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Early Learning House

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House Series
Genre(s)Edutainment
Developer(s)Theatrix Interactive, Inc.
Publisher(s)Edmark
Platform(s)DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows, Macintosh
First releaseMillie's Math House
October 1992
Latest releaseStanley's Sticker Stories
July 1996

Early Learning House[1] or simply the House Series is a collection of four main educational video games and two compilations for the Windows and Macintosh platforms, developed by Theatrix Interactive, Inc. and published by Edmark software. Each different game focuses on a particular major learning category with selectable skill settings for preschooler, kindergarten and elementary learners. Millie's Math House (1992) on mathematics, Bailey's Book House (1993) on language, Sammy's Science House (1994) on science, and Trudy's Time and Place House (1995) on history and geography. A spin-off, Stanley's Sticker Stories (1996), sees players create animated storybooks with the series' characters.[2] Millie & Bailey Preschool and Millie & Bailey Kindergarten each contain the combined activities from two of the four software products. In addition the programs can be configured by an adult mode to suit students with special needs.[3] Most of the activities in every game have two modes, one to allow learners to explore and try it out for themselves and the other for learners to follow specific tasks set by the game characters. Learners also have the option to print pictures of creative activities and record sounds in phonics activities. Later the games were re-developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Learning Technology and re-published by The Learning Company with newer graphics and additional activities.

Production

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ERAC created an agreement with IBM Canada's K-12 Division, with support from the British Columbia Ministry of Education, to provide the House Series software to British Columbia schools and districts for free.[4] Enhanced versions of the products were announced on September 25, 1995, which included new activities, added difficulty levels, and a Dear Parents Video Presentation.[5]

Games

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The purpose of the series is to "provide students with a positive environment to explore early learning concepts".[6]

Millie's Math House was released in October 1992 (enhanced in August 1995)[7] and stars the cow Millie.[8] It primarily focuses on counting, quantities and simple figures divided into nine different activities (seven in earlier versions[9] and six in first version[10]).

Bailey's Book House was released in June 1993, and stars the cat Bailey. It primarily focuses on reading, playing with words and phonics divided into nine different activities (seven in earlier versions and five in the first version).

Sammy's Science House was released on July 1, 1994,[11] and stars the snake Sammy. It primarily focuses on biology, experiments, and matter divided into seven activities (five in earlier versions). The Windows 95 version of the game was shipped on July 31, 1995.[5]

Trudy's Time and Place House was released in September 1995, and stars the crocodile Trudy. It primarily focuses on geography, simulation, and time divided into seven activities (five in earlier versions). Edmark also released software with two house series combined, each of which included half of the respective software's activities: Millie & Bailey Preschool and Millie & Bailey Kindergarten. Millie & Bailey is a two-part edutainment video game series featuring the titles Millie & Bailey Kindergarten and Millie & Bailey Preschool. Edmark repurposed activities from its Early Learning House titles Millie's Math House, Bailey's Book House, and Sammy's Science House into the two multisubject Millie & Bailey games.[12] The former three games could still be purchased individually.[12] Edmark Singles were added to the titles' main menus.[13] These grade-specific school versions contained teacher's guides and toll-free technical support.[14] Both titles were shipped for the 1997 holiday season.[15]

Reception

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Critical reception

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The New York Times deemed Edmark an "impressive series", adding that "all four programs are a lot of fun".[16]

A reviewer from SuperKids said Millie's Math House was an "excellent introductory math program for pre-schoolers" that was both educational and fun, while adding that the sound and graphics were adequate.[17] A reviewer from TechWithKids thought the title was "well thought out" and offered a "supportive" environment within which the player could learn, noting that it was suitable for both the classroom and home.[18] The game was reviewed in the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Guide Book where the authors described the "six quality math games" as appropriate for children aged three to six.[19]

A reviewer from SuperKids said Bailey's Book House was a "classic" and a "must-have" within the early learning genre.[20] Charles Law of PC Alamode Magazine said the game was "multifaceted", and thought it would help young learners "catch up and keep up".[21]

In Jill Fain Lehman's article A Review of Kids' Software for Children with ASD, she deemed the activity Sorting Station from Sammy's Science House a "very good classification game".[22] Ellen Adams wrote that the title offered an "excellent" introduction to science for young children, and thought that the game's entertainment was heightened due to the "constant encouragement".[23] Childhood Education said the game was an "inviting exploration program" and "excellent introduction" to the subject matter.[24]

MacUser gave Trudy's Time and Place House a perfect 5 out of 5 score, and named it one of 1996's top 50 CD-ROMs.[25]

Referring to Millie & Bailey Kindergarten, Emergency Librarian felt "Edmark has truly picked the best of the best to include on this CD [compilation]".[26] Visual Literacy singled out the storyboarding minigame 'Make a Move' in Kindergarten.[27] Young Kids and Computers deemed it an "excellent variety pack"[28] and felt the activities were "well designed".[28] Consumer reports home computer buying guide 2000 noted it as a prime example of “early-learning” software alongside the Freddi Fish series by Humongous.[29]

Child Care Information Exchange wrote of Millie & Bailey Preschool, "overall [it] continues to set the standard for appropriate content, active involvement, and for clever embedding of the learning content in preschool computer activities."[30] Exchange reported that "preschoolers ask to play the program over and over again".[31]

