JumpStart Preschool

Last updated
JumpStart Preschool
Jumpstart Preschool cover.jpeg
Developer(s) Knowledge Adventure
Publisher(s) Knowledge Adventure
Platform(s)
ReleaseJuly 1995 [1]
Genre(s) Edutainment

JumpStart Preschool is a 1995 educational video game and third installment of the JumpStart franchise by Knowledge Adventure, after JumpStart Kindergarten (1994) and JumpStart 1st Grade (1995). It would later be re-released as JumpStart Preschool on August 26, 1998 and superseded by a new title JumpStart Advanced Preschool in 2002. It is also known as Jump Ahead Preschool in Europe.

Contents

Development and release

The game, which was "researched and developed under the direction of preschool teachers and parents", was shipped on August 28, 1995. [2] Bill Gross, founder and chairman of Knowledge Adventure, noted it was the company's first educational software program that "includes the full preschool curriculum". [2] JumpStart Preschool was made available through computer software stores, mass merchants, computer superstores, book stores and computer specialty stores. [2] A three-title bundle called JumpStart Preschool Deluxe was released on September 3, 1996, featuring JumpStart Preschool, JumpStart Pre-K and an Activity Discovery Book. [3] Of the 1998 re-release, Peter Doctorow, vice president of product development at Knowledge Adventure noted it was the first JumpStart program to include the company's new Kid's Assessment Technology (where players complete a cross-curricular assessment test and difficulty levels are automatically determined) and Parent Resource Center (which links progress reports between JumpStart titles). [4]

It was adapted as the 1999 direct-to-video animated film JumpStart Preschool: Who Left the Juice in the Caboose?.

Plot and gameplay

The title focuses on educational concepts for preschoolers, specifically covering: reading readiness, memory development, numeral recognition, and auditory discrimination. [2] Preschool teachers and caregivers could track the player's improvement via a Progress Report, while JumpStart's Adaptive Learning Technology tracked the player's success-to-attempt ratio and modified the difficulty accordingly. [2]

Critical reception

SuperKids praised the game's "cute characters, amusing activities, and magical worlds". [5] The Chicago Tribune noted the surreptitious learning opportunity of the game, which had a façade of fun. [6] Cyber-Reviews deemed the re-release superior due to the "improved graphics, motivational rewards (this is important information for the parents) an assessment technology that customizes for a child's individual needs". [7] Young kids and computers deemed it a "solid program with well-designed activities". [8] Child Care Information Exchange noted that while it contained more activities than Millie & Bailey Preschool , they "lack the range of concepts and the skilful embedding" offered by the latter. [9] MacUser suggested that players were meant to 'graduate' from JumpStart Toddlers to JumpStart Preschool, then to Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade. [10]

Commercial performance

According to PC Data Interactive, in the period of January 1996 through March 1998, in aggregate dollars JumpStart Preschool was the best selling preschool software program. [4]

Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1999 JumpStart Preschool Interactive Achievement Award for Computer Educational Title of the Year (0–8 years)Won [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JumpStart Games</span> American educational software developer

JumpStart Games, Inc., formerly Knowledge Adventure, Inc., was an American edutainment video game company based in Torrance, California. Founded in 1991, it was acquired by Chinese holding company NetDragon Websoft in 2017.

JumpStart was an educational media franchise created for children, primarily consisting of educational games. The franchise began with independent developer Fanfare Software's 1994 video game JumpStart Kindergarten. The series was expanded into other age groups and beyond games to include workbooks, direct-to-video films, mobile apps, and other media under the ownership of Knowledge Adventure, which later assumed the name JumpStart Games.

The Learning Company (TLC) was an educational software company founded in 1980 in Palo Alto, California and headquartered in Fremont, California. The company produced a grade-based line of learning software, edutainment games, and productivity tools. Its titles included the flagship series Reader Rabbit, for preschoolers through second graders, and The ClueFinders, for more advanced students. The company was also known for publishing licensed educational titles featuring characters such as Arthur, Scooby-Doo, Zoboomafoo, and Caillou.

