GAME ON WITH THESE SMART PICKS FOR KIDS!
Author: David Fonda - May 28, 2020
Games, especially board games, have always been synonymous with families getting together to share a ton of laughs and hours of fun. But like most things today, that too is changing. Increasingly, savvy educators, trainers and parents alike are using games as powerful teaching tools. That’s because repeated studies show that games, by their immersive nature and inherent fun, actually make it easier for children of all ages to acquire, integrate and then apply their newfound knowledge and skills into their daily routines.
One study, conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showed that 19-year-old students who used Game-Based Learning (GBL) versus traditional instruction methods were 20% more self-confident, retained 11% more conceptual knowledge and up to 90% more of what they’d learned. They also completed 300% more tasks using what they’d learned and were more likely to find new solutions and think “outside of the box.”
So, why isn’t everyone using games more extensively both in and outside of school? Good question.
We asked renowned education specialist Anick Pelletier and her team at Clinique Optineurones to help us find the answer. Pelletier tells us, “the key to Game Based Learning is to first determine your objectives. Once you have an idea of those objectives, the challenge is to choose a game that’s appropriate to both your child’s age level and their abilities or skill set. If the game is too easy, they’ll soon become bored and annoyed. Conversely, choosing a game that’s too difficult or challenging will likely end in frustration, anger and tears.” (Theirs and yours.)
“Also,” adds Anick, “it’s important that you never lose sight of that goal or objective while playing a ‘learning’ game with your children. You’re playing to have fun and, ideally, learn something new together.” (Which isn’t just a win, it’s a win-win. —Ed)
Today, with so many different games and types of games to choose from, picking the ones that meet your goals and the needs of your children is no small undertaking. To help break down the task, we’ve partnered with Pelletier and her team to test and evaluate some of the best games for both cognitive and emotional learning. Anick, being Anick, with her dedication to helping kids learn in the ways that work best for them, went one better and, after extensive testing, told us what some of the most appropriate family games and games for kids teach, whom they’re intended for, and why they work.
The result is the Optijeu Select series. Each game in the series has been rigorously tested and carefully selected for its high educational potential. Read on.
One study, conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showed that 19-year-old students who used Game-Based Learning (GBL) versus traditional instruction methods were 20% more self-confident, retained 11% more conceptual knowledge and up to 90% more of what they’d learned. They also completed 300% more tasks using what they’d learned and were more likely to find new solutions and think “outside of the box.”
So, why isn’t everyone using games more extensively both in and outside of school? Good question.
We asked renowned education specialist Anick Pelletier and her team at Clinique Optineurones to help us find the answer. Pelletier tells us, “the key to Game Based Learning is to first determine your objectives. Once you have an idea of those objectives, the challenge is to choose a game that’s appropriate to both your child’s age level and their abilities or skill set. If the game is too easy, they’ll soon become bored and annoyed. Conversely, choosing a game that’s too difficult or challenging will likely end in frustration, anger and tears.” (Theirs and yours.)
“Also,” adds Anick, “it’s important that you never lose sight of that goal or objective while playing a ‘learning’ game with your children. You’re playing to have fun and, ideally, learn something new together.” (Which isn’t just a win, it’s a win-win. —Ed)
Today, with so many different games and types of games to choose from, picking the ones that meet your goals and the needs of your children is no small undertaking. To help break down the task, we’ve partnered with Pelletier and her team to test and evaluate some of the best games for both cognitive and emotional learning. Anick, being Anick, with her dedication to helping kids learn in the ways that work best for them, went one better and, after extensive testing, told us what some of the most appropriate family games and games for kids teach, whom they’re intended for, and why they work.
The result is the Optijeu Select series. Each game in the series has been rigorously tested and carefully selected for its high educational potential. Read on.
