According to the head of Ofsted, children who play traditional board games at home do better at school. He said the games help children to think for themselves, to wait their turn and to hold a conversation with adults. And he expressed a concern that computer games and television can discourage children from activities that better stimulate their imagination.
Stephen Twigg, Education minister, said that play is vitally important to education.
The National Union of Teachers conference produced a statement saying that children, in particular, learn through play and they want everyone to spend more time playing, as a "crucial" lifelong learning tool.
The National Foundation for Educational Research concluded that children should have more access to "play-based"
John Dewey, the founder of modern educational theories, wrote in Democracy and Education “ experience has shown that when children have a chance at physical activities which bring their natural impulses into play, going to school is a joy, management is less of a burden and learning is easier”
Even the venerable Plato said “Not by force shall the youth learn, but through play.”
Learning through play is the idea behind MindLab, an after school education programme that teaches children thinking and social skills through playing board games from around the world. The positive impact of MindLab is supported by prestigious research which shows that children who follow a MindLab curriculum demonstrate a substantial and lasting improvement in problem solving skills as well as standardised maths and verbal reasoning tests.
Here are 7 steps to help you bring the many benefits of game playing to your own family to produce brighter children and a happier home life.
1. Buy or dust off some games that are old favourites. Games like draughts, dominoes, connect four and card games, are not only terrific fun but they are also stimulating, challenging and involve concentration and strategy.
2. Add some elements to help “game time” become a family tradition
3. Start with games that a suited to the youngest age group present, or have a few games going at the same time that fit the various age ranges. Make sure everyone understands the rules and aims of the game being played.
4. Explain that to enjoy playing games we all have to play by the rules, respect our partners and respect the outcome of the game. If we play lots of games together, there will be lots of chances for each of us to win sometimes, and lose sometimes. Either way we will have had a fun time playing together.
5. Show your own interest and enthusiasm for the game, give it concentration and effort. Rather than play ineffectively to ensure your child wins, instead, help your child learn from your game playing skills. Discuss out loud the moves you are making and why. If your child makes a move that is to their disadvantage, encourage them to look again and guide them to see a better move by asking them open questions such as “what are all the different options you have?” “What would happen if you take that move?”
6. Whether your child wins or loses, at the end of the game summarise what you learnt from the game and then ask your child “what did you learn from that game?”
7. Keep the “game time” fresh by bringing in new games. Games that can be played within an hour and involve thinking, memory, strategy or calculation are recommended such as: Othello, Guess Who, Mancala, Nine Man Morris, Scrabble, Chinese Chequers or Rush Hour.
We hope you enjoy and learn from “game time” in your family as much as we do in ours!
Suri Poulos
Managing Director MindLab Europe
www.mindlabeurope.com