<i>Blaster Learning System</i> Educational video game franchise

The Blaster Learning System is an educational video game series created by Davidson & Associates and later published by JumpStart after the two companies were acquired and merged by CUC Software. The games primarily focused on mathematics, later expanding into language arts and science, and spawned an animated children’s television series in 1999 called Blaster's Universe.

<i>The ClueFinders</i> Childrens educational software series

The ClueFinders is an educational software series aimed at children aged 8–12 that features a group of mystery-solving teenagers. The series was created by The Learning Company as a counterpart to their Reader Rabbit series for older, elementary-aged students. The series has received praise for its balance of education and entertainment, resulting in numerous awards.

<i>Living Books</i> Interactive storybook series

Living Books is a series of interactive read-along adventures aimed at children aged 3–9. Created by Mark Schlichting, the series was mostly developed by Living Books for CD-ROM and published by Broderbund for Mac OS and Microsoft Windows. Two decades after the original release, the series was re-released by Wanderful Interactive Storybooks for iOS and Android.

<i>Reader Rabbit</i> Video game series

Reader Rabbit is an educational video game franchise created in 1984 by The Learning Company. The series is aimed at children from infancy to the age of nine. In 1998, a spiritual successor series called The ClueFinders was released for older students aged seven to twelve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creative Wonders</span> Video game company

Creative Wonders was an educational software corporation from 1994 to 1999. It created computer games based on children's characters like Sesame Street, Madeline, Schoolhouse Rock!, Arthur, Little Bear, Dr. Seuss and ABC World Reference. It was a joint-venture between Electronic Arts and ABC.

There have been a variety of Sesame Street video games released for video game platforms. Most of the Sesame Street video games were published and developed by NewKidCo.

<i>JumpStart 1st Grade</i> 1995 video game

JumpStart 1st Grade is a personal computer game created by Knowledge Adventure in 1995 intended to teach a first grade curriculum. It was reissued in 1999 with new box art, was updated significantly in 2000, and was replaced with JumpStart Advanced 1st Grade in 2002, which was later replaced with JumpStart 3D Virtual World: Trouble in Town. The original 1995 version was the first appearance of Frankie, a brown, anthropomorphic dachshund dog who would go on to become the mascot of the JumpStart series.

<i>JumpStart Kindergarten</i> 1994 video game

JumpStart Kindergarten is an educational video game developed by Fanfare Software and released by Knowledge Adventure on the MS-DOS platform in 1994 (v1.0). It was the first product released in the JumpStart series and, as its name suggests, it is intended to teach kindergarten students. According to the Knowledge Adventure founder Bill Gross, it is the first educational software program that covers the entire kindergarten curriculum. It was ported to the Windows and Macintosh systems in 1995 (v1.2). It was updated with a new version on 24 November 1997 (v2.0). It was updated with additional content in a 2-CD Deluxe version in 2000 (v2.6), that included JumpStart Around the World. Eventually it was replaced in 2002 by JumpStart Advanced Kindergarten.

<i>Disneys Animated Storybook</i> Interactive storybook video game series

Disney's Animated Storybook is a point-and-click adventure interactive storybook video game series based on Walt Disney feature animations and Pixar films that were released throughout the 1990s. They were published by Disney Interactive for personal computers for children ages four to eight years old. Starting from 1994, most of the entries in the series were developed by Media Station. They have the same plots as their respective films, though abridged due to the limited medium.

<i>Early Learning House</i> 1990s collection of educational video games and compilations

Early Learning House or simply the House Series is a collection of four main educational video games and two compilations for the Windows and Macintosh platforms, developed by Theatrix Interactive, Inc. and published by Edmark software. Each different game focuses on a particular major learning category with selectable skill settings for preschooler, kindergarten and elementary learners. Millie's Math House (1992) on mathematics, Bailey's Book House (1993) on language, Sammy's Science House (1994) on science, and Trudy's Time and Place House (1995) on history and geography. A spin-off, Stanley's Sticker Stories (1996), sees players create animated storybooks with the series' characters. Millie & Bailey Preschool and Millie & Bailey Kindergarten each contain the combined activities from two of the four software products. In addition the programs can be configured by an adult mode to suit students with special needs. Most of the activities in every game have two modes, one to allow learners to explore and try it out for themselves and the other for learners to follow specific tasks set by the game characters. Learners also have the option to print pictures of creative activities and record sounds in phonics activities. Later the games were re-developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Learning Technology and re-published by The Learning Company with newer graphics and additional activities.

