OUR FAVORITE EDUCATIONAL GAMES
Top 3 educational games to help build 21st century skills
With such an ever-changing world, a lot of the careers of the future do not even exist today. Instead of an old-school approach, only acquiring knowledge and information, it is important that we help children to develop general skills and transferable competencies. The most important skill for the coming generations will be the skill of learning itself, in addition to character qualities like persistence, curiosity, initiative and cultural and social awareness.
With many families either having to support their children through online learning or for those who choose to homeschool, there are some excellent resources and games to make learning fun and engaging. With limited storage space, we've had the added challenge to be very selective in what we bring with us on the road. We've done the research for you and have compiled a list of games that we ourselves use regularily.
CREATIVITY
CRITICAL THINKING
21st Century
Skills
PROBLEM SOLVING
COLLABORATION
COMMUNICATION
OUR TOP 3 EDUCATIONAL GAMES
1. SmartGames
We believe that learning through play is an important part of childhood development. SmartGames offers a wide range of fun puzzles and challenges that draw on various cognitive skills as you work to solve challenges. They are multi-level logic games that help to develop skills such as spatial awareness, planning, problem-solving, concentration and logic.
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Teacher Recommended
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These games were recommended to us by our daughter's kindergarten teachers. We love to see how the games build confidence and to see our kids learn that through practice and concentration, they develop the skills needed to s complex challenges.
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Portable & Travel Friendly
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We own several different smart games but our favourites for life on the road or travel are the portable IQ Fit games and the magnetic puzzle books. They are compact and magnetic which means you can use them in motion. They don't take up a lot of space and are light enough for our kids to carry in their carry-on backpacks.
Family Fun
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The games offer different challenge levels and are even fun (and challenging!) for parents to solve too. It's a great way to get involved in your child's learning.
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2. Osmo Games
While we were hesitant to introduce our kids to screens (we've made a conscious effort to avoid them until now), we can't ignore how fun and engaging they are. Instead of passively consuming, these games allow kids to interact with hands-on pieces and the information is relayed back to the software. Osmo games combine digital and real-world, hands-on learning with fun and engaging games. There are games and activities geared to suit a variety of age groups and interests such as literacy, mathematics, drawing and more.
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At the moment, we're using all of the items listed above, and there are many more games and accessories you can add.
For more information, visit the Osmo website.