Fisher-Price Fun-2-Learn Computer Cool School |  | Brand: Fisher-Price
Category: Toy
List Price: $69.99
Buy New: $39.99
You Save: $30.00 (43%)
New (21) from $39.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 65
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4.3
Dimensions (in): 4.5 x 11.1 x 20.5
MPN: M6635
Model: M6635
UPC: 027084604474
EAN: 0027084604474
ASIN: B0015KVW56
Release Date: June 1, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Includes a kid-friendly keyboard, writing tablet, stylus and CD ROM software that helps preschoolers in getting ready for school | | • | The ready for school center is an expandable system with each additional piece of software consisting of five Learning centers and one field trip activity | | • | The five centers are reading, writing, math, art, music, and science | | • | Each center is represented by a physical button on the base hardware that are used to access those activities additional figure keys unlock new functionality | | • | Children can also print out reward certificates and supplemental worksheet-type activities |
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Product Description
This kid-safe, kinder-friendly laptop builds confidence in young ones by teaching important school skills. It plugs into your computer via an easy-to-use keyboard (QWERTY) to provide learning fun throughout five learning centers and one field trip activity. The centers are: Reading, Writing, Math, Art, Music and Science. Activities in each center can be accessed by the simple push of a button. Children can also print out reward certificates and supplemental worksheet-type activities for further encouragement. Plus, parental controls keep kids away from Mom and Dad's desktop, prohibit internet access, and limit the number of prints your child can create. Expandable system includes keyboard, writing tablet with stylus and CD Rom software. Measures 20.25" x 4.25" x 11".
Amazon.com Review
Computer Cool School is sure to get your young ones excited about learning. Whether they are in school already or haven't started yet, this easy-to-use educational toy will get kids ages 3 and above writing, reading, counting, painting, and more! 
Children will learning using a real full QWERTY keyboard. View larger. | 
Kids can write and draw using the tablet and stylus. View larger. |  | What We Think
Fun Factor: 
Durability:
(what this means)
The Good: Easy navigation and crisp, clear graphics that are fun and colorful without being cloying.
The Bad: Can't adjust the volume while playing the game.
In a Nutshell: Kids will enjoy the wide variety of activities and will associate learning with fun! | At a Glance
Ages: 3 and up
Requires: PC with minimum of:
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP
Processor: 1.2 GHz
Memory: 256 MB RAM
Hard Drive: 200 MB available
Video Resolution: 800x600 32-bit color DirectX9.Oc compatible
CD or DVD drive
USB port
Recommended: Printer, Internet Connection (for software updates)
|  | | Fast and Easy Set-Up
With bright, animated graphics and big controls that are easy for young hands to use, Computer Cool School hooks up to your computer via a USB cable. Once you've completed the quick software installation, kids are ready to start learning and playing. They'll love Leo the friendly leopard who leads them through the game, and all the other colorful creatures they meeting along the way. Computer Cool School requires that you connect the Computer Cool School keyboard to your computer with a USB cable and install the game's software on your computer via a CD-ROM. The installation is fast and easy; the software's set-up wizard walks you through the process. Before letting your child play, you can use the parental controls to set things like volume and number of copies that can be printed. Parents can also create a password that protects their hard drive and prevents their child from going on the Internet. These parental controls are easy to find and set. The helpful instructions thoroughly describe the setup process and all the different options for play. Kids play using the sturdy plastic Computer Cool School keyboard. It has big, colorful buttons that your child will learn to use quickly, along with a drawing "tablet" and attached stylus they can draw with. The layout of the QWERTY keyboard is clever yet simple, with buttons along the top and side that let your young ones navigate to different parts of the game. They'll not only have fun, but they'll also feel "adult" because the keyboard looks so much like yours! Learning Equals Fun!
