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Educational games have been around in some form or another since the dawn of time, and they continue to be a useful tool today.
Studies have shown they are one of the most powerful tools for helping students develop strong skills in reading, math, and social interactions, which are all crucial to success in school.
While children always seem eager to play video games, there are some benefits to incorporating educational games into your child's learning process.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the top five advantages of educational games for students, so you can better understand whether or not they’re right for your child.
1) Better Grades
In 2009, research was carried out on 72 middle school students who played either an educational game or a non-educational game for 15 minutes each day.
After one month, they found out that students in both groups performed better on math tests than before playing, but those who played educational games improved their vocabulary and reading comprehension more significantly.
In other words, it seemed the video games didn't just teach the students how to think faster—they also helped them think better!
That's not to say every educational game is going to be critical thinking masterwork—but there are plenty out there that focus on honing skills rather than dumbing down content for younger audiences.
2) Improved Memory Retention
In a study conducted by Japan’s Shikoku Gakuin University, researchers found that preschool-aged children who played interactive computer games, as well as those who played other media such as books and movies, had better memories than those who just read books or watched movies.
Other studies have also shown similar results, with those who play video games demonstrating quicker reaction times and superior memory retention.
This suggests that educational games can teach young children how to learn more effectively in addition to improving their reading comprehension skills.
While it is unknown exactly why educational games increase memory retention, some experts believe it has something to do with a person’s attention span when completing tasks related to a particular activity.
Educational games provide both an audio component and visual stimuli which often helps keep a child engaged long enough for them to absorb new information.
3) Fun Way to Learn
Educational games aren’t just about imparting knowledge. They can also be a fun way to learn and help kids and students retain what they learn.
Have you ever tried to teach a group of children something new and felt like all they wanted to do was run around and play instead?
There’s no time like childhood to teach kids how much fun learning can be, especially if it involves video games.
The best way to explain fun in educational terms is engagement. Children become engaged with what they’re doing when they enjoy it, which is exactly what you want them to feel when learning.
When that happens, your task as an educator or parent becomes easier because you can give them engaging materials (educational games) and trust that they will participate without too much prompting from their teacher or parent.
Therefore, by having young children engage in educational games, teachers and parents can produce lasting effects on skill development later in life as this could produce quantifiable results such as faster reading speed among young readers.
4) Children don't get bored using educational games
Educational games are created to be fun and engaging. Kids can play for hours without realizing how much they're learning, which helps make it a highly effective way to study.
As a parent, you know that your child is more likely to get excited about things he or she likes, and if your child enjoys playing an educational game, then you know he or she will be more inclined to pick up his or her books and keep learning.
This means that playing a game instead of watching TV can end up being a chore-free experience for both of you!
5) Motivation to Learn
When it comes to learning, kids (and adults) learn best when they’re engaged and interested. And one way to keep students interested is with educational games!
They’re great for building knowledge in a variety of subject areas, even in learning a second language. Learning should be fun and games can help make that happen!
That's why we provide monthly virtual game nights to help children learn valuable lessons, expand creativity, improve social skills in a safe environment, and de-stress from schoolwork.
We incorporate lessons from multiple subjects into one engaging experience - Game Night.
And the best part is, it's completely free to join!
Simply click here to register for our next virtual game night.
If your children can learn while playing a game, why not have them join a free game night that improves them mentally and socially!