My Virtual Tutor *review* & $5 off coupon code

I was sent My Virtual Tutor for DS to review with my kids. I must admit that I had a hard time getting them to play it though... it just never seemed to grab their attention enough. I will say that my daughter Olivia (age 3) enjoyed part of it- the part where you can "draw" on the screen appealed to her. But since we had the grade 1-2 version it was too old for her to play on her own.


I will say I think it is a great idea. I played around with it and if you could get your kid interested in it that the game would definitely help with learning to read. 


Here is a press release with a $5.00 off code for the game:

Stay On The Path To Reading Success This Summer With My Virtual Tutor™: Reading

Now You Can Save When You Purchase My Virtual Tutor: Reading on Amazon.com

BOULDER, CO (May 2010) – My Virtual Tutor: Reading for the Nintendo DS offers parents a fun way to keep their children on the path to reading success this summer. It can be difficult to get kids to continue reading once the recess bell rings, but with My Virtual Tutor: Reading for the Nintendo DS kids will be eager to learn! My Virtual Tutor: Reading enhances kid’s reading and comprehension abilities on the number one portable video game system.

My Virtual Tutor: Reading provides a learning tool on a platform that engages kids and maintains their attention. Since the Nintendo DS is portable, the game is perfect to bring along on summer road trips or plane rides! While the child holds their DS vertically like a book, the game’s cheerful virtual tutor guides children through 8 interactive books and encourages him/her to complete fun exercises and quizzes to improve reading skills.

 Through self-correcting practice, the different modes of interacting with the exercises and stories advance along with the player. My Virtual Tutor: Reading has been honored by the top toy awards in its category including Dr. Toy’s Best Picks, iParenting Media Award, Mom’s Choice Award and the Tillywig Toy Awards; proving it to be a great choice for quality “edutainment.”

Just-in-time for summer, you can now save $5.00 when you purchase the My Virtual Tutor: Reading titles on Amazon.com. To redeem your $5.00 off promotional code, log onto http://www.amazon.com/s/?search-alias=videogames&hidden-keywords=B002BZ11DM|B002BZ11DC|B002BZ11F0 and simply enter the claim code MYVTUTOR during checkout. This offer expires at 11:59 p.m. PST on May 31, 2010. 

“We’re gratified that our efforts in bringing a quality playing and learning experience for early readers to the Nintendo DS has received positive consumer recognition,” says Hank Kaplan, Chairman of Mentor InterActive Inc. “Our distribution and sell through at retailers across the country also speaks volumes of the need for this type of “edutainment.”

My Virtual Tutor: Reading gives kids an opportunity to reinforce what they are learning during the school year and have fun while they practice over the summer. Parents can track their child’s activities and the areas in which they are improving, or may need more attention, by accessing the Parent Mode. My Virtual Tutor: Reading is available in 3 versions for children in Pre-K through Second Grade. Each includes eight interactive books with 4 modes of play:

• Read To Me- Virtual tutor reads the story with exciting animation
• I Can Read- Beginning vocabulary word-based activities
• Interactive- Clickable animations with interactive quizzes to test reading and vocabulary comprehension
• Paint- Unleash creativity and illustrate scenes while listening to a story

“The proprietary Foundations to Literacy™ software used in My Virtual Tutor Reading has been tested and is proven to be effective in improving students’ reading skills and their attitude toward learning to read, “says Barbara Wise Ph.D, world-renowned reading researcher at the University of Colorado where My Virtual Tutor: Reading was developed at the Center for Computational Language and Education Research.

My Virtual Tutor: Reading was developed by 1^st Playable Productions, LLC. My Virtual Tutor: Reading for the Nintendo DS is available at mass and specialty retailers throughout North America for a suggested retail price of $29.99. The Pre-K- K SKUs is rated EC (Early Childhood) and the K-1^st Grade and 1^st-2^nd Grade SKUs are rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. 

For More Information on My Virtual Tutor: Reading and to become a fan of My Virtual Tutor: Reading on Facebook or follow updates Twitter, please log onto http://www.myvirtualtutorgame.com/.