Kids need to learn the tools that they will use in school, and that means Microsoft Office is a necessity. Which version do you need? For home use, the Standard version is your best bet because it includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook.

Students now use Powerpoint for presentations at an early age. A recommended add-on program to your Microsoft Office suite is Scholastic Keys for Kids. Keys teaches your child Microsoft Office skills by modifying the child’s Office interface with large buttons and simplified features.

Next, you need the homework tools that your child will use often. A dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia are still basic homework tools. Again, we like Microsoft’s Encarta for homework; and, you can get Encarta in a software or a web-based version. For the child’s computer without Internet access, you’ll need the software program.

On the family computer the extra features of the web version, such as WebMath, foreign language help, and literature guides, make it our choice.

What about educational software? My best answer is that it depends on your child. Drill-based programs with corny characters don’t hold a child’s interest for long. They’re too much like the computer work at school. Instead, choose fun learning programs that match your child’s interests, whether that is dinosaurs, sports, Barbie, or SpongeBob.

Learning to use the program and playing the (usually educational) games will teach computer skills and reinforce reading, language, and critical thinking skills. These are usually inexpensive and easily found at discount stores, but you need to watch for compatibility with your operating system. We like the Disney Interactive games or Mia’s Adventures for younger children.

Now to the fun. Leave the video-style games to the video game machine. You just don’t get the same gaming experience with a computer keyboard. Besides, you don’t want your child tying up the computer for hours playing video games. Let them use the Playstation so that you can have some computer time.

Some software programs that kids do enjoy on the computer are simulation games, card-making programs, and programs for playing with digital photos. Simulation games such as Civilization and Sims are definitely for older children. All kids love to make cards for their family and friends; and they can practice writing skills and be creative.

Programs that use your digital photos are also a good investment for the family computer. Image editing is becoming a basic computer skill, and it’s just fun to play with pictures of your friends and family. These programs can also be extended with great family projects such as CD scrapbooks.

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