Children learn in many different ways: they learn through observation, listening, testing cause and effect, interacting with others, exploring their curiosities, and playing. Kids are like sponges, they absorb so much information on a daily basis and through this they learn about themselves, others, and the world. Don’t you miss the days when learning was that easy?
Learning is fun for kids, probably because they do not realize they are actually learning. But they enjoy making new discoveries, testing out a different toy, and interacting with others—and these are all things that help them learn and grow. Even playing a game of UNO helps them learn. It allows them to understand directions, matching, and how to follow the rules. In fact, games are a great way to teach kids.
There are many games that can help your children learn different lessons, everything from taking turns to spelling words. There are many reasons why board and card games are beneficial to children, and why you should spend time throughout the week playing these games with them—you may even find you have fun doing it!
At Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center, we understand that children learn in many different ways and we encourage them to do so. With individual work time, group work, outdoor play, and more, your children will be able to learn through different methods. They will have time to explore and follow their curiosities and passions. They will have time to work in groups, learning how to cooperate with others. And they will be able to spend time outside exploring the world around them and playing.
These are all things that can help children learn, grow, and develop. All of these things may not teach children how to do math problems or how to write a sentence, but they do teach children important developmental lessons that they will carry with them throughout their entire lives.
You can help your children develop and learn as well, by interacting, playing games, and having fun. There are so many games out there, and while some may not seem educational, they can all help your kiddos learn and develop. In this blog, we are going to go over some of the benefits games offer children and the best games to play with them. Read on to learn more and plan your next family game night!
Scrabble Junior
Scrabble is a fun game and the junior version is perfect for younger kids. This is a great game for those learning to spell and working on expanding their vocabulary. This game is perfect for kiddos five years and up, teaching how to spell, how letters are in many different words, and how to use different letters to make new words. We all love scrabble and getting them started young can be the start of an annual family competition. Have you ever played an intense game of Scrabble? It’s a hoot.
Matching Games
Matching games are also fun for children. It is a challenging trying to remember where matches are. Plus, they make a ton of different matching games with letters, numbers, shapes, and colors, allowing your children to get more practice in these areas. This game will also work their memory and help them focus more on what they are doing.
UNO
UNO is a fun game and also comes in a junior edition, helping younger children understand it better. This game will teach them similar things to the matching game but takes it up a notch. They will be able to match numbers and colors, change the game with reverse cards, draw four cards, and more. This will teach them how to focus on the game and pay attention so they they know what is going on. As they get older, they will also be able to figure out strategy behind the game and figure out how to win. This is a fun game for the whole family and will help your children develop critical thinking skills.
The Game of Life
The Game of Life Junior is fun and exciting for kids. They can learn the ins and outs of “life” and have fun making choice during the game. They can go on adventures, make game changing decisions, and race to the finish line. This game helps children make decisions quickly, helping to develop their decision-making skills.
There are many different games out there that can help your children learn different skills. Even games like Trouble, Connect 4, Go Fish, and other classics can be beneficial. But what are the benefits of playing games with your children? We will take a look at those now!
Benefits of Playing Games
Number and Letter Skills
Many games involve numbers in some way, whether it is matching numbers, rolling a die to see how far to move your piece, or counting the number of cards you draw. Games like these, such as The Game of Life, UNO, and Trouble, can help children to better develop their understanding of numbers. Once children begin to recognize and understand numbers, their skills will continue to develop and they will be able to participate in more games that involve counting, subtracting, and keeping score. Playing board and card games with your children can help make learning more fun and help them get a different understanding of numbers.
Children will also be exposed to letters and words while playing games. Matching games are a great way to get kids to better distinguish letters from one another. Once they master this skill and begin developing the ability to create words and read, they will be able to play other games and work on these skills even more.
Memory Skills
A child’s working memory is used to help them learn and follow directions. Working with your child to improve their working memory can allow them to hold on to information and have the ability to use it better. This working memory, which according to an article from Understood was once used interchangeably with short-term memory, helps children have the ability to follow directions that involve many steps and work out problems in their heads.
There are many ways to help improve your child’s working memory, and games are one of them. Matching games, card games, and many others can help. Games can improve working memory because your kiddo is forced to keep the rules of the game in mind while remember whose turn it is, who has what cards, and plan a strategy to win. Playing these types of games with your children can help develop and improve their working memory which will help make others things, like school and multitasking, easier for them.
Following Rules
For some children, especially at a young age, following rules may be difficult. Kids want to play by their own rules, and not take turns with others or allow them to win. Playing games with your kiddos at a young age can make them better at following rules and help them to understand why these rules are important. They will have to take turns, play fair, and understand that they won’t win every time. Following rules is important to keeping the games fun for everyone and learning this at a young age can help your children be better at following rules as they grow older. Don’t let your children cheat and talk to them about why rules are important when they try making rules of their own.
Social Skills
When your children are forced to follow rules, take turns, and play well with others, they will develop and grow their social skills. These games will help them understand why it is important to take turns, why everyone needs to play fair, and that not everyone can win. Playing games with other children can help your child with many different social skills, including verbally communicating, taking turns, waiting, and enjoying these social interactions. They will learn that a friendly competition can be fun and challenging. This is also a good opportunity to teach them not to be sore losers. Everyone wants to win and when they realize that and understand they you must still follow rules, they will be better able to play well with other children and not throw a fit if they do lose.
Decision Making Skills
While playing games with your chil
dren, they will be forced to make tough decisions and stick with their decisions. Decision-making is something we do every day and helping your children learn these skills early on can help them become better at making decisions. You also need to teach your children to be okay with their decision; let them know that not everyone decision they make will turn out as expected but they can’t change it, and tell them to think more about their decision next time. The sooner your children learn this, they will be able to make decision and be okay with the outcome, which will help them while playing games and throughout their lives.
Bonding
Not only will your children learn a lot from playing board and card games, but they will also build bonds. When you play these games with your child, you will be building a better bond with them and making memories. They will enjoy the time spent together and look forward to the next time you play games with them. They will also build better bonds with their siblings, friends, and other family members.
There are many different things your children will learn from playing games, from numbers and letters to being a good sport, they will develop many different skills that will help them grow. Playing board and card games with your kiddos is not only fun, but it can help the two of you bond while teaching them many different important lessons. As they grow older, they will be able to play tougher games that help develop their critical thinking skills and make them think in different ways. But the simple games are a great place to start!
At Yellow Brick Road, we know how these types of games and play can help your children learn and develop. Enroll your child in our center today and pick up a few games for family game night! Contact us at one of our three locations with any questions you may have.