Here is help for you to choose the best educational games for your children.
If there is one thing kids love, it is playing board games. Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders, Scrabble, Ludo, among others, have helped keep generations and generations of kids busy and occupied during their spare time. These games have played a significant factor in bringing kids closer to family and friends. It has also helped indirectly teach a few life coping skills. Monopoly, for instance, would instill in your kids some level of financial maturity by teaching them how to make the right financial decisions. Games like Ludo and Scrabble will help guide them with essential planning and critical thinking skills necessary for survival.
In recent times, board games with the sole aim of serving specific educational purposes have been developed. It is becoming quite popular among educators, both homeschoolers and traditional classroom purposes.
This article will show you a few things that you need to consider before buying educational board games for your kid.
What you want to teach your kid
When going out to buy educational board games for your kid, the subject you want to help your kids learn should be put into thought. If you type ‘educational board games’ on the Amazon and click search, you will find a lot of different options. These many options may overwhelm you. However, the good news is that you can narrow it down. One of the not so many ways to narrow down your choices is to figure out what you want to teach your kids.
Math
If you want to choose an educational board game that improves the math skills of your child, you have to be sure of what aspect of mathematics you want your child to develop in. This is because several math board games help different aspects of mathematics. There math board games that help to count, math board games that help with fractions, math games that help with multiplication, among other things.
All you have to do is to figure out which aspect of mathematics your kid needs to improve in. It is that simple.
Reading
For board games that help with reading, the ones that focus on word recognition are the best. However, just like math board games, reading board games should be used to help improve the aspect of reading that your kid may be deficient in.
How easy it is to learn the board game
Imagine going to the store or shopping online for a great board game that your kid can play with during his spare time. After bringing it home, imagine how bad you will feel if you cant figure out how to play the game. The best educational board games for your child are the ones that are very easy to learn. If they do not get how to play the game, how are they supposed to be able to learn from it?
Keep the complex games stored up for now. Let them play with those in the future. Settle with board games that have a straightforward set of rules. The instructions should be clear and direct.
How easy it is to set up
Another essential factor that you need to consider when purchasing a board game for your kid is how easy it is to set up. If it takes more than a few minutes to set up, lose it! Your kids want a game, not a chore. It would end up being stored away, gathering dust.
How easy it is to clean up
A good board game for kids should also be easy to clean up. The easiest board games to clean up are those that come with some cleaning props in its kit. These games also have to be easy to store and maintain. They should also be able to be easily kept track of. For example, you will know if a piece from your kid’s chess set is missing or if some tiles from her scrabble are nowhere to be found.
Try looking out for board games that do not have any too many parts. This is because they may end up being useless if a piece gets lost.
How many players can the game accommodate?
Children love to play games with other kids. Most board games require a minimum of two players and a maximum of 6. This factor is particularly important when it considering board games appropriate for homeschooling.
All in all, one important thing to note is the fact that board games are best enjoyed with family. So when you are about to make a decision, consider the fact that nobody should be left out.
How old is your kid?
When it comes to board games, you have to put the age of your kid into a factor. There are three significant reasons. One, I’m pretty sure you do not want to expose your kids to games that encourage behavior like gambling and sexual behavior. Board Games like Poker and Truth or Dare fall into this category.
Two, your child’s physical safety is critical also. The small part of some board games can be choking hazards to very little kids. This is one of the many reasons why attention as to be paid to the age appropriateness of a board game
Finally, if a game is above the age grade of your child, he may be forced to neglect it. This is because the rules may just be too complicated for him to understand. This defeats the entire purpose of getting an educational board game.
This is why the Federal Government places regulate the toy industry to ensure that age labels are followed. This is why we have educational board games specific for toddlers, preschoolers, kids in kindergarten and grade school
How long does it take to finish the game?
If a game takes too long to finish, purchasing it might be a bad idea. The playing time should be long enough to keep them interested in the game and not too short to bore them.
This article covered some crucial factors to consider when choosing an educational board game for your child. Now that you have this knowledge, go surprise your kid with a board game!
Enjoy your shopping.