JumpStart Typing

by Vivendi Universal

Product Features

• Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Win 7 (32 bit)
• A special diagnostic evaluation determines your child's base typing ability & Skill levels automatically adjust to your child's growing abilities
• Movie clips teach correct hand placement, posture, and other typing fundamentals
• Train with over 30 lessons!
• Play arcade-style practice games to improve speed and accuracy

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00001XDXD
• Item model number: 3551
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 24, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,694 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #64 in Software > Education & Reference > Typing
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From Children's Software Revue® -- "Subscribe Now!"

In the context of an Olympics event, this CD teaches the fundamentals of typing via 30 excellent arcade-style lessons. The goal is to earn power cards to unlock the trophy room where the team coach has been imprisoned! Cards are earned by fast and accurate typing. In the "extreme keyboarding" competition, kids type to compete for top scores in such events as foos ball, wall-climbing, snowboarding and skateboarding. The program carefully tracks kids' accuracy and speed, and the activities offer a nice mix of fun and well thought-out instruction. Both home and school testers enjoyed the program and felt that it really did help improve typing skills.
Teaches: typing, keyboarding
Age Range: 7, 8, 9, 10 Copyright © 2000 Children's Software Revue

Product Description

Designed specifically for kids, JumpStart Typing gives children a critical technological edge with a product that's fun to play and easy to use.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 114 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, February 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: JumpStart Typing (CD-ROM)

My seven-year-old was using it and actually improving after just a few screens, although the repetitive "fjfj fjf jf jf" style gets boring for a child with the length of pages required to type (there are typically about four lines per screen of characters like that). I think there should be some extra breaks between long sessions. I think the repetition is necessary for effective learning, but something fun needs to go in between. This is, after all, for kids.

On the positive side, it gives an initial assessment test to determine where your skills are. Then the goals for that user are set based on the assessment. There are a few fun games that use the same skills that are being taught, and the games appear to automatically challenge at a level that matches the skill of the player (again, based on the testing in the lesson part of the program).

My son was a little frustrated early on because the initial assessment test is rather critical to a non-typist. Although the girl in the program says something like "You did great," the low words per minute (WPM) and high number of errors displayed on the screen seem to speak louder than she does and may be somewhat discouraging. But we maintained a positive attitude because I told him it didn't matter how well he did on that test; it only wanted to see his beginning point. It's important for a parent to be involved in order to give encouragement in some places and a push in others. It really enhances the learning and helps to get through the tough spots. And younger kids, of course, enjoy the involvement and interest of their parents.

If the program worked properly, there wouldn't be much of a negative side. The requirement of an older version of Quicktime is a valid concern if you are using a newer version. But I didn't have any version before, so I didn't care whether the game required the current or an older version. But the program does do a system search for other versions before installing Quicktime and tells you that it can't coexist with another version.

I would've probably given the program four stars if not for the fact that it kept crashing when coming out of any of the games. And when it crashes, it forgets the entire session. Which means that any progress gained is lost, and the child must go through the same exercises a second time. The first time this happened, my son begrudgingly went through the beginning lessons AGAIN (I was beside him cheering and encouraging, which helped keep his attitude somewhat positive). But when the program crashed a second time after he had gone through those early lessons the second time, he wasn't the least bit interested in going through them a third time, and I didn't blame him. The crash was effectively punishing him for working hard and doing well.

The bottom line? If you can buy it from someplace where you can return it, take the chance. And if it works on your computer, you've got a good four-start program. If it doesn't work, return it and your losses are minimal. Good luck. But to Knowledge Adventure/Jumpstart: FIVE YEARS is a long time between releases of any program; it's time for a new version, or at least an update.

82 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great typing program, April 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: JumpStart Typing (CD-ROM)

My children both think this is a great program. My almost-10 year old daughter likes it much more than Mavis Beacon that they use at school and my 7 year old son can even use it. They both have improved their typing skills enormously while having fun at the same time. I'd recommend this program without reservation!

121 of 127 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast, easy and fun, January 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: JumpStart Typing (CD-ROM)

My 7 year old loves this software..so do I. The first time he used it..he went from 6 wpm to 12 wpm..double..I was impressed. He was typing the drills without looking at the keyboard. I couldn't believe it. All the jump start programs are really wonderful.