Improve Learning Outcomes Through Play
Unlike traditional luck-based games like Monopoly, Chutes, and Ladders, today's games are challenging and intellectually stimulating. An authentic game with curricular connections can bring something powerful to the classroom. Students can genuinely have fun and improve their cognitive skills. Think of it as learning that doesn't feel like learning.
Kids will see many simple educational games for what they are – another worksheet disguised as fun. But more complex curriculum-based board games with built-in gaming mechanics are where fun and intellectual development come together. Authentic board games help build critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.
Board Games Have a Place in the Classroom
Playing games is one of the most ancient and time-honored vehicles for learning. From the time kids are very young, they learn by playing games. Social and emotional development is enriched when we learn together, taking advantage of our collective intelligence. Game-based learning (GBL) engages every type of learner. While one student may learn best with visual information, their classmate may excel when the lesson is more auditory or tactile.
To accommodate these differences, teachers need tools at their fingertips. Game-based learning is a tool kit that can be easily added to many lesson plans.
Game-Based Learning is a Win for Complex Topics
Addressing climate change for example is a serious and complicated topic. It often overwhelms and causes anxiety for many of us, including kids. When young learners come together through play and conversation, the effect is empowering and calming. Game-based learning releases creativity, invites collaboration, and supports problem-solving skills. It's a game-changer in the classroom.
Designed to take dense, academic information and make it easier to understand, Earth Matters is a card-driven game for 2-5 players that inspires strategic thinking, decision-making, and resource management. Role-play encourages empathy, perspective-taking, and creative expression and boosts social skills. Dice probability supports mathematical understanding, problem-solving, and risk assessment. Storytelling builds narrative skills and encourages imagination and active engagement.
Full STEAM ahead!
Board Games as an Interdisciplinary Tool
While learning is individual and experiential, skills in a classroom setting are primarily segmented. Since the 1900s, the three R's have evolved into an emphasis on STEAM, yet classroom learning is typically broken into subject areas. But real-world situations require problem-solving that blends science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). Board games mimic real-world situations in a risk-free environment. Even losing the game is educational because it helps develop resiliency and persistence. Using interdisciplinary teaching tools, like board games, for elementary and middle school learners can increase interest and enthusiasm for learning. Game-based learning (GBL) is expanding how kids learn and retain information. Climate change and climate justice are naturally interdisciplinary.
Create Better Learners Through Play
As our world continues to change at warp speed, we need to remain nimble and responsive. Incorporating new teaching tools in the classroom can have a big impact. For teachers, GBL alleviates the pressure of planning and developing lesson plans. For students, it captures attention and promotes collaborative learning. Learning that doesn’t feel like learning is the key to setting our kids up for success.