ItzaBitza Review and Giveaway!

Computer time is a hot commodity around our house. Especially when there are three kids trying to get in the hot seat and play! We recently received ItzaBitza for the kids to try out {and me to review}. Bottom line ~ the kids LOVE it! They've been taking turns over the last few weeks and enjoy playing it. Zachary is thrilled because even he is able to participate and work the game. I love that it is building word recognition, developing reading skills and the kids are being creative in the process!

What exactly is ItzaBitza?

ItzaBitza is a computer game where your child's creativity constructs the 'world' that the characters, called Sketchies, live in. When the Sketchies need something, children draw the objects for them. Initially, the Sketchies need a house. After the house is drawn {and it can be shaped like a boat or a tree}, it literally comes to life! The character goes into the house through the door and interacts with the drawing your child made.

"ItzaBitza includes five playsets. Each playset is a blank environment waiting for a child to use Living Ink to draw the objects needed within the environment. The blank environments include a location for a home, a camp site, a haunted house, outer space, and a farm. Children read sentences that appear as thought bubbles on their Sketchy. If the child hovers the mouse over a word, the word turns red, grows larger, and is pronounced in the voice of a child. As the children progress through the playsets, the sentences become richer in meaning and construction."

Just a note: My kids have not played with the haunted house aspect of the game, so I can't give you the details on that...most likely they would avoid it. It is one of the later levels in the game.

ItzaBitza also has a free trial download if you want to get a better idea of how your family would like the software.

To give you a visual idea about the software, here is a quick clip to help sum it all up:



The Specifics:

• Price: $19.99
• Ages: 4+
• OS: Windows XP or Vista
• Available online through 'buy and download' option
• Boxed version available at Target, Best Buy, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Amazon.com
  

The Giveaway Rules!! I have two downloads available for two of my readers! Are you interested in winning? Here are the ways to earn up to four entries:

1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Subscribe to my blog by reader or email ~ see the lovely button in the right sidebar? Leave me a comment to let me know when you do {or if you already follow this blog}.
   
3. Twitter about this contest and then come back to leave an additional comment.
   
4. Let your friends through Facebook or your blog know ~ come back to leave an additional comment after you post a link back to this giveaway.
   

*** This giveaway is now closed ***

The giveaway is open until Sunday, July 5th at 8pm. Two winners will be chosen at random and I will announce the winners Monday, July 6th. Please be sure to leave a way for me to contact you {i.e. blog address or email}. The winners will have 3 days to contact me and I will then email the code to unlock the game. If I haven't heard back within 3 days, I will draw another winner.