Ok, so you all know that Garrett hates to learn anything.... but he is!!!! He has a computer game called 18 Wheels of Steel. It's a game where you drive a tractortrailer all over the country picking up loads and delivering them. It has a pretty good map of the highways on it (no it's not perfectly right on, but close enough for a 10 year old), so he is learning somewhat to read a highway map. He is learning the big cities in all of the states, and I think he may even be learning where the states are! I only worry because sometimes when he plays video games it's like he gets lost in their fantasy world and begins to talk about them like they are real. I just bought spongebob teaches typing... I haven't installed it yet, but I think he may like that one too
that is so cool, whatever works I say, sometimes different things work for different kids.. Keep up the good work Garrett... don't worry about getting lost in a fansty world I been lost for along time.. sometimes it's a great place to be... sometimes I am lost. KWIM...
That's awesome! Probably less that he hates to learn and more that he has a way to learn that you needed to puzzle out. I'm trying to figure out my own son's learning at the moment and it is frustrating. More games he might like are: Oregon Trail (Travel west in a covered wagon) Pirates (sail around the Caribean as a pirate or privateer) Civilization SimCity There is a lot of stuff a kid can learn from playing PC games!
I'm all for learning however it occures. That game sounds like fun. I need to look into some more computer games for my oldest. She never fights with me when the learning is on the computer. I need to take advantage of that more often.
We have had it for a few years... I think we got it at walmart. I think there may be a newer addition out of it... Garrett says it's called 18 Wheels of Steel Long Haul. His is something like 18 Wheels of Steel Across America. He is begging for the new one... so I guess I will suck up the 20 bucks and buy it for him.
It sounds like a good game. Our computer is soooo slow when it comes to the games. Especially Joyce's Sims but I think it's just a large game. She's been doing alot of work on her websites she likes to make. They tie in with the Warrior cat series she likes. I love that she is looking up word meanings on her own. She is a good writer but it's hard to get her to sit down and write but this is one way she gets it in.
DS has the same game and loves it. I tried playing it and kept crashing into things or drive along and jack knife the truck. Guess I better stick to my little car!:lol:
so where cn I buy it or do I down loadit? OH wait someoen said Walmart didn't they. This looks like a good life skills course , even if its a game, I may get it eventually and useit as such
I'm going to go hunting right now and see what all titles are available through the learning company. We have Amazon Trail 1, 2 and 3, I would love to get the new Oregon trail.. we play the OLD one free online, and would love to know if they have other things like that that teach Geography and history.
Re the oregon trail.... what is the new one? We have one from a long time ago, wasnt free.... but is there a new one out? We love the one we have it taught my kids a lot about what you had to do to get to the west and what plants and animals you had to know about in order to keep fed and to keep healthy We have the Amazons too! Are there any more out there?
Well, there is a newer one than the one I played in 5th grade on the old Apple computer..lol. The old 80s version is the one we play for free online.
Just went and looked and they have a game called Africa Trail... gonna have to get that one along with the 5th edition of Oregon trail I found more titles when I searched for MECC... they have one called the Yukon Trail about the goldrush
didn't see one... but who knows. I did google educational software for kids and was taken to a store that had TONS of games. I'm not sure I will buy from them, but they at least gave me an idea of what is out there.
I saw one on one link that I clicked on, its old though 1988 so we are going to look for a newer version
There is so much out there that I was completely clueless of! I really think this is the direction I need to go with this kid... as much as it scares me.
We had to same game. I ended up giving it to my nephew because he was into trucking at the time. I never thought of using it for school but it sounds like a good idea and a great way to learn how to read maps.
That sounds like a cool game. My son (7) also gets really involved in stuff like that too, activing like it is a real world, etc. I don't really know what to do about it, although I do limit his time (30 min. a day) and I try to bring him back down to earth. The worst is that he will talk to other boys assuming they play the game too and know what he is talking about!
