A Short Hike helps kids practice and improve the following skills:

Planning: Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.

In order to complete the game and make it to the top of the mountain, Claire needs a lot of golden feathers to build up her stamina. The player needs to plan out how they are going to get these feathers, whether it is through purchasing them from or finding them laying around on the mountain. The player also needs to make a plan for how they are going to play the game; you can choose to help other hikers with their problems or try and make it through to the end on your own. Either way, having a plan will help the player from just wandering around the mountain with no idea of what to do next. 

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

There are several treasure chests and other items located in areas that Claire cannot reach at first. As the game progresses and she obtains more abilities she can go back and access those areas. The player needs to use their working memory to remember the location of all the treasure chests and objects that were previously inaccessible. If the player struggles with working memory, they may miss items because they forgot where they were located. Jotting down a note when you encounter an item might be a helpful way to remember to go back to a location when Claire acquires more abilities.