Though sales of educational software have dropped since the market peaked last year, the drop is more of a reflection of the shakeout in the education software publishing industry as a whole, Lanctot said. And publishers like Mattel have ended aggressive promotions that offered deep discounts to shoppers.

Nevertheless, educational software remains a popular market because consumers perceive they are doing a good thing for their children.

The feeling is "What could be wrong about buying educational software for a child?" Lanctot said.

Debra Brinzo of San Mateo, Calif., who has three daughters of pre-school age, is the type of mother who brings smiles to the faces of merchants.

"Anything that I've purchased, I've purchased educational software," Brinzo said.

Her daughters practice spelling and counting on the computer, Brinzo said. The computer has also helped them learn colors and shapes.

"I think it's better than TV because it helps them figure things out on their own," Brinzo said. "I think it's great."

Yet even those who believe that computers can help young children learn caution that technology is not a panacea that can cure all educational woes.

"Some parents think that if children start to be exposed to computers at an early age, this will make their children smarter. This is a common misconception," said Ni Chang, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Parents and teachers must facilitate their child's computer learning, she said. Too often, computers are used as baby sitters for kids.