Reader Rabbit Kindergarten (Nintendo DS)

Originally released as a computer game, this version of READER RABBIT KINDERGARTEN is specially created for the Nintendo DS. Kids join Reader Rabbit and his friend Sam the Lion on an adventure to get back their flying ship. The ship had been snatched from them when they flew over the island community of Balloon Town, a metropolis that doesn't allow any pointy objects in their airspace. To get their ship back, kids help Reader and Sam play learning games that teach phonics, rhyming, recognizing patterns, simple math, memory, following directions, and placing items in order. They will arrange cocoons in patterns to release butterflies, slam dunk basketballs to learn rhyming, navigate through giant slides to learn phonics, and help the snail mailman to measure objects at the local post office.

With an engaging story line that motivates kids to play the learning games, toe-tapping music, funny jokes, and many video sequences that look like Saturday morning cartoons, Reader Rabbit Kindergarten has a lot to offer families of kindergartners. Parents will appreciate the help feature represented by an animated book, as well as the progress report and the ability to set the difficulty level of every game.

A minor gripe is that the graphics showing letters and numbers tend to be too small. However, you can read them. Overall, Reader Rabbit Kindergarten does an excellent job of mixing adventure, education, and entertainment. It is fun having learning games on the DS.