Wanna have a great time on a lazy summer afternoon? Slip one of Blue's Clues CD-Roms into your computer and forget about being an adult.

I co-opted my 8 year-old daughter to play these games, based on the TV show and earmarked for 3-6 year olds, and together we set off on a giddy series of missions with Blue and that darn adorable guy Steve (striped rugby shirt notwithstanding).

ABC Time Activities
We start with ABC Time Activities and are drawn into a delightful world -- uncluttered yet fanciful -- rich with bird song and a 3-D quality that makes us long to jump into the screen.

With Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, we choose the snack that starts with the identified letter, which is a good bit of fun, although what I thought was a nectarine and my daughter thought was an apple turned out to be a peach. This could be discouraging for a 3 year-old trying to pick the right letter for the fruit.

Luckily, Salt and Pepper, in their inimitable en Français way, tell us what each snack is before we get too discouraged. An indication of the automatic skill level kicking in, perhaps.

In this CD, we did have a problem with the "Make A Story" game. We could only negotiate one word to fill both blanks in any given story, with rather uncreative results. This may be a reflection of our own confusion rather than the game itself.

We went on to "Make a Rhyme," which was delightful. The bath bubbles looked real enough to blow, making a rhyme was fun and there is just enough repetition of certain words to make it a useful learning experience. And gee whiz, Blue is cute.

Blue's Birthday Adventure
We tore ourselves away from the ABC's to try out Blue's Birthday Adventure. This is a whopping double CD.

It took us half an hour to find our first of three Blue's Clues and frankly, I didn't have time to wait for the party to start. This is a good thing. The games are not mere 20 minute wonders, ready to be repeated next time you open the computer. They are insightful, challenging and worth a regular check into the instruction booklet to discover more than meets the eye.

We may have been flummoxed as to finding Blue's paw (the clue) with any speed, but we were happily sidetracked. My daughter got to make a birthday card for Blue. She decided to color the whole card blue. This had to be done with a paint brush, don't you know, so it was painstaking work.

Then we inadvertently erased this critical piece of artwork at which point she was ready to quit the whole game. Just as surprisingly, we discovered how to make it reappear. She was doubly impressed. It highlighted the fact that this is a game the little ones will need adult help with, certainly the first few times. For those of you who love to spend time with your child, this is a godsend.

Birthday Adventuring Day Two
My daughter's at camp, so I happily settle in alone with Steve and Blue.

Today I realize that even if I pick a nonsensical choice I am rewarded. For example, the day before we had smugly chosen the towel to wipe Blue's paw print from the screen. Today, slap-happy, I choose the party blower. Aren't I clever! Steve blows the paw into tiny blue feathers that float away! I continue to discover not everything is an either/or.

Possibly 75% of everything on the screen will come to life if I click it, and will do so in a different way each time for at least three clicks in a row, then surprise me with a bit of a finale. Candy acrobatics, bees buzzing from behind flowers ... better and better, the more I click the bigger the swarm! I can create a havoc of bees in the garden and no-one reprimands me! No-one gets hurt! I click and reclick on some balloons to create a plethora of strange creatures jumping along a tightwire crying, "Whoo Hoo!" The faster I click, the more "Whoo Hoo's"! (I'm having a ball.)

Monsieur et Madame Salt and Pepper invite me to help make Blue's cake. I count out and add 3 cups of flour to the bowl, then crack open two eggs into the batter. I look forward to coming back and pouring it into the pan and eating it when baked. Alas, if this is in store for me, I never find out. This culinary review must be written sometime.