Hi there. In this education, I share my short thoughts on educational games.
A Blend Of Fun & Learning
Kids from ages 13 and under in general don't like boring stuff. If you want kids to learn something that is helpful for them in the long term, making it fun gets the kids interested. When learning and game elements are mixed together then kids tend to be more engaged.
Game design has to be in a way that it does feel like learning. It would feel more like a game. Some good games for kids include:
- Playing Cards
- Monopoly
- Blokus
- Uno Card Game
- Prime Climb
- Pokemon Trading Card Game (I guess)
Notable Game Websites
There are some good educational game websites out there that have games that combine learning and entertainment. ABCya has games covering math, reading, typing and logic.
One of my favourites is Arcademics. They have multiplayer style games that help build skills in Grades 1 to 6 mathematics, spelling, typing and geography.
Keeping The Brain Active
Games that involve thinking, strategy and logic do keep the brain active. An active brain helps with everyday tasks such as typing, writing, texting, communication, navigation from point A to point B, grocery shopping, cooking and personal finance.
Different games will involve different skills. A game like Monopoly combines randomness with money management. The Uno Card game has elements of game theory where players may work together to stop someone from winning. A deck of playing cards helps with card counting and probabilities. Trading card games such as Pokemon helps build decision making skills, logic, sequencing and making decisions with limited information.
