Sometimes it can be difficult to get kids to do homework, or anything educational. Instead of reading, they play videogames. They avoid the Discovery channel, the History channel, and instead watch less educational television shows. It is difficult to get them to engage in worthwhile learning activities during their out of school hours. Luckily, there are resources parents can turn to for fun, educational games. Turning learning into a game makes it easier to involve children and when they are having fun and paying attention, they will learn more efficiently. Educational games can be found online, in stores and at school, if parents just know where to look
Online Games
Kids are online for many hours a day, and most of that time online is spent frivolously, playing games or socializing. Some of this online time could be spent learning. Luckily, there are many educational online games available for kids to play. Many websites have flash games for kids that incorporate an educational aspect, though some teach kids more than others.
The Nobel Prize website hosts some very unique and interesting games for kids to play (and learn). Other online sites with educational games for kids include PBS.com and teaching resource websites, like Funbrain.com. It is important to actually look at the online sites where you child participates in games to make sure that they are actually educational. Many online games might seem to teach children important learning concepts, but not all of them do.
Board Games
Board games can be educational as well, though sometimes the things they teach kids are not as obvious as online math games. Board games like Monopoly teach kids math concepts by getting them to add and subtract the game’s money. It teaches kids numbers using game money and the game’s dice, which players need to be able to add up in order to take their turn. Other board games help teach children their numbers as well, like Yahtzee, where players must add up dice totals, and Sorry!, where players must count to discover where they can move their game piece.
Educational Games At School
The purpose of school is to provide an environment where kids can learn and grow, and schools sometimes achieve this atmosphere by allowing kids to play educational games in the classroom, thereby combining learning and fun. A classic educational game is “The Oregon Trail,” a game that teaches children about history while also allowing them to have adventures traveling West as pioneers on the Oregon Trail. This game has been in classrooms for over a decade and is still a favorite with kids.