Thinkin' Things: Galactic Brain Benders
Thinkin' Things Galactic Brain Benders is an updated version of Thinkin' Things 3. If you already own the original, and are pleased with the graphics, don't bother with the re-title. On the other hand, if you have enjoyed this one, the graphics have been nicely upgraded. Galactic Brain Benders is best for children ages 8-12.
If you are not familiar with the Thinkin' Things
series, you are truly missing out. These programs are classics. They teach
your children important critical thinking skills, which are often ignored
by other programs. Each program contains a handful of activities which
stretch your child's thinking abilities. They start out easy, and become very
challenging at upper levels. Grow slides allow you to adjust the difficulty
level at will. 
Galactic Brain Benders finds you at the Thinkin' Things Space Outpost. Here there are five learning activities which can be selected freely. There is no set path through this program. Each activity has a freeplay mode, or Q&A mode, where you must achieve a stated goal.
- Photo Twister Station: This is not as much fun to play with as Kai's Power Goo, but more educational in the Q&A mode. There are approximately twenty tools which can be used on the photos. At the easiest level you must match one effect. At the highest level, you must match 6-8 effects in a given order.
- Carving Blox: Experiment with small colored balls. You can adjust the gravity and friction on your work table. Add ramps, holes and any number of special effects. This one is fun to experiment with.
- Stocktopus: Join this funky octopus as he trades items around the world. You are given several items to start with. You must trade with people around the world, to obtain other items. At the easiest level, these are simple one-to-one trades. By the end, you are going through 12-14 steps to achieve your goal. Very good thinking skills here!
- Fripples in Space: Every Thinkin' Things program has to have the Fripples! Pictures here, these creatures each have different characteristics. They must be sorted according to guidelines given. At the highest level, you will be figuring out their names based on multi-step deductive reasoning clues. The Fripples are always popular in our house. This is the first place my kids go when the pop in a Thinkin' Things CD.
- Planetary Rocket Half-Time: This activity teaches beginning computer programming skills. By placing people on the football field, you will have to design a half-time show, telling each one exactly where to go and how to move. This is a complex activity which younger children in this group may not gravitate to.
This is a great program, which will get your children thinking. Too many programs are becoming passive, or are simply drill. This may be an upgrade, but it remains innovative and valuable.
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Grading for Thinkin' Things Galactic Brain Benders
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You can purchase this program from CDaccess at hwww.cdttp://access.com/html/quick/thinkin3dr.htm or directly from Edmark at http://www.edmark.com