Educational boards games not only help your kids remember important facts and figures, but also provide hours of entertainment for the entire family. Here are just a few of the many great at-home game options you might want to consider.
Chess
Chess doesn’t review a specific scholastic subject; it instead requires skills that are just as critical. This game helps your kids to think ahead, strategize and solve challenging situations.
Chess can also improve your child’s memory and concentration skills. Don’t discount this game as an option for younger children, as even first graders can learn to play chess well and reap its learning benefits. Chess is a great option for seventh and eighth grade students too.
Scrabble
Junior Scrabble is ideal for children from 4 to 7 years of age. The words are spelled on the board so children don’t even need to know how to read in order to play the game. They simply need to match the letters in order to complete words and score points.
Regular Scrabble is an ideal game for ages 8 and up. Playing Scrabble not only helps kids review basic spelling rules, but also expands their vocabulary as they see new words that parents put on the game board. Don’t be surprised if you find your kids studying the dictionary in between games to find new terms (and letters) to make up as many points as possible.
Battleship
Battleship isn’t just about shooting your opponent’s ships into oblivion. It involves logic, critical thinking and strategy, all of which are important skills that every child can benefit from. What’s more, Battleship helps your kids get comfortable with seeing and using a grid.
Playing Cards
Playing cards aren’t technically a board game, but they deserve to be on the list nonetheless. War is a simple and fast card game with numerous variations that can help your kids learn basic, intermediate and advanced math facts.
Playing cards can also be used to enhance memory; however, instead of simply finding two cards that are the same, challenge your kids to find addend pairs that make a pre-determined sum. The same principle can be applied to a game of Go Fish.
These are just some of the many educational games that you can enjoy with your children for at-home learning. Involve your kids in the game-choosing process, set aside time to play together and then enjoy learning (and reviewing important skills) in each other’s company.
