How Educational Games Make Learning Fun for Kids Article

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How Educational Games Make Learning Fun for Kids

Aug 8, 2016 | 1 Votes

by shilpa 9 rate Your vote Many social researches have pointed out that well designed educational games have a better effect on learning than the traditional method of memorizing textbook facts. Here's how educational games can make learning fun for kids. Games Educate Kids - How Educational Games Make Learning Fun for Kids

Games Educate Kids - How Educational Games Make Learning Fun for Kids

Everybody loves games, especially video games. However, most parents frown at the thought of exposing their children to video game “violence”. Yes it’s true, a larger part of the video gaming industry takes into account the feeling of fun from hurting others, including Mario.

While that might feel cartoon-like, it is fine for ethically and morally strong people. However when it comes to exposing innocent kids to the idea of “fun through hurting others”, their ethical compass might take a turn for the worse, and that would be visible in the near future. Having said that, the sprouting years for little children should be encircled with educational games: games that rely on fun and interactive activities to teach.

While educational games might seem fairly simple due to a simple interface, it is actually quite complex, and you might pat your kid on the back if he successfully grips it in the first couple of tries. Many social researches have pointed out that well designed educational games have a better effect on the learning of kids than boring school lectures. So how does educational video games actually help children?

#1 Games break down a bigger problem into smaller, and less complex problem

This allows a child can move from one problem to the next with a steadily increasing difficulty. If they failed to solve a problem, they are required to repeat that problem (or complete similar problems) until they managed to get it right. Some games even provide tips for kids. Having a realistic approach to difficulty encourages kids to push themselves further in the games-augmented learning process.

#2 Games are more interactive than textbooks and are less of a hassle than hand-on activities

Due to the games' interactivity, they will be able to grab hold of your child's attention for longer periods of time. This is particularly helpful for kids who have ADHD-like symptoms. Moreover, games give off instant feedback to the kids, allowing kids to immediately feel gratified if they did well, or if they didn't do well, they will be encouraged to try again.

#3 Some kids do well in certain aspects but not so much on others

Educational games continuously monitor inputs and adjust accordingly to the playing and thinking style of the child. Some children are weak in taking decisions. Others may be weak in adding numbers. A complete game helps kids to develop their skills equally in all the fields.

#4 Educational games rely on experimenting

It enables to child to think on its feet and experiment with the given instance of the game. Meaning, it gives the child freedom to do whatever he wants in order to solve a problem and monitors his moves. Creating a hypotheses for successfully completing a task requires instant intelligence, and games can help children develop this as well.

These are the basic qualities of a well made educational game. However, it is recommended to be wary of poorly designed games that doesn’t give the child enough chances to think. For example, in a mathematics based game, players were asked to shoot down numbers that are multiple of each other. While kids were shooting down 5 and 6 that produces 30, once 30 was picked up, it restrained the kids from shooting 3 and 10 to produce 30. This is a one track minded game and is not helpful to kids. Games should motivate kids to explore other possibilities as well. Such poorly designed games are the results of a lazy development team who haven’t thought it trough before making the game.

What are some of the educational games we recommend?

There are hundreds of free to play, educational games on the market for kids right now, and among them, we list the best:

• Scribblenauts: This is a word based adventure game which lets kids flex their brain and deduce newer possibilities through problem solving, logic and language.

• CivilizationEDU: This is a game that involves strategy and tests kids on their ability to form strategical decisions and take diplomatic directions to increase the civilization.

• MinecraftEDU: This is a game that allows children to unleash their creativity while solving puzzles or problems created by their educators at the same time.

• Magic School Bus: This game takes kids to a virtual science tour on a magic school bus. Children can learn through various science experiments while learning new facts about the world and the tour spots.

• Professor Layton series: This is a puzzle and math based game which tests kids on their mathematical ability to help Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke Triton solve exciting mysteries.

• ItzaBitza: This game tests children on their reading and drawing skills. This game prompts the child to draw something which when drawn comes out alive and joins as one of the animated things. This animated object would be interacted upon by characters irrespective of what it looks like.

• Reader Rabbit: This is a legendary game which tests kids on their ability to form complex understanding of arts, science, mathematics and even finance! This game is available for different age groups and focuses on different challenges.

The market is teeming with lots of educational games for kids. The market trends would only increase as more kids are taking interests in these games. What’s more? In this age of Virtual Reality, going inside a world of challenges is easy.