Friday, November 20, 2009

CC gets a taste of reading, Konami-style

Last week, CC and I headed over to Konami's HQ in El Segundo to check out what kinds of video games they had on offer for kids.


It was a fun outing and a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at a prominent game developer.


CC's still young -- almost 3 -- and hasn't wrapped her mind completely around games that come with accessories such as a dance pad and an external controller ... that is, unless it's a microphone. She definitely knows what that is.


Most of the games were too advanced for CC's age right now, but she really enjoyed a game called "Storybook Workshop" (below). I was a fan, too.


The game, which hits stores Dec. 1, tells stories such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "The Ugly Duckling" and "Be Kind to the Earth."


The great thing is that kids have a microphone and can read along with the story. The even greater thing? You can choose which voice you want. CC loved that one. She was a fan of saying her name into the mic in robot voice and gnome voice. It was pretty funny -- for everyone.


But parents can record stories in their own voices and play them back for children at a later date. Also, the words appear on screen, which fosters reading practice. There are also games associated with literacy and games just for fun.


I'm still exploring this video world for CC and getting an idea of what's out there for kids that can also be educational. So I'll keep an eye on "Storybook Workshop."


Anything that has my daughter learning to read while saying adorable things in a robot voice, for me, is definitely something to consider.

2 comments:

  1. Over here, we have lots of different reading programmes from Japan, China and Hong Kong for children. When daughter was 6, she started mental maths for fun and it turned out to be a blessing. Maths is her favourite subject now cos it's become so easy to add and minus mentally. It has helped her in all her other subjects in school. Hope you find something suitable

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  2. Thanks so much! So do I! Definitely love educational programs for kids.

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