Madeline is a series of educational point-and-click adventure video games which were developed during the mid-1990s for Windows and Mac systems. The games are an extension of the Madeline series of children's books by Ludwig Bemelmans, which describe the adventures of a young French girl. The video-game series was produced concurrently with a TV series of the same name, with characters and voice actors from the show.

The Arthur video games franchise was a series of learning and interactive story video games based on the American-Canadian children's TV show Arthur. The games were released in the 1990s and 2000s for PlayStation and Windows and Mac OS computers.

<i>Reader Rabbit: 1st Grade</i> 1998 educational video game

Reader Rabbit's 1st Grade is an educational video game, part of the Reader Rabbit series, developed by KnowWare and published by The Learning Company on January 14, 1998.

<i>Math Rabbit</i> 1986 educational video game

Math Rabbit is a 1986 video game spin-off from the Reader Rabbit edutainment series. It was made by The Learning Company for MS-DOS and Apple II series. A Deluxe version was released in 1993 for MS-DOS, Macintosh, and Windows 3.x. In 1997, the game was remade for Windows and Macintosh as Reader Rabbit's Math 1. The final remake for Windows and Macintosh in 1998 is Reader Rabbit's Math Ages 4-6, with a personalized version released in 1999.

<i>3-D Body Adventure</i> 1994 educational video game

3-D Body Adventure is a 1994 educational video game developed by Knowledge Adventure and published by Levande Böcker i Norden for MS-DOS, Mac OS, Microsoft Windows.

<i>Math Blaster for 1st Grade</i> 1999 video game

Math Blaster for 1st Grade is a 1999 educational video game in a line of educational products originally created by Davidson & Associates and continued by Knowledge Adventure. The game was re-released in 2000 as Math Blaster Mission 2.

<i>JumpStart Toddlers</i> 1996 video game

JumpStart Toddlers is a 1996 educational video game, the fourth within the JumpStart franchise. An enhanced version was released in 2000.

References

  1. ↑ "Knowledge Adventure® Ships all-New Version of JumpStart Preschool®, #1 Selling Preschool Software Program". www2.knowledgeadventure.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2000. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Knowledge Adventure Press Release". 1996-10-24. Archived from the original on 24 October 1996. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  3. ↑ "Knowledge Adventure Announces JumpStart Preschool Deluxe". 1998-02-04. Archived from the original on 4 February 1998. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  4. 1 2 "Knowledge Adventure® Ships all-New Version Of JumpStart Preschool®, #1 Selling Preschool Software Program". 2000-09-02. Archived from the original on 2 September 2000. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  5. ↑ "SuperKids Software Review of Jump Start Preschool". www.superkids.com. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  6. ↑ "THREE TOP CD-ROMS GIVE KIDS A HEAD START ON READING SKILLS". Chicago Tribune. 12 April 1996. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  7. ↑ "Kids! Spanish from Syracuse Language, JumpStart Preschool from Knowledge Adventure and The Baby-sitters ClubCastle". www.cyber-reviews.com. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  8. ↑ Buckleitner, Warren; Orr, Ann C.; Wolock, Ellen (1998). Young kids and computers : a parent's survival guide. Flemington, N.J.: Children's Software Revue. ISBN   978-1-891983-00-9.
  9. ↑ Child Care Information Exchange July-August 1998: Iss 122. Exchange Press Inc. July 1998.
  10. ↑ MacUser May 1996. May 1996.
  11. ↑ "Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Computer". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 4, 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.