Touring the Planets, which is aimed at children aged 8 and up, introduces some of the key principles of science. It presents more than 100 questions, the answers to which have to be discovered through point-and-click experiments and reading texts. There are various ways to get into the CD-ROM. You can choose one of the Smart Kids to act as a guide to questions grouped by theme--Sylvester specialises in mechanics, Maria's experiments are tied into the theme of exploration, Elvis is interested in light and sound, and so on. Alternatively, you can choose the Wizard, an option that lets you pick any experiment, or use the search tool to find something specific.
Whichever you choose, each experiment is introduced by a question presented on a bright colourful screen. Click around the various icons and images and you get to the associated experiment and text.
You can go further by reading fact sheets that talk about the past and future of science. There is an area where you can contribute your own written and drawn material, and access yet more experiments, this time to do away from the computer--there's even a special place you can file experiments you would like to get back to again quickly.
Touring the Planets is very well put together. Imaginatively designed, there is enough here for younger users to browse through without getting bored or feeling lectured at. Parents might want to peruse the CD on their own, though, so they can help youngsters navigate to areas they might otherwise miss. --Sandra Vogel
