Sesame Street First Steps [Old Version]

by Nova Development US

Product Features

• MINI BOX

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.6 x 5.2 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000WMQZ0K
• Item model number: #
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 27, 2007
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,508 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)

Product Description

Nova Development Corp Sesame Street First Steps SSRTLXT 582

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Seemingly made by people who hate children and parents, October 4, 2009

By 

Beau Yarbrough (Hesperia, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sesame Street First Steps [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

There are lots of good computer programs for young children out there. Those programs have clearly been tested with actual children and parents and even educators have been consulted on what works and what doesn't.

Sesame Street: First Steps is not one of those programs.

This is a slapped-together program done by a team that clearly has no parents on it, was quality checked by no one and pushed out onto a public that, unfortunately, trusts anything with the name Sesame Street on it.

THIS IS A TERRIBLE PROGRAM.

First, children are able to use only the mouse or the keyboard while a given section is running, not both. Why not both? Just because. Now, try and get a toddler to understand this -- I certainly don't.

Secondly, because apparently the programmers believe all children need constant orders being barked at them by pixelated Muppet drill sergeants, the on-screen characters tell children what to do at any time there's not keyboard input.

"Remember how to play Silly Songs? Press the keyboard," Zoe orders. Without pausing for breath, she immediately repeats this until a child presses a button. "Remember how to play Silly Songs? Press the keyboard. Remember how to play Silly Songs? Press the keyboard. Remember how to play Silly Songs? Press the keyboard. Remember how to play Silly Songs? Press the keyboard."

The moment the child stops pressing the keyboard, she starts back up again. This continues until the parent quits the program in disgust. All the other "games" work in an identical fashion.

And Zoe? The songs aren't silly and pressing the key during, say, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" just puts up one of three identical graphics in the sky, none of which are silly or even amusing to small children.

Now, if you want a program that will let your kid play on the computer and get hand/eye coordination going (especially with the mouse, which is an abstract concept for kids at first), get some genuinely silly things going on, do it at a child's pace (and allowing for things happening away from the keyboard without some cartoon harridan going ballistic) and even lock down the computer with a screensaver to protect parents' programs and data, the Giggles Fun Time for Babies programs do all that. There's still more chatter from the on-screen cartoon dog than I'd prefer, but it's not a constant refrain when other things might be going on in the house (and bearing in mind a young child's attention span).

Do NOT get this program. I cannot imagine what prompted other people to give this good reviews, but this is honestly the worst "toy" I've come across in my child's lifetime.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, badly implemented, July 20, 2008

By 

MJPOT "mykl9" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sesame Street First Steps [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

It's a great concept and was a promising start... When my little girl started playing it she was delighted with the Elmo 'peek a boo' game, but after a couple of turns, it flicks over to Big Bird and then Zowie. That was really annoying when she just wanted to play with Elmo. And I could see her getting frustrated with having to wait for the sound files to run. After every peek a boo there is a comment that runs too long. In general this game is really clunky!! Too many sound files holding up the game. My kid presses the keyboard keys 10 or 15 times before the game reacts, and it reacts with jumpy staggered playing because of all the key strokes. I have to try and keep her hands away from the keyboard while the game continually loads and chokes. I haven't had the game for a week and I think she is already bored with it. I have it installed on both Windows and a Mac machine and it it just chokes and splutters... on the Windows machine, if she presses the Windows logo key it opens the start menu and the game doesn't run. Also when that happens,if I'm not quick enough to keep her hands away she opens some other program or window!! She is only 1 1/2 but some of the games require she hit the numbers keys! The letters don't work.. nice try, but a very disappointing result.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Truely Terrific Toddler Program, January 21, 2008

By 

T. Marino "T.Marino" (AL, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sesame Street First Steps [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

I bought this for my 20 month old daughter in hopes of finding a simple, engaging program. Sesame Street's First Steps exceeded my expectations. The features that I especially like are the Parent's initial choice between keyboard or mouse activities. My daughter gets to choose from 8 keyboard activities and four mouse activities. All of the activities have verbal prompts from: Big Bird, Elmo, Ernie and Baby Natasha. The graphics are better than the Reader Rabbit Toddler program. Now this is a very basic, cause and effect type program. The baby pushes a key or moves the mouse and they get immediate rewards. There is the option to repeat each or move on to another screen. My child especially likes the silly songs and "Do As I Do" activities. She gets to imitate hand motions to some of her favorite songs and learn new ones. I am very pleased with this program because my child ends computer time happy, she can follow the directions (with adult supervision) and successfully complete the activities.

Parent Bonus: Once the program is installed you don't have to put the CD in to use the software!

The only cons are that when in the keyboarding mode, the Windows key will bring up your start menu in the middle of the game window. But most of the other games out there do that too.
First Steps got it right--and I can see this being fun for a long time!