KidPix is one of the oldest Edutainment software programs out on the market for children. It is published by the Learning Company who has many more great software packages available. Mainly KidPix is Art Software for Kids, but has much more to offer for the Foreign Language Classroom. Please keep in mind that KidPix 4 Home Edition was used for this review.
Kid Pix Deluxe 4 has all the great art tools that kids get excited about. From the back of the box:
- Crazy Art Tools
Paint with balloons, rainbows, trees, and much more
- Realistic Paint Mode
Choose chclk, pencil, crayon, markers, and more
- Sound Art
Paint using the sound of your voixe
- Stickers and Animation
Spray 3-D bugs, candy, and lots more
- Photo Fun
Add and customize your own pictures
The first thing that caught my attention was that KidPix has an integrated Spanish version. With a simple click the interface changes to Spanish mode. Unfortunately the clipart gallery names do not change into Spanish. The program does feature text to speech capability and lets you choose between two voices (male & female) that pronounce your written text.
Once you have created several pictures, either from scratch, importing your own digital pictures, with backgrounds, from coloring pages, or from a storystarter you can add your own voice for sound effects or choose from several thematic sound clips. The pictures can then be imported into a slideshow complete with transition effects and exported as a Quicktime movie.
Application for the foreign language or ESL classrooms could include: Make your own storybook, retell a story from class, book reports, vocabulary illustrations, ABC book, |
