Little Alchemy 2 helps kids practice and improve the following skills:

Flexibility: Trying new things. 

In order to successfully create new elements, the player must be willing to think outside of the box and try new combinations of elements. For players who struggle with flexibility, games like Little Alchemy 2 can be helpful because there is no penalty for guessing wrong. If two elements do not combine, they can simply be cleaned off the board and the player can try again. Games like this give players the chance to be creative and approach combinations from a more creative and open-minded perspective. The game starts off with some basic elements that can be combined and continues to get more complicated as more elements are added. For players who need some practice with flexibility, combining these few basic elements at the beginning can give them a feel for how to approach the more challenging combinations later on. 

Working Memory: Recalling and retaining information in our minds while working. 

While there is an encyclopedia that players can look at to remember different element combinations, it can be cumbersome to go back and check the combinations for every single element you are using. This is where practice with working memory comes in handy. Players who struggle with holding information in their head while they are working can benefit from games like Little Alchemy 2 because they are a way to practice remembering different combinations while working on a specific task. Because there is no way to “lose” at this game, it can also create low-stakes practice and allow the player to commit these combinations to memory at a pace that is comfortable to them.