Each time your child starts to play Computer Cool School, they go to the home classroom where Leo the leopard greets them. From there they can visit one of the four learning "centers," including reading/writing, math, science, music, and art. There is also a "field trip" they can go on, which takes them on a fun-filled visit to a farm. Each of these centers is unique and filled with great information and stimulating activities. Kids can choose to click on different things and learn about them or participate in a more interactive way, with quizzes, games, or writing and art projects. In the art center, for example, they can create original drawings with a range of tools and colors, and then print or save them. In the science center, they learn about different kinds of environments and the plants and animals that live in them. But they can also choose to play games that test their knowledge and help them learn more. The graphics in Computer Cool School are crisp, clear, and fun to watch. The colorful creatures, buildings, objects, and environments are beautifully rendered and the animation moves at a good pace -- fast enough to keep your child's interest and let them participate, but not so fast as to be dizzying. The audio is equally clear, and in fact can be very loud -- so be sure to set the volume low to start with. Though kids will be learning constantly throughout the game, they'll also be having fun, which is how learning should be! Your Child Will Feel Like a Star
We really liked how the software uses your child's sign-in name in the classroom in various ways. For example, there's a sign in the classroom that says "Star of the Day" and your child's name is on it. We also especially liked the art and music centers, which will inspire your children to creative heights. In the art center, you have a huge variety of colors and virtual art implements to use, as well as "stamps" and backgrounds that your child is sure to love. In the music center, children will learn about different instruments and play them in combination with all (or none) of the other included instruments. The clear and colorful (but not cloying) graphics are another high point of this game. In general, Computer Cool School is very thoughtfully designed, enabling kids to navigate a wide range of play options with a few simple touches of a button. Our only complaint was that we couldn't find a way to change the volume settings once we'd entered the game. In order to change the volume, we had to back out of the game and reset the parental controls. There is a short learning curve for figuring out how to navigate through the centers, but once you know how, it's easy to do. Your child will be up and running in no time, having fun and learning at the same time. What's in the Box
Computer Cool School keyboard with USB cable; templates for practicing writing numbers and letters; software; instructions.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 awesome toy November 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
very educational and fun. My son is 3 & it's perfect for him. no violence, very educational
great educational toy November 26, 2008
My[...] daughter received it as a birthday present. She loves every game included in it. Her [...] friend also likes to play with it. It teaches the concepts of number, letter, music, art, words, etc. It's very easy to hook up this game to a computer. Just turn on a computer and plug in the usb attached to the game keyboard. The game will open up automatically.
The coolest part of this toy is the pen and pen pad, which allows for writing letters and drawing. It also has background pictures and stamps to choose, so kids can use their imagination to make their own pictures.
But as far as teaching kids to write a letter, I would not depend on this toy. I still think pencils and paper work better. It is not easy for a little hand to write a letter with this mouse pen (or maybe because my daugther's fine motor skill is a bit delayed). You'd have to push the pen hard while you are dragging the pen in order to see the letter appear on the computer screen. So, I have to show her how to write with this pen most of the time. Maybe, she needs to practice writing with it more often. But it does make it exciting for her to write a letter.
 My twins love it! November 17, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
My 4 year old twins received this for their birthday last month. They are really into "learning" stuff like practicing counting, letters, numbers and so on. Yeah, it may not be a really great learning toy but what toy is? That is what school and parents are for. This is a toy that just help to reinforce what they have learned from school or parents.
My daughters like the drawing part the best. It may not have a specific learning objective like other areas but the game itself gives them independence and the navigation helps with dexterity. And of course the stamps are tons of fun.
They also play with the math games where they have to click on a specific number of shapes. It helps with shape recognition and counting. And the letters/sounds help with letter recognition as well as phonics. Everything on the toy helps them to learn something.
Someone else mentioned the Click Start is so much better. I have to disagree. We also have the Click Start by Leap Frog and the mouse on that is so small and so touchy that my daughters get frustrated with it very quickly. Either the styllis or regular computer mouse can be used to navigate and select on this toy and it seems to be much easier for them. And the games on the Click Start (we have most of them) are not any more educational or fun.
