The Learning Company facts for kids
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| Fate | Acquired by SoftKey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 (as The Learning Co.) Palo Alto, California, U.S. |
| Founders | Ann McCormick Leslie Grimm Teri Perl |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters |
,
U.S.
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Key people
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Warren Robinett (co-founder) |
| Products | Educational games |
The Learning Company (TLC) was a company that created computer games to help kids learn. It started in 1980 in Palo Alto, California.
TLC made many different learning games for students of all ages. These games were often called "edutainment" because they were both educational and fun. Some of their most famous games included Reader Rabbit for younger children and The ClueFinders for older students. They also made games with popular characters like Arthur and Scooby-Doo.
In 1995, another company called SoftKey bought The Learning Company. SoftKey then started using The Learning Company's name and brand.
Contents
Fun Learning Games
The Learning Company made many popular game series. These games helped kids learn different subjects like reading, math, and problem-solving.
Reader Rabbit and The ClueFinders
These two series were some of The Learning Company's most well-known games. They were designed for different age groups.
- Reader Rabbit games helped younger kids learn to read and do basic math.
- Reader Rabbit Baby
- Reader Rabbit Toddler
- Reader Rabbit Preschool
- Reader Rabbit Preschool: Sparkle Star Rescue
- Reader Rabbit Kindergarten
- Reader Rabbit 1st Grade
- Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade
- Math Rabbit (later called Reader Rabbit Math)
- The ClueFinders games were for older kids, usually from 3rd to 6th grade. They focused on adventures where kids solved mysteries using their math, reading, and thinking skills.
Zoombinis Adventures
The Zoombinis games were all about solving puzzles and using logic. Players helped little blue creatures called Zoombinis get to safety by figuring out patterns and rules.
- Zoombinis Logical Journey (1996)
- Zoombinis Mountain Rescue (2001)
- Zoombinis Island Odyssey (2002)
Super Solvers Series
The Super Solvers games challenged kids to use their thinking skills to solve mysteries and puzzles. Each game focused on a different subject, like reading or math.
- Midnight Rescue! (focused on reading)
- OutNumbered! (focused on math)
- Challenge of the Ancient Empires! (history and logic)
- Spellbound! (spelling)
- Gizmos & Gadgets! (science and engineering)
Treasure Hunt Games
These games were part of the Super Seekers series. They combined learning with exciting treasure hunts.
- Treasure Mountain! (1990)
- Treasure MathStorm! (1992)
- Treasure Cove! (1992)
- Treasure Galaxy! (1994)
Trailblazing Adventures
The "Trail" series let players experience historical journeys. These games taught about history, geography, and survival skills.
- The Oregon Trail
- The Amazon Trail
- The Yukon Trail
- Africa Trail
Other Cool Games
The Learning Company also made many other fun and educational games.
- Adventure and Puzzle Games
- Rocky's Boots (1982)
- Gertrude's Secrets (1984)
- Robot Odyssey (1984)
- Operation Neptune (1991)
- Games with TV Characters
- Caillou's Magic Playhouse
- Zoboomafoo Animal Alphabet
- Cyberchase: Carnival Chaos
- Tools for Creativity
- The Children's Writing & Publishing Center
- The Writing Center
- Student Writing Center
