Learning Creations is a set of four (later three) activities released by The Learning Company in 2000. It is included in all specially-marked versions of the 1990s grade-based Reader Rabbit games released in 2000 and in all versions of the updated grade-based games released in 2001 and 2002. The 2000 version is accessible through the Treehouse Launcher, the 2001 version is accessible through the Dreamship Launcher, and the 2002 version is accessible through the Learning Launcher.
Versions[]
Version 1[]
The first version, released in 2000 for inclusion in the classic grade-based games, features a hub area known as the Clubhouse, in which the player can access the activities: Create a Calendar!, Make a Masterpiece!, Music Maker, and Rhythm Room. The player can click around the Clubhouse to see animations, customize the Clubhouse by clicking on various items in it (the rug, the clock, the curtains, and the window), and change the music to one of eight different soundtracks by clicking on the radio. The graphics and voice actors are based on the late 1990s era. The accessible activities depend on which and how many games are installed on the user's computer; the Create a Calendar! and Make a Masterpiece! activities are included with Reader Rabbit Preschool and Reader Rabbit 1st Grade, whereas the Music Maker and Rhythm Room activities are included with Reader Rabbit Kindergarten and Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade. In addition, the elements in each activity differ between each game, including the backgrounds and stickers in the Create a Calendar! and Make a Masterpiece! activities, the songs and instruments in the Music Maker activity, and the songs in the Rhythm Room activity.
Version 2[]
The second version, released in 2001 for inclusion with the 2001 games, removes the Rhythm Room activity and all of the soundtracks except the default one, as well as the Clubhouse; it instead launches through the Dreamship Launcher. Unlike the first version, all three activities and their respective elements are included with each game. In addition, Make a Masterpiece! was renamed to Paint a Picture!, and Music Maker was renamed to Make Some Music!. Its menu resembles the Dreamship, and the graphics and voice actors are based on the 2000s era. In the 2002 re-releases of each game, Learning Creations launches through the Learning Launcher.
Common elements[]
The player can click Reader Rabbit for help.
Activities[]
There are four activities included.
Create a Calendar![]
The player can add animated stickers to the top picture in the calendar, as well as mark days with event icons and add backgrounds to specific dates. The player can choose from different backgrounds for each month of the calendar, such as jungle, city, underwater, etc., each with their own themed animated stickers that play sounds (although the player can add other stickers to the scene). The player can also choose a blank background.
Make a Masterpiece!/Paint a Picture![]
The tools that can be used are the airbrush, smudge, paintbrush, eraser, and paint bucket. The player can either choose from a starting picture or a blank background. It also has a color mixing function, a one-undo function, and various alphabet letters, numbers, shapes, and stickers to add, with the letters, numbers, and shapes taking on the selected color. In the earlier version, when a color is clicked on, Sam will say the name of the color whereas in the later version, the colors will make random sounds when clicked on
Music Maker/Make Some Music![]
The player can make music using different tempo settings and different instruments such as the piano, banjo, steel drums, dog barks, giggles, etc. As they play, the notes are visually represented on the middle portion of the piano, and birds appear from the holes on the top portion of the piano. There are also songs that can be played automatically on the piano such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Rhythm Room[]
The player can listen to songs sung by Sylvia Skunk, and, with Sam the Lion, play instruments over the song (a shaker, drums, etc). The player can turn the instruments of the song on and off, and listen to an instrumental version and a sing-along version. The instruments are played by Papa Bear, Baby Bear, and Babs the Beaver. This activity is only available in the 2000 version.
Trivia[]
- One of the Clubhouse soundtracks was re-used as the credits soundtrack for all of the grade-based games in the Dreamship series.
- The icon for the 2000 version of the program is the same as that of Reader Rabbit Math Adventures Ages 4-6.
- This activity compilation was offered on a separate disc in kids' meals by Quiznos.
- The 2000 version is the last program to feature Reader and Sam in their 1990s designs and their original voice actors.
- One of the possible reasons why the Rhythm Room was removed in the 2001 version is because the musicians (Baby Bear, Papa Bear, Babs the Beaver and Sylvia Skunk) didn't get 2001 redesigns.
- This is the only time Babs is unclothed.
Gallery[]
Screenshots[]
Other[]
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