Awards

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The Early Learning House games had earned 40 awards around the time of their creation.[7]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1992 Millie's Math House MacUser Magazine Editors' Choice Award for Best Children's Program Won[7]
1993 Millie's Math House Software Publishers Association Excellence in Software Award for Best Early Education Program Won[7]
1993 Millie's Math House CODiE Award for Best Early Education Program Won[32]
1994 Millie's Math House Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Platinum Award[19]
1994 Bailey's Book House Parent's Choice Award for Best Early Childhood Software Won[7]
1994 Sammy's Science House Parent's Choice Award for Software Won[7]
1995 Sammy's Science House Family Channel Seal of Quality Won[7]
1996 Trudy's Time and Place House Software Publishers Association Excellence in Software Award for Best Early Education Program Won[7]
1996 Trudy's Time and Place House CODiE Award for Best Early Childhood (K-3) Education Software Program Won[33]
1998 Millie & Bailey Kindergarten CODiE Award for Best Education Software Upgrade Won[34]

References

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  1. ^ "STRATEGY SOFTWARE AHEAD OF THE GAME\CD-ROM not just child's play. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  2. ^ "Stanley - Overview". www.synapse-ada.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Welcome" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  4. ^ "Edmark House Series | ERAC". www.bcerac.ca. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  5. ^ a b "Edmark Ships Windows 95 Version of its Award-Winning "Sammy's Science House". - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  6. ^ "Electronic Materials for Children and Young Adults".
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Edmark Corporation Document". www.sec.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  8. ^ Prior, Jennifer Overend (1 January 2000). Numbers. Teacher Created Resources. ISBN 9781576906170 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-01. Retrieved 2016-04-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Giant Bomb".
  11. ^ "'Kidware' booming in computer market". Knoxville News Sentinel. June 19, 1994. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  12. ^ a b "IBM Consumer Software Group Unveils Stellar Fall Line Up." Business Wire, 15 Sept. 1997, p. 9151135. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A19751126/ITOF?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=f38b8b43. Accessed 2022-01-20.
  13. ^ "Buy and Download New Edmark Singles from the Web; Single-Subject Programs That Help Kids Focus on a Particular Skill." Business Wire, 9 Dec. 1997, p. 12090028. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A20053993/ITOF?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=0e25d43c. Accessed 2022-01-20.
  14. ^ Semple, Patricia. "TitleWatch: new CD-ROM, videodisc, and software titles for K-12." Multimedia Schools, vol. 5, no. 2, Mar.–Apr. 1998, pp. 54-6. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A30569532/AONE?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=e580c50c. Accessed 2022-01-20.
  15. ^ Traiman, Steve. 1998. “Kids’ Multimedia Sees a Growth Spurt.” Billboard 110 (7): 76. Search page (after login).
  16. ^ Mills, Joshua (1995-10-12). "Childrens's [sic] Software for Navigating Tropics and Alphabet;Programs that go through an entire grade". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  17. ^ "SuperKids Software Review of Millie's Math House". www.superkids.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  18. ^ "Millie's Math House Review - TechWithKids.com". www.techwithkids.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  19. ^ a b Oppenheim, Joanne and Stephanie (1993). "Computer Software/CD-ROM - Drill and Review Software: 'Millie's Math House'". The Best Toys, Books & Videos for Kids. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Guide Book. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). New York: Harper Perennial. p. 274. ISBN 0-06-273196-3.
  20. ^ "SuperKids Software Review of Bailey's Book House". www.superkids.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  21. ^ "REVIEW: Bailey's Book House". alamopc.org. Archived from the original on September 26, 2002. Retrieved 2016-09-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "Kids' Software for Children with ASD". www.cs.cmu.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  23. ^ "Sammy's Science House". 2003-04-28. Archived from the original on 2003-04-28. Retrieved 2016-09-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. ^ "Sammy's Science House. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  25. ^ The Editors of MacUser (December 1996). "MacUser's 1996 Top 50 CD-ROMs". Kid's Stuff. Archived from the original on 2000-06-05. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  26. ^ Troutner, Joanne. "Software review (Factory deluxe; Storybook weaver deluxe; Millie & Bailey kindergarten; Encyclopedia of history; My amazing human body; Color a story in 3D; Encarta virtual globe; Encarta 98 encyclopedia)." Emergency Librarian, vol. 25, no. 4, Mar.–Apr. 1998, pp. 50-2. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A30051385/AONE?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=328e69f8. Accessed 2022-01-20.
  27. ^ Burmark, Lynell (2002). Visual literacy : learn to see, see to learn. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ISBN 978-0-87120-640-4.
  28. ^ a b Buckleitner, Warren; Orr, Ann C.; Wolock, Ellen (1998). Young kids and computers : a parent's survival guide. Flemington, N.J.: Children's Software Revue. ISBN 978-1-891983-00-9.
  29. ^ Heiderstadt, Donna (2000). Consumer reports home computer buying guide 2000. Yonkers, N.Y.: Consumer Reports. ISBN 978-0-89043-931-9.
  30. ^ Child Care Information Exchange July-August 1998: Iss 122. Exchange Press Inc. July 1998.
  31. ^ Exchange January/February 2005: Iss 161. Exchange Press Inc. January–February 2005.
  32. ^ "SIIA Codie Awards Past Winners – 1993". Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  33. ^ "SIIA Codie Awards Past Winners – 1996". Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  34. ^ "Software Industry Unites in Celebration for 1998 Codie Awards".
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