Finding age-appropriate DS and Wii games isn’t always easy as the selection is less than extensive. While “E” for everyone is technically appropriate, we purchase mainly “EC” for Early Childhood (for our 4 and 5 year old) which tends to be more educational and attainable for our target age group. Sesame Street characters have proved the most trustworthy of this category, and I don’t hesitate to try out each new title that hits the market. ALl new “Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Masterpiece” is no exception.
Here’s a sample of the new game on DS:
Sesame Street” Elmo’s Musical Masterpiece retails for $19.99 and is available for DS, Wii and Nintendo DS. As you can see from the above clip, my four year old son is obsessed with catching falling instruments. Exploring music in various forms and even touching on the more academic side of music, both the Wii and DS games are age-appropriate and educational–my two prerequisites for gaming at this age.
As a teacher, I’ve often asked about limiting gaming and hoe much time we allow. The choice is individual for each family, but we actually utilize technology as a part of learning time. This is the main reason we focus on EC ratings and limit non-educational apps on the iPad, for instance. While a few minutes of Where’s My Water is fine, if kids are going to be connected personally I like there to be a value to it, especially at this young age. Sesame Street knows how to make entertainment and education not mutually exclusive which is one reason they’re easy to advocate!
Cool Tip
You can purchase both games on the Sesame Street Store.
That is a great way to make your children learn and for them to enjoy it too. It is very important that kids like what they’re doing, or else they won’t be able to learn a thing.