In an age in which kids are bombarded with video games, television and 3-D movies, it is reassuring to know there are available games that address the educational needs of youngsters. Children can harness their creative and convergent thinking skills through clubs, online games and classic board games.
Several board games are timeless and were played by adults one generation ago. Now classic games like Scrabble, Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle and Pictionary have been redeveloped as children’s games. These games help to develop analytical thinking, math skills, vocabulary, spelling and other abilities.
Kids from age six to twelve will enjoy downloaded games such as “Clever Kids: Dino Land” (See Reference 1) featuring ever-popular dinosaur characters. Prehistoric giants and smaller dinosaur species come to life in a colorful and comedic game that encourages “logical reasoning, memory function, dexterity and increased attention span.”
The same “Clever Kids” team also produces “Creepy Crawlies." (See Reference 2) This game teaches youngsters about a wide variety of insect life. In essence, children become virtual entomologists. They learn how to identify all sorts of different insects and arachnids. They learn how flies taste with their feet, how water beetles catch their prey, and how giant centipedes catch bats in mid-air. There are also “Clever Kids” educational games for portable platform systems like Nintendo DS. Other titles include Pirates, Pony World and Pet Store.
Companies such as CleverIsland.com (See References 3) bring children a fully interactive experience with online activities, printable items, crafts, coloring books and math and science texts. Harvard Ph.D. Laurence Miller developed this educational “fun” course. Studies conducted by Miller suggest that using such a supplementary fun course can help young children perform up to “28% better on standardized tests.” Over 250,000 families worldwide enjoy this course in seven different languages. This learning adventure teaches children reading, phonics, math skills, creative thinking, drawing, painting and general geography.
Some websites utilize Flash and Java technology to create online educational games, which include memory games, math games, jigsaw puzzles and mazes. The animation sequences allow children to stay entertained even while they learn basic skills. PlayKidsGames.com provides games for children ages pre-K through middle school that feature math, logic, memory, alphabet, spelling, computer skills, color identification, shape identification and vocabulary. SchoolTimeGames.com provides sports games and arcade games, but also emphasizes educational titles like Pharaoh’s Tomb, Time Trip, Jamestown, Titanic, Detective Word Search and Whiz Words. The site has the endorsement of educational organizations like Education World. (See References 4)
Elena Bodrova, Ph.D., says, “Today’s children don’t know how to play. Lots of research has shown that children spend less free time in make-believe, in social games.” (See Reference 5) Indeed, clever kids need quality stimuli and play time if they are to grow in knowledge, thinking ability and common sense. They must be taught in a way that is enjoyable and yet educationally sound. A well-rounded education will produce an intelligent and fast-learning individual who will be an asset to society.