• Making Tubby Custard takes kids inside the Teletubbies' "house". It is time for tubby custard, says the narrator. Kids are given an on/off switch, a button that makes the tap go up or down, an icon that brings a bowl under the tap, and the funniest button of all -- one that makes custard squirt out. Kids can learn the proper sequence to fill a bowl of custard, or simply make a big mess! Players choose the Teletubby they want and accumulate full bowls on the table.
• In Hide and Peep (pictured at top), 3 sets of curtains are presented, and kids click on one Teletubby at a time and watch as each runs off to hide behind a curtain. The fourth and last Teletubby will then go looking for his friends. Kids guess where these friends are, but watch! You can see the 'Tubbies switching places from time to time.
• In Roly-Poly, kids choose a Teletubby who then rolls down the hill. The 'tubby can be directed by moving the mouse left and right. This is an excellent activity to help children get familiar with using a mouse.
• In Gymnastics, children can make the 'tubbies exercise by clicking on the buttons depicting different moves. Clicking on the voice trumpet changes the musical selection.
• Tuning In is superb. Kids watch videos of real children just like in the television show, but as they do, they can do a creative activity if they so choose! A video sequence entitled "Painting with Sophie" can be watched alone, or can be played as kids play with circus stamps and experiment with various icons, such as the magic wand that flips the stamps. In "How Things Swim in the Water", the creativity board includes fish stamps that come to life (the fish swim around) when they are placed on the board. Kids can use a tool that changes the color of the fish, or use the net icon to "catch" the fish (erase them from the board). There are 5 videos to choose from.

There is a huge improvement over the first Teletubbies game (Play with the Teletubbies, see our review). The use of a main menu from which to access activities and clear icons means navigation in this program is simple and straightforward.

Sound effects are great -- the splatting sound of custard squirting into a bowl is very satisfying -- certainly enough to make young ones giggle. The cursor is big and chunky, and children are not required to make difficult mouse movements in order to enjoy the game. There are printable "workbook" sheets included in the program. They include coloring pages of the Teletubbies characters and scenes as well as matching games and mazes.

Technically Speaking
Minimum reqs for Windows 95/98 are a Pentium 90, 16 Mb RAM, and 4X CD ROM and 25 Mb hard drive space.

Skills Covered
creativity, matching, sequencing, imagination, basic computer skills and familiarity, music appreciation, colors.

Educational Value
Educational benefits include orientation to the computer and mouse skills, as well as creativity through free play and exploration.

Entertainment Value
Children who get a kick out of the Teletubbies television show will be delighted that they can interact with their favorite characters. The simplicity of the activities works to the program's benefit -- the youngest computer users appreciate that they can so easily get reactions from the characters.

Design
The design of the program is excellent, with clear and simple icons making navigation simple.

Replayability
I suspect that young Teletubbies fans will return over and over to this fun program.

Dollar Value
The delight on young children's faces while playing this title makes the $20 US price tag well worth it.