My Virtual Tutor for Nintendo DS

I’m surprised at how well Kiana can use her Nintendo DS. The only problem is finding games that are suitable for a 3 year old. So when I had the opportunity to review My Virtual Tutor I jumped at the chance hoped for the best.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

By combining the kid-friendly Nintendo DS with a proven reading curriculum developed and tested at the University of Colorado, My Virtual Tutor: Reading makes learning reading skills fun, affordable and portable!  Through interactive books, school age and grade relevant phonics instruction and  fun quiz modes, your child will learn the comprehension, phonics, fluency and vocabulary necessary to become an expert reader, all  while having fun with their Nintendo DS.

OUR REVIEW

For me, the best way to see if the game is easy enough for Kiana to understand is to just let her figure it out for herself. Of course, I had to help her with some of the words but other than that she was able to play My Virtual Tutor all by herself.

The first thing we tried out is the “Read to Me” feature. We liked how the Tutor read the story at a slow pace so that Kiana could follow along with the words being shown. The story was simple yet entertaining and Kiana really enjoyed it. Once the story was done, the Tutor asked basic questions to see how much of the story Kiana understood. I especially liked this feature because it allowed Kiana to really think about what she just heard and put meaning behind the words. There are also other modes that when completed will unlock more books for your child to enjoy.

In the Phonics section, you have the option of selecting games where you have to find words that start with a certain letter, words that rhymes, words that contain a specific letter, and words you have to sound out. Kiana was also able to play this section, however, the Quiz feature was a little too advanced for her.

Overall, we found My Virtual Tutor to be very educational and fun. The basic lessons were perfect for Kiana’s pre-school age and the other more advanced features will come in useful when she’s a little older. The vocal instructions were easy to understand and to the point which help to keep Kiana’s attention. The best part is that now she has a truly educational game that she can take with her wherever she goes. Gotta love that!

Purchase your copy at Amazon.com for $29.49

This post was written for Mentor Interactive who provided the game for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Check out other great gift ideas in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!