The large, simple buttons make it easy for them to navigate from one area of the "school" to the next with little help from me. The Click Start has typical video or computer game menus that 4-yr-olds have a hard time getting back to and understanding what to do next to get where they want to go.
My one gripe would be that the blue plastic cover on the styllis pad comes off often. But, overall it's a fun and educational toy. I can't wait to get more of the CDs.
Fun Toy that Sneaks in some Education November 15, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I bought this for my 4 yo twins. My daughter has taken to it and is on it all the time. I will have to buy the add-on software soon.
My son has played with it but is not as interested in it because it doesn't have cars in it...but he does play with it occasionally. When they do play with it, they are on it for an hour or more, and don't need my help to get around because the buttons and on-screen options are very clear and user-friendly.
It "sneaks" in some education with the base software that comes with it, but it doesn't really do more than expose a child to phonics. I have read alot about the add on software and some of the other SW seems like it expands on the educational portion. I am not holding my breath, but we will end up with the expansion SW.
Let's be realistic; no software or toy is going to teach your child something without either your involvemnet or a child's motivation or curiosity to learn. The basic software on this is fun enough to keep my children actively learning by bits at a time, but they are not going to learn phonics from this thing. Thus, I gave it 4 stars.
They have a great idea here, the human interface is easy for kids to navigate. However, it could be improved upon in terms of educational value without sacrificing entertainment value. It does cover phonics, but does not emphasize the phonics; it will say soemthign like, C says "Ka" (once) and then show how to write it. The child then traces it on the pad after finding the card and inserting it under the flip-up plactic window. My daughter likes searching for the right card, but there are so many cards and they are both upper and lower case, I could see this being frustrating for a child. The program is not able to tell a child if the letter they just drew matches the letter to be copied, but it's fairly apparent visually at a glance if the letter is close to the model on screen. With alot more money in the electronics, this toy could be much, much better...but you get what you pay for. (E.g., I wish the tracing letter activity came with a touch screen/stylus a la palm-pilot or Leapster so the child could be visually guided with dotted lines as to the shape of the letter to be drawn.)
In the end, however, it is practice that makes a child learn how to draw letters. The phonics could be done better, as well. I didn't see anything like "which one of these pictures starts with "KA" (while showing the letter C)? and showing a clock, an apple, and a ball and the child can choose and get immediate feedback, etc...I did NOT see that, but it could have been implemented. I HOPE that the add-on Sesame Street SW has better learning games for phonics. I can't seem to find that add on SW in the stores, however. I have checked 3 so far...
This toy is worth the price (I paid <$50 at a sale), since it does engage my children and they ARE getting some exposure to phonics sounds, letter shapes, and computer skills.
Another good point is that I do not get interrupted for small issues like how to exit an activity to go to another activity. They can do it themselves. The keyboard has some large buttons that when pressed will take a child to that area. A 4 yo can get frustrated pretty quickly with a computer, but mine are completely self-sufficient on Cool School. I bought this as a supplement to learning phonics from ME everyday, the old fashioned way.
We also own the Easy Link Internet Launch pad. Cool school is a better introduction to computers, and is more educational. Both Fisher Price toys are capable of protecting the computer from being accessed by the children to other areas via password protection that the parent sets up upon installation. I recommend Easy Link only for older children, age 3-1/2 and older due to the fact that it only launches the child to a site and the child must understand how to navigate the internet site.
Fisher Price has it down pat on how to keep both your kids and your PC safe.
My Kids LOVE This!!! November 14, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My kids absolutely love this. My 4 year old is learning her letters, numbers, and colors. She's learning how to actually write the letters. My older kids love the art section and music section also. I think it's a great way to help kids learn the basics without them really know it. They think they are just having fun. Much better for the environment than countless worksheets to practice on.
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