Evaluation on Educational Game: Cookie Monster's Alphabet Soup

In this post, I will be evaluating an educational game that can be found and accessed online for free. This particular game is made for all age groups, but I shall be focusing on children still in preschool, specifically those aged 4 to 6 (Kindergarten 1, Kindergarten 2).

Link to the game: Cookie Monster's Alphabet Soup; Once in the site, click on the "Alphabet Soup - Game" icon

About the game:
"Cookie Monster's Alphabet Soup" is a game where children can learn about phonics - the alphabet and the sounds made by the different letters. Unlike the previously evaluated game, this one does not have a score. Instead, it focuses only on teaching children phonics through its interactive game play.

Start of the game; Cookie Monster gives a brief introduction to the game.

Cookie Monster explains the game, telling the user what to expect next.

Ease of Use: 4/5
Cookie Monster will explain the game the moment it starts; as there are no subtitles, children have to listen closely to what he is saying. Although it can be troublesome to miss an instruction since there is no way to replay it without refreshing the game, it teaches the children to listen carefully, thus honing their listening skills. Then again, the verbal instructions given by Cookie Monster are simple and relatively easy to understand, even for a preschooler. The site loads relatively quickly and I did not encounter any interruptions due to technical or system errors. Thus, the website the game is based on is reliable. Exiting the game is also easy - there is an "X" at the top right of the game pop-up, showing the user back to the games page after exiting.

Cookie Monster prompts the user to select any one of the 3 letters to place in the middle of b and d.

Cookie Monster reads the word formed - in this case 'bad', and briefly explains it.

Ability Levels: 3/5
There is no way to modify the settings to make the game more or less difficult for different age groups or to suit individual competencies/needs. However, it does meet at a "halfway point" in the sense that it seems to cater to both Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 children, albeit more to the Kindergarten 1 who are starting to learn phonics. In fact, the game seem to focus more on the basics.

Cookie Monster prompts the user to select a second letter.

Technical Quality (Audio): 4/5
There is no music, but for a good reason - as listening is very important in this game, background music would only serve as a distraction. The voice of Cookie Monster is clear, and there is good articulation, especially when he is reciting the different words formed. This is to help children verbalize both the individual letter and the words formed by changing just one letter of a word - in the screenshot for example, B_D can become bad, bed and bud. There are distinct differences in sound in all three words, and the child has to learn that.

Cookie Monster reads the word formed again - this time the word 'bed'. A picture of a bed appears, helping children to connect the word to the object.

Technical Quality (Visual): 4/5
The graphics and animation are simple, but brings the point across effectively. For example, the picture of a bed when the word 'bed' is formed helps children to connect the word to the object. Furthermore, when Cookie Monster speaks, the mouth of his portrait at the side moves; this helps to grab the children's attention as opposed to a static portrait. Furthermore, the mouse pointer had been changed to a star, adding to the visual appeal of the game. The whole game is also rather colourful, but not distracting to the eye; it is quite obvious that the focus is still on the alphabet soup.

Overall Rating: 15/20
The game is a good, interactive way for children to be introduced to phonics. However, children who are already adept at phonics might find the game's pace to be too slow for them. Thus, I recommend this game only for those who are still trying to master the basics of phonics.