Animal Jumble

How to play this game

Animal Jumble involves combining the two halves of animals to make an amazing, new creature. Children will have lots of fun experimenting with the different combinations, letting their imaginations run wild with their many weird and wonderful creations.

This game has two different modes, free play and directive.

Free play mode - open hand

On opening the game, there is a creature in the centre of the screen.

To change its appearance, children can click on the green arrows above and below the creature.

Clicking on the mixer button will scroll through the picture halves and randomly make a new animal combination.

Directive mode - wand hand

In this mode there is a picture of an animal in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

The aim is to try to make the same animal in the bigger picture by using the green arrows to scroll through the front and rear halves.

When children think that they have made the same animal, they can click on the green tick button. If they are correct, applause will sound and a new animal will appear.

To exit, click on the small hand on the red button in the lower right corner of the screen.

Related Learning Outcomes

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Outcome 4: Children are involved and confident learners

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

Developmental skills

Animal identification

Creativity

Part/whole concepts

Observation skills

Same and different identification

Decision-making

Using scroll arrows

Mouse control - single click

Teaching tips

In free play, click on the mixer button and ask children if they can name the two different animals used.

Children can use the green arrows to make whole animals of their choice, or make the funniest looking creature they can think of.

In group sessions use the new animal creations as a starting point for interesting questions such as�

• Can they think of a new name for the funny creature? eg: tigeroo.
• How would the new creature walk with its two halves?
• What sound would it make?
• What would it eat?
• Where would it live?

In directive mode, allow children to take their time to scroll through the animal halves and compare the pictures. Let them make the final decision as to when to click on the tick button. Encourage them to try a different combination if the pictures are not quite the same.

Talk to children about animals and their environments. Here are some suggested discussion topics.

• Where and how do they live? Do they live in the ocean, or perched high up on mountain peaks? Is it in a cold or hot part of the earth?
• What foods do they eat? Where do they find food? Do they need a lot of food to survive? Do they use tools to obtain those foods?
• Different animals have many different outer coverings. Talk about animals with feathers, scales and fur. Name some different animals and the coverings that they have. How does their covering help those animals to live?
• Some animals use camouflage to help them survive in their environments. This means that they easily blend in with their environment and therefore increase their chance of survival.
• Some animals are brightly coloured. This may be used as a message to other animals, such as a warning to other animals or to increase their chances of finding a mate.
• As humans we use some animals to help us live. Name some animals that provide food for us. How else are animals involved in our lives? Eg transportation, work, companionship, entertainment.