Duckie Deck is a site that I just discovered last year, and it has become one of my favorites for my youngest students!  I teach grades 1-5 in my computer lab.   Duckie Deck‘s website says that it’s great for preschoolers and toddlers (and it REALLY is), but I’ve found that there’s really something for kids up through 1st grade and maybe even a bit older.

At the time of posting, Duckie Deck has a home screen with 160 different games for young children!  Depending on the age of your students or children, some may seem too babyish, and others may be slightly challenging.  As a teacher, I have found three TREMEMDOUS benefits to using this site with the littlest ones:

  1. No reading required…for any of the games.  This site could be used by children whose primary language is not English.  Great for ESL classes and special needs classes.
  2. No keyboarding!  This site is EXCELLENT for practicing mouse skills (or touchpad skills on a laptop!)  This means that it’s perfect for kids without letter identification skills, physical disabilities, and even visual challenges.
  3. Super-simple navigation:  When a child is done with a game, he/she simply clicks on the logo “Duckie Deck” in the upper left-hand corner of their screen, and it returns them to that home menu of games!

Here’s an excerpt from their site:  At Duckie Deck we create smiles. Over eight million toddlers and preschoolers have played our preschool games and smiled. We cover important topics, from brushing teeth to sharing with others – things that are essential for a healthy and well-rounded young mind. Come smile with us!

Note:  As a tech teacher, I have decided to begin the year showing Duckie Deck to my 1st graders, kids in Transitional 1st, and youngest self-contained special needs students.  It’s a great way to start the year in regard to computer skills!  After I demonstrate how easy it is to navigate the site, the students have a fantastic time choosing their own activities.  While they do that, I’m able to observe each student’s ability to use a mouse, make sure headphones fit, review basic computer use rules as needed, and teach a bit of problem-solving (maximize screen, adjust volume, reopen site if it accidentally closes.)