“…I’m just a kid who’s four
Each day I grow some more
I like exploring
I’m Caillou…” – from Caillou’s theme song

Caillou: Magic Playhouse is based on the animated television series
starring bald-headed little Caillou, a 4-yr-old boy, and his adventures with
family and friends. In this game, you follow Caillou as he visits each room in
his house and the backyard searching for treasures (from a themed group –
sports, music, sun & sand, or nature – that you pre-select) and playing
games. Choose a skill level – 1 to 3, which can be changed mid-game if a given
activity is too easy. Use the mouse to click on items in each room to discover
mini-animations and “hidden” objects. You will also make use of the click-to-
pick-up/click-to-release feature in some of the games, as opposed to click-
and-drag, which may make the interface easier for the toddler to use.

* Silly Stories – Choose people, places & things and they will be included in a silly story that is read aloud to you (MadLibs!)
* Block Puzzles – Build a toy with blocks to match a picture, then spell it’s name
* Butterfly Hunt – Catch the colors/quantities of butterflies Leo asks for
* Matching Socks – Concentration: match the pairs of socks in Caillou’s dresser
* Tap That Tune – Listen and watch as Caillou’s Mom plays the xylophone, then repeat her notes
* Cloud Pictures – Look for hidden shapes in the clouds before they pass you by
* Song & Dance – Choose a song, then set up tiny dancing Caillous on the musical bars; click play, and watch the dance production!

Between games there are video-clips from the television show. Each game has
it’s own instructions page, read aloud by Caillou’s Mom and repeatable at
will; most games are fairly self-explanatory, but some (like Song & Dance)
will probably require a parent’s assistance to play. There are 4 separate
printable activities, each one branching out into several different parts,
giving the child lots to do offline and reinforcing concepts introduced by the
game. Among the early-learning skills covered are: phonics, memory skills,
listening, musical sequences, colors, pattern recognition, counting, and early
reading/spelling.