Choosing Preschool Educational Software

Mother and baby using laptopPreschool Educational Software
When introducing kids to computers at an early age it’s important to engage their interest by choosing preschool educational software that entertains and is attuned to both your child’s and your own interest.

It may sound strange but it’s important that the software be something you are interested in because at this stage it’s recommended that you sit with your child and guide them through using the computer and the program particulars. If you or your child ends up being frustrated then it’s easy for the whole event to turn into a chore rather than an enjoyable educational experience.

Preschool Educational software is aimed at children from approximately age 2+. At this stage in your child’s learning you should focus on helping your child be comfortable with the basics. As letter recognition may not be highly developed at this early stage, teaching the child about the mouse and perhaps a couple of noticeable keys on the keyboard is emphasised.

Preschool educational software, such as Jumpstart’s Toddler program, is designed to develop these early skills and then build on them to teach the acquisition of both computer and pre-school skills. Shape and color recognition, alphabet and numbers are some of the concepts covered in preschool educational software, covered and reinforced in a fun and engaging way.

Regular short bursts of time are key in teaching new skills to toddlers, because their attention span is typically short. This could be as short as fifteen minutes a day, but use your own judgement of your child’s behaviour to gauge the most appropriate length of time. Whatever you decide, don’t be tempted to leave them on for too long as this may lead to a deterioration of the experience for all.

Most important is to pick a time when they are not over-tired or hungry and a time that ultimately fits in with your schedule so you are available if your child (or computer!) needs help.

The following are four highly recommended programs for pre-school and toddler levels.