When students, teachers, and parents think of edutainment titles, probably the first and most classic title that comes to mind and all I want is an
Oregon Trail Download, used in schools for decades and still as popular today as it once was. However, for younger learners, Oregon Trail may be too complex. Fortunately, Free Spirit has published and produced a gaming series that is most suitable for very young children, ages one to four. Barney Bear Goes to Farm is just one of many hot Barney Bear titles that can help get kids interested in computing, and will also teach them about a variety of subject matters along the way.
Released for play on the personal computer in the early nineties, Barney Bear Goes To Farm joins the many other Barney Bear titles, such as Barney Bear Goes To School and Barney Bear Goes To Space. All of the titles in the series give pre-kindergarten aged children a taste of what a particular venue, such as the farm in this case, might be like if they were to visit or live on one. The virtual tour guide is a simply adorable little stuffed teddy bear named Barney.
Like the other games in the series, Barney Bear Goes To Farm can be played in one of two modes: story mode or game mode. In story mode, there are some beautifully animated scenes, complete with rich color and
good detail, narrated by an amusing robotic voice. Children will listen to the robotic voice describe what they are seeing in each screen, and will then move on to the next, hopefully soaking up some information and growing interested in farming. In game mode, the children will still hear the robotic voice explaining things, but there will be one or two simple interactive hotspots on each screen where the kids will get to play. Barney Bear Goes To Farm will show the life cycle of a tree by showing a seed grow into a strong tree. Kids will also learn where milk comes from, and will be taught some basic skills counting apples in a game.
Overall, this is a nice little game for kids who have yet to start school. It is a cute game that even parents will probably chuckle at while watching their children be thoroughly entertained by this informative little stuffed bear. It is a sure winner and a strongly recommended download for some good, old fashioned family fun, with a little bit of learning cleverly snuck into the mix.
