I Spy Spooky Mansion
The I Spy book series has been popular with my family for a long time. These are great books to keep your kids quiet when they have to sit still for a long period of time. Scholastic has recently released a new I Spy CD for your computer, which is perfect for the Halloween season.
I Spy Spooky Mansion is a fun, spooky program, which finds your
children locked in a scary mansion (but not too scary!). They must find the
pieces to a puzzle in order to find their way out of the mansion. These puzzle
pieces are earned by solving 'I Spy' puzzles throughout the house. There are
26 puzzles hidden in 13 different places. If your kids have enjoyed
I Spy books in the past, they will love this program. One thing I particularly
like about the computer programs is that the items are read aloud.
My non-readers are constantly asking me to re-read the clues in the books!
If you are not familiar with the books, these puzzles have a cute rhyme which
tells your children all of the things they must find hidden in the picture.
They must find each item to complete the puzzle.
Your children will also find several brain-twisting puzzles as they explore the house. These are not typical I Spy puzzles, but will appeal to the same type child:
- Creepy Collections: A few items are already in your collection. Figure out what other items belong in this collection. This is a great categorization activity with several difficulty levels.
- Mystery Bins: Two items are shown to be a 'match.' You must now figure out why they match, and find all remaining matches. For example, 'a' and 'ant' may be a match, or in another game 'ball' and 'bat' may be considered a match. There are several difficulty levels here as well.
- Ghost Machine: Choose a ghost you want to 'build.' The 'ingredients' for that ghost are shown, which you must then find strewn throughout the mansion.
- Make your own I Spy: If you have solved the final puzzle, you can then create your own I Spy pictures. Add text at the bottom, and record your voice if you like. I Spy fans will really enjoy the idea of creating their own puzzle.
While this program may not immediately increase your child's math grade, it is a great program. The activities will make them think, without making them feel like they are being drilled on 'school work.' This program is a great addition to your library for the upcoming Halloween season. There is just enough 'spookiness' to make younger elementary children feel they are doing something creepy. If you have no personal objections to the Halloween fare, you will find nothing in here that will bother you.
| Grading for I Spy Spooky Mansion Educational Value- 3 1/2 Entertainment Value- 4 1/2 Replay Value- 4 1/2 Ages- 6-10 (or older if they like these kind of puzzles!) |
Buy I Spy Spooky Mansion at Amazon!
