Early Learning House is a collection of four main educational video games and two compilations for the Windows and Macintosh platforms, developed by Theatrix Interactive, Inc. and published by Edmark software. Each different game focuses on a particular major learning category with selectable skill settings for preschooler, kindergarten and elementary learners. Millie's Math House on mathematics, Bailey's Book House on language, Sammy's Science House on science, and Trudy's Time and Place House on history and geography. A spin-off, Stanley's Sticker Stories, sees players create animated storybooks with the series' characters. Millie & Bailey Preschool and Millie & Bailey Kindergarten each contain the combined activities from two of the four software products. In addition the programs can be configured by an adult mode to suit students with special needs. Most of the activities in every game have two modes, one to allow learners to explore and try it out for themselves and the other for learners to follow specific tasks set by the game characters. Learners also have the option to print pictures of creative activities and record sounds in phonics activities. Later the games were re-developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Learning Technology and re-published by The Learning Company with newer graphics and additional activities.
The purpose of the series is to "provide students with a positive environment to explore early learning concepts". Millie's Math House was released in October 1992 and stars the cow Millie. It primarily focuses on counting, quantities and simple figures divided into nine different activities. Bailey's Book House was released in June 1993, and stars the cat Bailey. It primarily focuses on reading, playing with words and phonics divided into nine different activities. Sammy's Science House was released in June 1994, and stars the snake Sammy. It primarily focuses on biology, experiments and matter divided into seven different activities. The Windows 95 version of the game was shipped July 31, 1995. Trudy's Time and Place House was released in September 1995, and stars the crocodile Trudy. It primarily focuses on geography, simulation and time divided into seven different activities. Edmark also released software with two house series combined together which included half of the respective software's activities: Millie & Bailey Preschool and Millie & Bailey Kindergarten.
Reception
Critical reception
The New York Times deemed Edmark an "impressive series", adding that "all four programs are a lot of fun". A reviewer from SuperKids said Millie's Math House was an "excellent introductory math program for pre-schoolers" that was both educational and fun, while adding that the sound and graphics were adequate. A reviewer from TechWithKids thought the title was "well thought out" and offered a "supportive" environment within which the player could learn, noting that it was suitable for both the classroom and home. A reviewer from SuperKids said Bailey's Book House was a "classic" and a "must-have" within the early learning genre. Charles Law of PC AlamodeMagazine said the game was "multifaceted", and thought it would help young learners "catch up and keep up". In Jill Fain Lehman's article A Review of Kids' Software for Children with ASD, she deemed the activity Sorting Station from Sammy's Science House a "very good classification game". Ellen Adams wrote that the title offered an "excellent" introduction to science for young children, and thought that the game's entertainment was heightened due to the "constant encouragement". Childhood Education said the game was an "inviting exploration program" and "excellent introduction" to the subject matter. MacUser gave Trudy's Time and Place House a perfect 5 out of 5 score, and named it one of 1996's top 50 CD-ROMs.
Awards
The Early Learning House games had earned 40 awards around the time of their creation.
