Reader Rabbit Kindergarten (Wii)

Reader Rabbit Kindergarten can definitely be lauded for the wonderful educational content of its mini-games, but what's even more pleasantly surprising is how fun and engaging its story is. There are plenty of jokes and a number of catchy songs, and the whole game -- both the cinematic story sequences and the playable parts -- look like old-school cartoon animation. It can give little kids a feeling more like they're interacting with a TV show than playing a video game.

The multiple difficulty levels are great for allowing kids to grow with the game, and when a child is doing well the game will ramp up the challenge on its own. However, very young players, especially preschoolers and even many in the target kindergarten audience, may have difficulty with the controls (as they may with almost any Wii game that involves pointing the remote, as opposed to, say, shaking it). The point-and-click control method is great for younger kids on a touchscreen (as it is in the DS version of this very game), but aiming across space at a moving target requires an entirely different level of dexterity and understanding. Be prepared to assist little ones when necessary.