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I have to admit that I am becoming a little sceptical of the value of the shape recognition programs I see nowadays. Yes, it is something a computer can do fairly well but it often has little basis in reality.

Despite these reservations this series of games is well thought out and will teach the four shapes involved quite well to the pre-school and infant children it is aimed at.

There are four options from the menu, each leading to a game involving Mr. Brock the badger. The first shows him at work with his lorry collecting shapes and delivering them to the correct dump. The second involves him playing basketball by putting large and small shapes into the appropriate hoop. He then meets a magician who hides shapes in a magic box and this involves memory training with the extra skill of short-term recall. Finally, he builds pictures using the shapes.

My main criticism is that there are only triangles, circles, squares and rectangles. A bigger set of shapes would have been a nice touch. The graphics are excellent however and will keep young children's interest well.

D.C.