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Make A Face is one of the range of Learning Tree programs from the Spinnaker Software Corporation and, although it comes under the educational banner, is more of a fun activity than a learning exercise. The program will run on the BBC or Electron, and is the computer equivalent of the magnetic toy we bought as children, which made thousands of faces with iron filings. Hands up those old enough to remember!

Once the program is loaded, the top right section of the screen shows a blank face shape, and there are three options on the menu. The first is for actually compiling a face, and the child can choose from a variety of mouths, ears, noses and hair styles until something is found that appeals. Once the face is completed, Option 2 will animate it. The face can wink, frown, smile, cry, wiggle its ears or poke its tongue out, accompanied by suitable sound effects. Alternatively, the child can program a series of actions, including delays if wanted, by typing the initial letter of the required movement into the box shown on the middle of the screen.

Finally, a game is provided as Option 3, which is a variation on the "Simon" theme. The face will perform an action, and the child has to remember which feature moved and then type it in. If the answer is correct, the face will then move two features, and so on.

The program was tried out with a class of very young infants, and initially they found the on-screen instructions a little confusing, though all became clear once the teacher had explained it a few times. The children had the most difficulty with Option 3, as the action happen fairly quickly, and caused much amusing discussion about the order of movement. After a while though, the more able children began reaching scores of five.

The tape is inexpensive, and being designed for both BBC and Electron naturally means a few compromises. The face, for example, doesn't do justice to the excellent graphics capabilities of the Beeb or make full use of the sound. I don't think any of the options would sustain interest over a long period, especially as there are more effective (though more expensive) versions of the "make a face" idea around. Young children tend to like things big and colourful, and this program is a bit lacking in these departments.

Mike Kent