Motivational games give children the opportunity to prove their proficiency in a subject, boosting their self-esteem. The possibility of winning will encourage children to learn to give them the upper hand in the competition. The games give teachers the satisfaction of seeing children motivated to learn on their own. For example, when playing a trivia game, a teacher encourages his students to rely on their accrued knowledge to answer questions in a healthily competitive manner.
As a teacher, your main motivation for playing is to see children striving to learn. Your students, though, won't see the acquisition of knowledge as a suitable reward for their efforts in some cases. A key point of motivation is providing reinforcement as the goal of the game. There are different types of reinforcement, but children might react more strongly to material reinforcement. Verbal reinforcement or reinforcement from within (the pride of knowing victory), are also strong motivators for children. Use your best judgment when determining how to reward your students for completing the game.
Coming up with a completely new game to help motivate your students is a challenge for busy educators. Teaching new rules to the children is also time-consuming. Streamline the process and make the game relatable to students by taking a well-known game and warping it to your purposes. For example, the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs recommends taking games such as "Heads Up, Seven Up" and encouraging students to answer academic questions to progress further in the game.
Motivational games have many benefits, but they also have downsides. Keep a close eye on your children and prepare yourself to settle conflicts that arise. Keep a healthy balance of self-congratulations and material gains in the game. Always giving material reinforcement will lead children to expect a reward anytime they complete a satisfactory task. Your games can lose appeal with your students if you make them too difficult, so carefully tailor the requirements of the game to the abilities of your students.