The Artful Escape helps kids practice and improve the following skills:

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

There are several instances in the game where the player will need to use music to progress with the story or communicate with an alien creature. The player does this by pressing buttons on the controller that correspond to the lights that appear on the screen. The player needs to use their working memory to look at the screen and press the correct buttons in the middle of the action. For players who struggle with working memory, the game gives unlimited chances so this is a perfect place to practice these skills without losing the game and needing to start over. 

Self-Awareness: Understanding our own actions, thoughts and feelings.

The player can also work on their self-awareness skills by putting themselves into the place of Francis as he makes his way through the game. Everyone wants Francis to make folk music just like his uncle but he wants to make his own decisions and live his own life. The player experiences Francis’s story but can also think about how they would react in this situation or even reflect on a time in their own life where they wanted to do something on their own that defied expectations.