Little Bright Box: Using Interactive Games as a Tool to Boost Literacy Skills in Early Childhood

Early childhood literacy is crucial for sustained academic achievement, however, educators still encounter difficulties in fostering these skills in early learners. Previous studies highlighted the significance of early literacy, but there remains room for further discovery and learning. This study explored how interactive games can support literacy development in early childhood, especially given the limited research on their long-term impact. To address this, the researchers created the Little Bright Box, a tool aimed at improving letter recognition, writing, and basic reading skills. Using a mixed methods approach with an exploratory sequential design, qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and interviews with kindergarten teachers and pre-service teachers; meanwhile the researchers conducted quantitative evaluations using rating sheets and surveys. The findings revealed that students exhibited greater engagement, motivation, and improvement in literacy skills when exposed to Little Bright Box interactive games compared to traditional methods of teaching and learning. The study underscores that interactive games like the Little Bright Box can be valuable tools in early literacy instruction. It highlights the importance of integrating such methods into early education and encourages continued research on the development of similar educational games.