Clifford Interactive Storybook: Where is Emily?
Topic: Language Arts
This activity captures young children's attention from the moment the webpage start loading.While waiting for the game to finish loading, which takes only about 5 seconds on broadband connection, the children can play a quick game of tic-tac-toe with the computer, which can stimulate children to think strategically.
There are about three lines on a page of the interactive storybook and a speaker icon which, upon clicking, will read the storyline next to it . 
The feature allows children to repeat sentences that they did not catch the first time and learn to read, while enjoying the story.What is special about this "storybook" is that it allows children to determine, to some extent, how the stories flow. On one hand, this supports decision-making practice that preschoolers this age need and allows children to be independent and creative. On the other, children will be able to learn the specific option words better as the narrator reads out the word after it is being clicked and repeat the whole sentence again. The corresponding pictures will show when different options are chosen, thus this eliminates boredom from repitition. After they had finished the story, they can repeat it again, picking different options and ending up with a different story. In addition, in this particular story, the emphasis is on word options with the same starting letter; children will thus be able to learn to recognize the sounds and read new words on their own. The font used is big and clear and the bright, attractive pictures on each page will make children love to do this activity to enhance their learning. Four other stories with the same format are available on the homepage.
Catch the Leaves
Topic: Mathematics 
Before the game starts, a point chart is shown to explain what type of leaves they should catch and which they should not.
Then, the children will have to type their name into a box. This teaches them to recognise the letters of the alphabet that make up their names and also give them a sense of autonomy and hence a boost to their self-esteem.
A simple but clear instruction is provided. Children will be able to find out how to play the game themselves instead of asking their teachers. This also builds a sense of independence. As the instruction explains, this leaf-catching game is played by using the two left and right arrows on the keyboard to move the elf so that it is right under the leaf. From this, children can improve their eye-hand coordination while having fun.
Children will be able to hone or learn classifying skills as they need to differentiate the leaves from the 'nut'/conker they are not supposed to collect as it will result in them losing a life. This game can be incorporated into lesson where the teacher can help children classify leaves according to their size, colour, shape and even speed.
Although the game lacks a reasonable amount of sound, it makes up for that with a variety of colours. The only sound that the game produces is when a right leave or acorn is collected, which is encouraging for children as they progress further into the game. The speed of the falling leaves and nuts get faster as children gain more points.
The homepage provides similar games with higher difficulty and other interesting games as well. |
posted by Lu-chie at 
