Traditionally, games were considered a means of entertainment. However, with the advancement in technology, educational games are having a positive impact on children’s learning and development. It is a common sight these days to see a smartphone in a toddler’s hand. Gen Alpha is showing all the visible signs of becoming the most tech-savvy generation of all time.
Statistics indicate that when using game-based learning, 93% of the time is spent on class tasks. Also, research has shown that incorporating gamified elements into learning boosts assessment scores by 14%. Students also show a 9% higher retention level with educational games.
What is game-based learning?
- The traditional teaching and learning methods followed in schools are slowly giving way to game-based learning.
- Adopting educational games in the classroom is an effective way to modernize teaching.
- Game-based learning is a method of incorporating educational games into the classroom with the purpose of motivating students and encouraging them to learn things in a fun and different way.
- Diversification is the need of the hour in the classroom, and this is exactly what educational games for students are meant to do.
- Keeping children motivated to learn in the classroom is one of the main challenges that most teachers face. Educational games are a perfect solution to overcome this challenge.
The benefits of educational games for children
This is how children can benefit from game-based learning, which is an engaging and interactive mode of education.
Motivates students
- Educational games are naturally motivating, engaging, and inspiring.
- Game-based learning creates an atmosphere of healthy competition amongst students.
- The thought of playing educational games, learning the skills to play them, and winning the game is fun and motivating for learners of any age group.
- When implementing game-based learning in the classroom, teachers must ensure that the games are age-appropriate and in line with the content that matters to the students of a particular age group.
Prepares students for the real life
- Educational games help children to understand the world around them.
- When engaged in a gaming environment, children can learn life skills and problem-solving skills.
- The skills learned from role-plays and imagined situations and scenarios can be applied to real-world events.
- From an early age, children understand the difference between real-world situations and pretend-play scenarios.
- Educational games also help to improve the attention span of children while they learn to control their emotions and impulses.
It increases the memory of children.
- Many educational games involve the use of memorization.
- Memory-based games do not mean that children have to remember certain aspects of the game.
- In many games, children have to memorize and recollect the sequences and patterns.
- Game-based learning is just perfect for those kids who tend to forget the lessons they learned in school.
- Games are an effective educational tool for remodeling the brains of children and improving the neural connections, thus improving the working memory of students.
Fosters creativity
- As we know, imagination is limitless.
- Educational games help children unleash their creativity and imagination while solving problems.
- Children who engage in divergent games and activities such as block games that involve multiple solutions show improved creativity while solving problems.
- Many games allow children to use their creativity to create different art forms and also reward them for it.
- Educational games are an exciting way to spark creative thinking in children.
It improves hand-eye coordination.
- Hand-eye coordination refers to the simultaneous use of hands and eyes when playing a game or performing an activity.
- When playing digital games, children use their hands to operate a mouse, keyboard, gamepad, or smartphone screen. At the same time, they are interpreting virtual data using their eyes.
- Digital educational games for students not only help them understand how devices and gadgets work, but also hone their hand-eye coordination from a young age.
It encourages teamwork.
- When playing a game, it is best that children play it together both inside and outside the classroom.
- Playing educational games in a group promotes unity and teamwork.
- It inculcates the feeling that when playing a game together, it is the team (everyone) who wins or loses.
- When playing educational games in groups, children work together towards a common goal of winning the game.
- Involving themselves with games in the education sector teaches young minds about sportsmanship, team spirit, cooperation, respecting the opponent, accepting defeat, hard work, and coordination.
Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Most educational games require kids to think quickly.
- In order to complete different levels in a game, they have to use logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Developing logical reasoning and the ability to act quickly and out-of-the-box are some of the important life skills that children learn with educational games.
Boost self-esteem
- Kids with attention problems and learning differences have low self-esteem.
- Many fun educational games and activities boost the self-esteem and confidence of kids.
- Mastering a game requires a lot of effort, which is confidence-boosting.
- When children make the right choices in games, it makes them feel good and increases their self-confidence.
Different types of educational games
When it comes to game-based learning, there are several categories. These include:
Coding
With technological advancement, coding is the future of learning. Various coding games help children to go beyond the traditional structure of learning and create their own processes and structures, which nurture logic, creativity, and critical thinking.
Example:
- CodeMonkey
- Scratch
- Connect the Dots
Math
Math games help children learn problem-solving by making math learning easy, enjoyable, and interactive. It also improves the mind-body connection and encourages critical thinking.
Examples:
- Prodigy math
- Buzzmath
- Guess my number
Writing
When children learn to write through games, it makes tasks such as learning spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and dictation easier and more fun. Rather than getting overwhelmed by these, kids master them with games.
Examples:
- Making a Grocery List
- Speech Bubbles
- Yarn Letters
Reading
Reading games help children to overcome their fear of spelling, sentence construction, and grammar. Through reading activities, children imagine the characters and worlds that they see in games.
Examples:
- Treasure Hunt
- Young Scrabble
- Guess the word
Fitness and health
Introducing health and fitness educational games for students makes them aware of the body and keeps them fit and active from a young age.
Examples:
- Hopscotch
- Obstacle course
- Freeze Dance
Games are a crucial and impactful educational tool that engages children in the world of education. There are several positive effects of game-based learning on the mental and physical growth of children. Educational games are more like best friends to kids. With game-based learning, teachers can motivate children to enjoy learning while having fun in the classroom.