The Ebury cassettes I've seen have kept up a consistently high
standard both in the programming and in the packaging and documentation.
The first game concerns comparisons of size. It is meant for one
child who simply operates the space bar. Two objects are shown, one of
which changes size. The idea is to stop when they are the same.
The graphics are good, with a variety of items like ice-cream cones,
trains, bottles and so on.
The second menu offers three variations on the theme of Climbing
and Growing. Animals on a step have to be made taller or shorter
with single keys to fit within a given space.
The second stage involves placing the animals higher or lower on the
steps to accommodate their size. The final part combines all of these
decisions.
Both programs provide the sort of repetition needed by young children
to reinforce basic skills in a colourful and imaginative way. There were
plenty of suggestions for extending the ideas in the Parents' Handbook.
The children enjoyed playing the games and found no difficulty in
operating them.
10th January 1984
