Addictive new game for kids and the grownups in their lives

This game - by BBC Bitesize KS2 - is incredible. Visually rich and complex, it challenges your intellect and knowledge without pandering or dumbing down. In Questionaut, you journey through strange worlds and test your knowledge of English, Maths and Science, and pure reasoning on this magical mission to recover your friend’s hat.

It took me a little bit to quite get what I was supposed to do but once I got it, I was hooked. Right from the beginning ‘loading’ screen there are things to be discovered. With your cursor, ‘massage’ the ‘S’ in Questionaut. It makes that funny balloon sound. Yes, I’m easily entertained.

Once into the first screen, shown at left, start moving the cursor around until it changes from arrow to hand. Click when the hand appears, to initiate an action.

On the main screen, shown at right, move the cursor around until you see the hand. Uh, I don’t want to give it away, but that will happen in a couple of places, initiating actions. Find the right one that causes one of the ‘characters’ to ask a question in a balloon.

You get to select the right answer to the question. If you choose wisely, the air from the question balloon goes into the blue balloon, inflating it a bit more, and you also get balloon points. Get enough points and the balloon takes off for a new venue - where you will encounter math and natural sciences questions.

I haven’t played it through yet, but that’s probably what will keep me up way too late tonight.

Then let your kids have a go at it.

-maven