 | 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. |
Reader Rabbit Preschool
- Nintendo Wii
- Price: $29.99
- Genre: Educational
Common Sense Media says
Cute story and animation surround educational mini-games.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Reader Rabbit Preschool presents basic, early-learning lessons in a fun video game format. The lessons cover basic topics such as numbers, letters, colors, and shapes, and they are integrated into an animated story that is well suited to the age of the audience. While there are pirate villains in the story, there is nothing scary or violent in any of the imagery. While all instructions are spoken, allowing kids to ostensibly play by themselves, some younger children, especially preschoolers, may have difficulty being precise with the controller and may require help from an adult in that respect. Reducing the remote's sensitivity through the "Wii Options" menu may also help.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn a variety of basic early-learning concepts, including counting, letter sounds, colors, shapes, patterns, and even direction following. It’s all wonderful stuff for preschoolers to learn; however, the motion-based Wii controls can be particularly finicky for the youngest gamers. Reader Rabbit Preschool offers great math and reading games, even if controls are fussy.
Subjects
- Arts
- Hobbies
- Language & Readingletter or word recognition, spelling
- Mathcounting, patterns, shapes
- Science
- Social Studies
Skills
- Collaboration
- Communicationlistening
- Creativity
- Emotional Development
- Health & Fitness
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Self-Direction
- Tech Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning
What's it about?
In Reader Rabbit Preschool, Reader and his lion friend, Sam, witness the stars vanishing from the sky and fly to Sparkalot, the land where stars are born, to find out why. It turns out the mischievous "Pi-Rats" have crashed their ship into the top of Mount Brill, a volcano that's supposed to blast stars into the sky every night. Reader and Sam help out by collecting pieces of magical "brillite" that they can use to unclog Mount Brill and refill the sky with stars. To get each piece of brillite, preschoolers have to complete mini-games -- counting the number of spark people that load into a rocket, painting blank flowers according to the directions given, matching baby gloworms to their similar-but-larger parents, and more.
Is it any good?
Reader Rabbit Preschool has a great, fun, age-appropriate story, complete with humor and original songs. It's all presented in animation that cleanly matches the style of the graphics during gameplay, providing kids with a seamless experience while playing. The mini-games are all entertaining for young kids and the lessons in each are solid. It's especially nice that there are moments for pure creativity and self-expression, such as a section where kids get to choreograph a dance for Reader and Sam to perform, and a part where kids can paint flowers any way they choose.
However, the controls are a problem. Point-and-click controls are great for preschoolers on a touchscreen (as in the DS version of Reader Rabbit Kindergarten), but aiming a remote at a TV screen to do the same thing requires a level of dexterity and understanding that a lot of preschoolers simply don't have yet. Even if you reduce the Wii remote's sensitivity, you may find that very young kids still get frustrated trying to, say, color in the very tiny flower petals on the color-matching mini-game. To get the most out of the game's educational content, you could always turn it into a family event and play along with your children to assist them.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the skills learned within the game. Ask children how they think they can use these math and reading skills in real life.
Families can talk about how important it is to help others.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn a variety of basic early-learning concepts, including counting, letter sounds, colors, shapes, patterns, and even direction following. It’s all wonderful stuff for preschoolers to learn; however, the motion-based Wii controls can be particularly finicky for the youngest gamers. Reader Rabbit Preschool offers great math and reading games, even if controls are fussy.
Subjects
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
- Language & Reading: letter or word recognition, spelling
- Math: counting, patterns, shapes
- Science:
- Social Studies:
Skills
- Collaboration:
- Communication: listening
- Creativity:
- Emotional Development:
- Health & Fitness:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Self-Direction:
- Tech Skills:
- Thinking & Reasoning:
How kids will learn
Kids go on an adventure with animated animal heroes and help with various tasks that each have an educational element. As players load colorful creatures into a rocket, for example, they're asked to count the embarking passengers. When shown an object, they’re asked to name the letter it starts with. When presented with blank white flowers, they’re called upon to color them according to spoken instructions. Listening to directions is an important part of Reader Rabbit Preschool.
How parents can help
- Play along with your kid; assist with the controls if needed. Adjusting the remote’s sensitivity through the Wii Options menu can help.
- Encourage kids to play with color-by-number art sets to reinforce some of the lessons here.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Educational |
| Developer: | Graffiti Entertainment |
| Release date: | May 17, 2011 |
| Price: | $29.99 |
| ESRB rating: | EC for no descriptors |
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