verbally by other characters for their creativity.
  • Positive role models4
    The characters are all encouraging and supportive of one another.
  • Ease of play5
    The game is easy to play and navigate.
  • Violence & scariness1
    The game has no violence, but there is a "sad ending" option for the stories in the last chapter that may leave young children mildly scared or worried. One scene also has the image of a skeleton (dressed up as in a Day of the Dead celebration).
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism1
    There is a link from the game to the website where you can purchase additional content or other merchandise. The game itself comes in six chapters which can be purchased as a package or by chapter.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Minor safety concerns. The game has areas that allow you to download content from the Internet. Clicking on these may launch a browser, so parents should be prepared if they won't be playing side-by-side with their kids.
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What's it about?

THE LAND OF ME follows an owl, a raccoon, and a bear as they journey to different part of the world to interact with another character. The character asks the child's preference in several areas and then creates a picture, song, dance, scene, or story that matches the child's preferences. Kids can experiment by changing one element, and then seeing the scene immediately alter. For example, kids can see how changing "small" to "large" impacts a picture, or how "slow" and "fast" impact a song. Prompts in the upper right hand side of the screen help parents ask questions and engage with their kids over what's happening on the screen. There isn't an underlying plot.

Is it any good?

 

The Land of Me is a fun way for preschoolers and early readers to experience how words impact what happens in a story. It's also empowering for kids to make choices that change what is happening on screen. The game helps parents get involved by providing additional background information on-screen, as well as suggestions for questions to ask to engage kids in what they're doing. Each of the levels has some hidden interactive elements as well. A minor flaw is that each chapter feels like it could be a standalone app, making the price tag feel a bit steep. However, you can download the free trial and play for a week before deciding about a purchase.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about taking turns and encouraging each other.

  • Talk about using your imagination. What is real? What is pretend?

  • Families can discuss being brave vs. being timid. What should you do if you're worried or afraid? How can you help someone else who might be feeling worried or afraid?

This review was written by Christy Matte

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This review was written by Christy Matte
Platforms:Windows, Mac
Available online?Available online
Genre:Edutainment
Developer:Made in Me Ltd
Release date:June 14, 2010
Price:$31.71
This review was written by Christy Matte

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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