Preschool Driving Games
Conventional thinking holds that parents should discourage video gaming, especially in young children. Findings from a University of Wisconsin Professor of Learning, James Gee, contradicts this. He found that playing video games enhances cognitive skills. It also teaches patience, critical thinking and concentration. Playing video games actually teaches players how to think. Your preschooler will benefit from moderate video game playing. Online driving games are some of the most popular and easiest to master.
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Go-Go Go-Karts
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Go-Go Go-Karts is a Kaboose (kaboose.com) game kids can play online. It emphasizes addition and subtraction skills. The game allows for one or two players, and children can set the level of difficulty to easy, medium or hard by clicking the mouse. Each turn, the child selects one of the three number blocks that appears at the top of the game screen. The numbers are randomly generated and are 1 to 6. The player's car moves the number of spaces the child selects. Some spaces on the board have numbers that advance the player farther, while others are ramps that can send her back. The goal is to be the first racer across the finish line.
Driving Kids
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Driving Kids is a massively multiplayer online game created by Albymedia (albymedia.com) to offer preschoolers and young school-age children a safe and educational experience. Massively multiplayer online games are Internet-based and have thousands of players, usually based in the same "world," with different tasks and activities from which to choose for individual players. For example, World of Warcraft is an MMO. In Driving Kids, players can interact with each other, or play alone, as they drive around the various maps, like the Sea Port or the Market Route. Children have the choice of different vehicles, such as scooters, skateboards or cars. The game relies mostly on the mouse and offers visual clues to the options, so even children who aren't reading yet can play. The MMO does require registration, but there is no fee or limit on gaming time.
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Crazy Mustang
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Crazy Mustang is a free online game that uses the up, down, left and right arrow keys. Children would benefit from basic mouse skills to get the game started, but an adult could do that for the player. The child selects a monster truck and goes off-roading, using the left and right keys to maintain the balance of the truck as it drives over cars, hills and other rough terrain. Kids also need to consider which areas require speed and which need more cautious driving. The game emphasizes spatial relations and reasoning skills.
SpongeBob SquarePants: 3D Powerkart Grand Prix
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SpongeBob SquarePants: 3D Powerkart Grand Prix is a free game offered on Nickelodeon's website (nick.com). The game uses basic keyboard functions to race, including the arrow keys, space bar and "Z" key. There also are bonuses available as the player races, such as the goo bubble or speed boost. Children can choose from a preprogrammed route or try the track editor feature to make their own. They also will enjoy choosing their character and vehicle for play.
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