 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dora's Cooking Club
- Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
- Price: $29.99
- Genre: Preschool
Common Sense Media says
Fantastic, fun math game baked into a cooking sim.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Dora's Cooking Club is a game that, on the surface, let kids participate in the preparation and cooking of virtual recipes, but which is really a math game in disguise. For the majority of the "cooking exercises," kids will be presented with challenges that involve numbers and counting. The app is incredibly well-designed for use by preschoolers and kindergartners.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn arithmetic basics, such as numbers and patterns, as well as a few more advanced concepts, such as fractions. Players assist Dora and her family in putting together a series of recipes -- a plot that accentuates cooperation, respect, and helpfulness. Every cooking step involves a game intended to challenge young children mathematically. All directions are spoken aloud, so reading isn't required -- but good listening is. Dora’s Cooking Club nicely blends math lessons into colorful cooking games.
Subjects
- Arts
- Hobbiescooking
- Language & Readingfollowing directions
- Mathcounting, fractions, patterns
- Science
- Social Studies
Skills
- Collaboration
- Communicationlistening
- Creativity
- Emotional Development
- Health & Fitness
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Self-Direction
- Tech Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning
What's it about?
Dora's Cooking Club lets kids join the young Nick Jr star as she assists the various adults in her life in preparing and cooking delicious dishes for a big village feast. In Cooking Mama style, kids have to chop veggies, stir soups, top pizzas, and so on. In between those more straightforward cooking tasks, there are others, all involving food, that test kids on their early math skills. They may be sorting cookies into numbered groups or measuring out different amounts of ingredients.
Is it any good?
If Dora's Cooking Club was simply a kitchen sim, it would still be a good one -- colorful and fun with great, easy controls for very young kids to handle with ease. But it's more than that -- it's also a math game. And that added value raises it from good game to great. The number challenges are woven right into the recipes, letting kids move from cooking to math seamlessly. It's a very appealing game that will draw kids in with its colorful, positive vibe (and licensed characters, of course), and will keep them interested and having fun as they practice their arithmetic.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about cooking together for real. How can spending time in the kitchen help bring a family together? Why is cooking a good skill to learn?
Families can also discuss the importance of math. Why do kids need to learn math? When and how do we use math in everyday life?
What kids can learn
Kids can learn arithmetic basics, such as numbers and patterns, as well as a few more advanced concepts, such as fractions. Players assist Dora and her family in putting together a series of recipes -- a plot that accentuates cooperation, respect, and helpfulness. Every cooking step involves a game intended to challenge young children mathematically. All directions are spoken aloud, so reading isn't required -- but good listening is. Dora’s Cooking Club nicely blends math lessons into colorful cooking games.
Subjects
- Arts:
- Hobbies: cooking
- Language & Reading: following directions
- Math: counting, fractions, patterns
- Science:
- Social Studies:
Skills
- Collaboration:
- Communication: listening
- Creativity:
- Emotional Development:
- Health & Fitness:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Self-Direction:
- Tech Skills:
- Thinking & Reasoning:
How kids will learn
When lining up ingredients for a recipe, kids may need to organize them into color- or size-based patterns. They then count out a certain number of veggies or slice a pizza into fourths or sixths. Careful listening is key since Dora gives clear instructions on what they should do with the touchscreen controls to help her prepare dishes. To kids, the game won’t feel like schoolwork, yet the lessons are solid and have application in daily life.
How parents can help
- Let kids help you cook. Allow them to gather and measure out ingredients.
- Watch the Dora the Explorer TV show with your kids; ask them about what they learned.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Granny reader on Dora
OH MY! I absolutley LOVE this game! I gave it to my 4 year old grandson (he is adopted) and is african american. He loves this game, and so do I. It shows great amounts of diversity! I snuck in some time on my couch and played this game. It was most delightful indeed! I recommend this book to all boys and girls of all colors and ages!
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| Platforms: | Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Preschool |
| Developer: | 2K Play |
| Release date: | October 27, 2010 |
| Price: | $29.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E for (No Descriptors) |
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