Pros
- Bright and colorful images
- Background music that won’t drive Mom and Dad crazy
- Keeps other files safe while Baby plays
Cons
- It would be nice to have some activities that are more challenging for older toddlers who aren’t ready for preschool software.
Overview
From the time he was able to hold up his head, my son has been obsessed with pressing buttons. It’s like a compulsion for him. He can’t pass something that even looks like a button without pressing it. Since he has grown up around computers, he was particularly intrigued by the computer keyboard. The drawback to this is that an infant pressing random keys can be damaging for your important files. Tim Leverett of Leveractive recognized a need for quality software for infants and parents to use together. He responded with Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby, an interactive and colorful computer world for infants and toddlers.
Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby CDs all follow a similar pattern. Each CD comes with a number of different activities involving engaging animations such as colorful shapes, waddling penguins, or dancing letters. They are all controlled by your baby pressing keyboard keys or using the mouse.
Cause and Effect
The Giggles software is a great way of helping to reinforce the idea of cause and effect for your infant. If they press a button or move mouse, something happens. A fish might swim by, or the letter “D” might do a jig. Regardless, it’s always something playful and big. Your child won’t miss it on the screen.
Giggles Computer Funtime for Babyand Your Toddler
By the time your child becomes a toddler, cause and effect is old news. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily time to put away this software. Toddlers will still enjoy the silly animation, and it’s a nice way for you to use the computer together. You can prompt your child by asking if they can name the animals on the screen, or if they can perform a certain task. It’s also a nice way to teach the basics of using a mouse.
Educational Software?
Tim Leverett makes no claims about this software turning your baby into a genius. However, it does encourage some developmentally appropriate learning, such as animals, shapes, colors, music, and the afore-mentioned cause and effect.
Protecting Your Computer
One of my favorite things about the software is that your child can press any of the keys and the program will not exit. My son has a knack for minimizing windows and gaining access to things I’d rather he didn’t touch. Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby removes that concern by providing a safe environment for kids to freely explore.
I should note that the Giggles software will not protect your keyboard from an overenthusiastic typist (my son was always quite careful, but my daughter delights in banging away). There are keyboards designed for young children that you might consider if this is a concern.
Bottom Line
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time before the age of two, but this is largely because it may interfere with time spent with family members, reading, exploring and so on (read the AAP Policy Statement). Using Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby Software meets the same needs as other activities you might take on with an infant, including looking at picture books, listening to music, exploring the world through objects and pictures and playing simple games. It also serves as interactive time with a caring adult.
This software is the epitome of simple fun. Even I enjoyed visiting each activity to see what would happen as my son pressed the keys. It has afforded us no-stress computer time, since I am no longer worry that he’ll accidentally delete all of my files, and it has met his need to press buttons.
Manufacturer Specifications
- The software is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems, but older titles may require a patch for Vista and Leopard.
- Recommended for ages 6 months - 24 months
- Retails for $19.99
- Bonus activities are available on the site for those with full license to any of the titles.
