Customer Reviews

Alphabet

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a beautiful program. It is based on a picture book, and it literally allows your child to play with the alphabet in an explosion of color and sound. Many of the graphics resemble a child's collage. The background music is a wonderful ethereal blend of instruments and voices. If you like "world" music, you'll like this. Also this is made by a European company so you might notice some unusual things like Z being called Zed, but that's easy enough to explain to children.

This is very, very, very unlike most children's software on the market so I think it will be a love/hate thing for most people and as is reflected in other reviews in this forum. If you think the cutesy animated characters which drill the ABC's and 123's with lots of structured games and jingles are the greatest thing since sliced bread, then Alphabet is probably not for you. However, if you are looking for a truly unique, artistic, and fun way to introduce your children to the computer and the alphabet then give this a try.

Both my 3 and 6 year old boys love this. And I mean LOVE. Oh the giggles that erupt in my house when you play this. You have two choices you can either choose a letter to play with from the menu or let the computer randomly choose.

The letters do not merely dance, but can be manipulated by your child moving the mouse. Each letter does something different. For example one turns into a pac man like creature and the child moves the mouse capturing the rest of the letters. With A, the letter is stylized to resemble an opera singer and out of her mouth come many A's. Your child moves the letters around to make different sounds, harmonies, and melodies. The letter "i" acts like a flyswatter chasing it's dot around the screen. Each letter does something fun which your child manipulates with the mouse.

Now what about educational value? Children learn mouse skills, action and reaction, and familiarity with the alphabet. And while they do this they are surrounded by fantastic art, animation, and sound which they manipulate. Being able to play with the alphabet leads to interest in reading. This is a highly creative program, which obviously is not for everyone.

I don't understand the negative reviews of this product and to be quite honest I smell an agenda behind them. My son sat here and was completely taken by this program. The creativity that went into this project is so refreshing and everybody I've shown it to feel's this way as well. This type of learning is about intuition and creative interactive freedom. It doesn't need a manual or directions since there is no winning involved. It makes you see the alphabet like a child again, full of excitement and mystery. I can also suggest trying to find the author's other interactive program "midnight play" which is also full of visual and sonic beauty.

All I have to say is WOW! Alphabet is children's software at its finest. This game not only introduces kids to the letters of the alphabet but also to the mouse and keyboard. I enjoyed playing with my daughter because the graphics are so rich and the music is fascinating. This game is really about art. Like a wonderful picture book, Alphabet has given our family hours of enjoyment.

This software is unlike anything I have ever seen. And it is stunning! For something really different, and indescribable I recommend this title. Although it is suitable for the very youngest of children, this is a title anyone of any age can enjoy.

This wonderful cd-rom will appeal to parents and children who wish to experience a gentle and at times surprising exploration of the alphabet. It's not didactic and users do not progress through it as they might with software that attempts to teach reading, letter recognition and phonics. This is all about exploration and fun. The art by award-winning Czech illustrator Kveta Pacovská is stunningly beautiful and playful. The animation is very interactive. In this sense, the experience is passive. If the users waits for something to happen, they will be disappointed. It's easy to use; just start clicking, You'll be delighted.

It's COOL! 'ALPHABET' CD-ROM was created from the book by Kveta Pacovska. Letters are characters on the stage, they play and sound in random. It's good for kids to start to play with computer CD-titles.

I purchased this CD after reading several glowing reviews in parenting magazines. I bought this for my 3 year old, who is very skilled at the computer, letter recognition, etc. I was very disappointed with the aspect that it is really nothing more than sitting and watching a lot of, albeit interesting, graphics about letters. I didn't think there was a whole lot of educational value in this software. I wouldn't recommend it for much educational value. Interesting artwork and colors, but if you're looking for something with more learning value, look elsewhere.

I have used several beginning alphabet programs with my 7 year old. I was looking for something new for my 4 year old and this was well reviewed. I find it totally incomprehensible. It was somewhat entertaining for the 7 year old. We kept trying to guess which letter was represented on the screen. It was useless for letter recognition or phonic sound.

My child accidentally bought this by clicking on the button to buy automatically while she was in my lap. I could have returned it, but decided to save it until she was ready. Well I just opened the package and tried it. This program is awful! Just like other reviewers, I couldn't figure it out and didn't really want to because it was just nonsense. I had to write a review because it is sooo terrible, I don't want anyone else to think their kids will learn anything from it. Do not waste your money.

This was an extremely difficult game to get into. In other software geared towards 3-5 there is a helping guide during the process of the game to keep you on track. With this game you had to have the child search for the "portal" in the upper left corner of the screen to back out of a game. The sound was of poor quality as well.

Overall, this game, while visually stimulating, did little to engage my 4 year old.