As a rule, we don't allow computer games that are strictly for entertainment. No, in our home school the allure of the PC is strictly tied to educational games. As a result, we have fewer worksheets in our lives, and much less complaining. How many children do you know who set an alarm clock on weekends so they can wake up early and do some more homework?!
We have had great success with the Math Blaster (MB) and Reading Blaster (RB) computer games from Knowledge Adventure.
The Blaster games have special "apple charts" that break down each skill that the different games teach and score the child in that area (out of 100%). This is a big plus for homeschooling parents. It shows us exactly what the student has achieved, and where the strengths and weaknesses are. If there is a part of the game that is frustrating, we can supplement with worksheets and individual instruction. Printing out the charts at the end gives us a concrete record of achievement that we can tuck into our permanent record folder. (For some reason, the latest Math Blaster is weaker on this point, and doesn't record the completion dates or the subscores.)
In contrast, the Clue Finders games have progress charts, but they are vague and cannot be printed. Useless!
Games like this mesh perfectly with our educational philosophy. We go at the child's own pace, and don't move on to the next subject until we see mastery in this one. The Blaster games are designed to do just that.
Of course, that doesn't mean we can just turn our backs and let the robot do all the teaching. More than once, our oldest figured out how to finesse the game to get the right answer without actually doing the math correctly or even understanding it! We had to sit with him and show him how to do it "the hard way." However, the games taught him a lot, and many times we were able to step back and just let him go at his own pace. In addition, he loves math! He had a talent for math anyway, but the Math Blaster games made drill into playtime. When it's the computer that says, "Sorry, try again," there's none of the power struggle that parents can get when they have to grade their kids. It's no use arguing with the computer, after all.
Our oldest has completed MB-Ages 6-7, MB-Ages 7-8, and MB-Ages 8-9 with much enjoyment. He has also learned a great deal of math :-) At the end of 1st grade, his test scores indicated he was doing 3rd and 4th grade-level math. Later tests have shown steady improvement from there. Unfortunately, the Blaster game that comes after Math Blaster-Ages 8-9 is not of the same level or quality. Beyond the 3rd grade, we had to use more traditional teaching methods.
Here is the Amazon link to the software.
You have to be careful to get the current version and not the older Math Blaster versions. Math Blaster-1st Grade is essentially the same as Math Blaster-Ages 6-7, but there are older Math Blaster versions that are not at all the same (for example, Math Blaster, Ages 4-6, was designed by a completely different company, is not nearly as good, and does not have the apple charts).
Once, I picked up a copy of Sim Coaster from a close-out bin at the store. I thought I might try playing it myself, if the kids didn't like it. I'd had friends who were fans of the Sim City series.
Well! I never expected what happened next. My oldest became obsessed with this game. He spent untold hours after "school" learning how theme parks work, hiring janitors and gardeners, getting management challenges and bonuses, reading stock reports, and learning more about business than some MBAs I know. In between, he designed his own roller coasters. He even filled up a sketch book with drawings and descriptions for a new theme park called Bug Land. One day, he was looking glum and I asked what was wrong. "I went bankrupt and got fired," he said.
What's more, he was just learning to read fluently, and the game challenged him to read much better. Sim Coaster was a particularly good one to start with, because there is a cute animated advisor who prompts you when it's time to do something. Not all of their games have this feature.
With such a success to their credit, I got the latest Sim City from EA Games. Sure enough, pretty soon my little mayor was working out ways to locate the coal-fired power plant farther from town and run transmission lines to keep the air pollution in town at a minimum. He became aware of local zoning, and started asking questions about our water treatment plant. Amazing! This game is the home educator's dream: It creates a context in which the student wants to delve into a subject.
Another simulation game is Railroad Tycoon II, by Pop Top Software. (I understand there is a version III out now.) This game has him playing the role of famous railroad barons, like Cornelius Vanderbilt expanding the New York Central from NYC to Chicago in the 1860s. The historical accuracy is very good, and he has to keep up with advancing technology, maintenance, and construction costs, and still turn a profit. All of a sudden, he cares how far Albany is from New York City. This game fits very well with our philosophy of conspicuous integration, because it presents geography, technology, economics, history, music, and biography in a seamless package. It did not have the long-term playability of the Sim series, though.
Sid Meiers' Civilization III is a turn-based strategy game. At first, we were not that impressed with it because some of the user interface was confusing, and because there was very little in the way of actual history. You can, for example, build the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Central America, or the Great Wall of China in Britain. Despite our doubts, however, this game led to one of our most successful home schooling experiences.
Coming soon: Programs that were worse than useless!