On the Farm
by Gerry Kennedy
Early Years Software
For PC Compatible computers running MS Windows 95/98
On the Farm is a wonderful program, with beautiful visual images onscreen. It comes from Sweden and is designed for children in pre-school through to Grade Prep-1. It can also be used in special settings and for young students who are deaf who can read whole words or are beginning to use text. There are 5 delightful activities. You can have sound effects and speech turned on or off, with music playing in the background or you can work in silence. Each scene is beautifully illustrated.
Build Up is the first activity where a child can press their input device (i.e. click a mouse, press Enter key) and progressively add a picture to the scene. From the Start Scene page, you can elect to move into different parts of the farm (e.g. the farmhouse, chicken coup, pigpen, paddock etc. Once you arrive, you simply click or press a key/switch and build up the scene with one character (or object) at a time. With the voice option on, you hear the name of the object or its sound (e.g. a cat meowing, a dog barking).
In Discover Objects, children at home can practice and master the use of their input device including direct pointing systems such as touch windows, as well as indirect systems of mouse and trackball. You can also elect to use the [Space] and [Enter] keys on the keyboard, or program an overlay with IntelliKeys or simply slide in one of the standard IntelliKeys overlays that have these two keys and get started! This activity has a scanning feature with a red arrow pointing to images. To move the arrow, press space bar. To choose the object and have it voiced, with a text label describing the object, press the Enter key. Switch users can access the package by using the Don Johnson Switch Box or by programming the IntelliKeys switch ports to [Space] and [Enter] keys. The default is step scanning, with automatic scanning provided as an option, with a tick box in the Options dialogue box. A Stop button is placed on each page to go back.
Place Pictures works with the same input methods. You choose a part of the farm and then place pictures, which appear at the bottom of the screen, onto the page. This is a wonderful and most enjoyable activity! When moving (i.e. dragging) the items, you see them move in front, behind, in and over other background scenes and pictures. Teachers and therapists can elicit rich language. Understanding and exposure to concepts of directionality and the use of prepositions and notion of placement can be introduced and practised. Once again, objects are voiced and text is revealed as you position the object. This free-form mode will delight and motivate users of touch screens, as it is so immediate and gratifying to have such control!
Place Words is similar in that the child moves text labels to objects in each respective scene. Children that can read or understand text will enjoy correctly labelling pictures. Use of flash cards with this activity would be an ideal onscreen or off screen activity, as you can print any screen at any time (by using the [F9]). The font size can be changed to small, medium or large and can be displayed in 10 different colours. A real bonus is the choice of Capital letters, Lower case or mixed case.
Pictures and Words provides the opportunity for totally engagement, with both text and pictures being manipulatives. Students in higher grades will also enjoy this activity where users can create their own scene and position characters to re-tell a story, make a picture of their own volition or print a series of events that investigate tense, situation or imagination. It is totally open-ended and invites participation.
I consider On the Farm to be an excellent example of mature programming where multi media capabilities of computers have been cleverly employed to create a delightful piece of educational/leisure orientated software for young children – of all abilities. If you are looking for a software package that will delight young minds and prove to be useful over time, then On the Farm is a great candidate. Pleasantly voiced directions, prompts and feedback with beautiful illustrations – a joy to review! I highly recommend it to kindergarten and pre-school teachers and parents of young children.
NOTE: On the Farm is sold as a five user copy. It represents excellent value for money in a pre-school or in Grades Prep-1 in a school. You can also gain switch access through IntelliKeys, SwitchBoard, Switchbox or Don Johnston’s Switch Interface. It does not use a serial switch box.