Below are some of the products from LEARNING RESOURCES INC. TDmonthly has reviewed.

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What Is It?
Using over 100 trivia questions relating to different geographical regions across the continental United States, this unique board game builds reading comprehension skills while educating kids about U.S. history and culture. The board game depicts a map of the United States with six differently colored regions that players move across using different colored plastic cars. Each of two to four players compete to answer reading comprehension questions, gaining game pieces shaped either like a mug, pennant, T-shirt, cap, or bumper sticker. The player that wins four game pieces and manages to make it back to his or her home region first, wins.

What We Thought
Used as an educational tool in schools or tutoring groups, this game will both entertain and captivate young minds. However, when used for family play, parents may need to act as readers rather than players due to the nature of the questions. Although the rules state that readers can join in on guessing answers to questions, the game is fairer when readers refrain from doing so. Also, because there are only two or three question cards per state, bonus packs may be required after a few rounds of play.

Why They’ll Want It
The game gets shaken up when players spin a tornado, which can allow them to take game pieces from winning players, leveling the field of play. The bright game board and game pieces are visually exciting and the icons on the game board are cleverly designed. Kids don’t have to wait until it’s their turn to shout out answers, keeping them enthralled throughout the game.

-- Vanessa VanderZanden, 8/16/05

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What is It?
Rainbow Color Cones gives children the chance to build their own ice cream cone without the mess. This educational toy comes with two cones and eight scoops of ice cream with the name of its color underneath.

What We Thought
This toy is a fun and creative way for children to learn color identification and practice their motor skills by building a delicious-looking treat. They will also build some arm strength since some of the pieces are difficult to separate once locked into each other.

Why They’ll Want It
Kids love ice cream. Parents love toys that teach as well as entertain. Rainbow Color Cones make everyone happy.

--Nancy Tan

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What is It?
Pizza Fun Fraction lets children learn fractions by playing seven fun-filled pizza games requiring players to estimate, match, multiply and manipulate numbers to beat their opponents.

What We Thought
What kid doesn’t love pizza? The game makes learning fractions enjoyable by disguising the math lessons with this favorite food.

Why They’ll Want It
This game is a non-intimidating way for kids to learn fractions—that rare part of mathematics that ordinary people actually use.

--Nancy Tan

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What is It?
The Phonics Activity Set By Learning Resources (ToyDirectory) was developed by educators to help kids group rhyming words, play with vowels and recognize spelling patterns.

What We Thought
Parents looking for a tactile and fun way to engage post-alphabet-block kids in learning the foundations for reading will enjoy this set. Sophisticated, but straightforward and easy to understand, the Phonics Activity Set supplements any formal reading program.

Why They’ll Want It
This kit creates and encourages budding wordsmiths. The carrying case looks just like a high school binder. Unzip it to reveal a well-organized safe place for Reading Rods, activity cards, stand and a dry-erase board. The included "Dear Parent" pamphlet reads like a letter from the perfect teacher.

--Kris Dukes

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What is It?
The package says it´s fast-paced, word-building fun for the family. Don´t cringe; it really is. Snap together different words with Reading Rods (those color-coded, interlocking manipulatives designed to teach phonics and literacy) until a timer goes off. Instructions give tips on how to tailor the game to various age and skill levels.

What We Thought
Another Reading Rods educational set, this game is more toy than tool. Unlike the Phonics Activity sets, which have a definite academic—though fun—feel, Word for Word is brain-flexing sport.

Why They’ll Want It
Teachers, parents and students will appreciate the challenging, competitive, but light fun of Word for Word. Owners of other Reading Rods sets will think this set is the icing on the cake.

--Kris Dukes

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What is It?
Sorting Shapes Cupcakes comes with a plastic cupcake tray and six durable plastic cupcakes. The set is designed to teach children shape recognition, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by getting them to figure out which cupcake top fits into which bottom.

What We Thought
Kids love cupcakes, and this game is a straightforward and fun way for preschoolers to use this familiar treat to learn shapes. And it made me hungry.

Who Would Like It
Any preschool-age child.

--Tim Connolly

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What is It?
Counting Cookies comes with a plastic cookie jar and ten plastic cookies, each with 1-10 M&M-colored chips on one side, and the numerical value on the other.

What We Thought
This game is a simple and fun way to introduce preschoolers to numbers, using a treat every kid will recognize.

Who Would Like It
Any preschool-age child.

--Tim Connolly

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What is It?
Measuring Monkeys teaches kids how to use a ruler by moving plastic monkeys up and down a tree-shaped game-post. Kids spin the wheel to determine how far up or down the tree to move and then place their monkey at the appropriate measurement with a banana-shaped peg.

What We Thought
The game teaches kids the American (non-metric) measuring system while meeting the litmus test of all educational toys: creating enough fun that kids hardly notice they’re learning something.

Who Would Like It
Any kindergarten or grade school kid who needs a fun introduction to fractions.

--Tim Connolly

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