Learn with board games - Christina Cherry

Learning to play board games is not only fun, it also helps to expand knowledge and skills. We reveal which games are the best learning companions.

| © Pexels

Playing with knowledge is the absolute trend these days. Classics like City-Country-River, Party kings liketaboo and trendsetters like that game of life are prime examples and at the same time belong to the most popular board games. This shows that children are happy to deal with maths, general knowledge or geography in a playful way. Learning stress can be avoided in this way.

“Conflicts arise especially when children do not see why they should study for school. But there are many ways to deal with learning material without conflict, ”explains Elke Hildebrandt, expert for developing lessons in pre-primary and primary level. So why not give the textbook a break and learn by playing board games?

Play: The real main job of children

Discovery and playful learning awaken joy in learning, curiosity and motivation to learn. Game researchers assume that children up to the age of 6 play about 7 to 8 hours a day. It is the main job of children, so to speak. Here you learn to yourself, your environment and different To grasp events. It quickly becomes clear that the learning material should be attractive and inconspicuously packaged, especially for young students. Immersed in exciting games, the children usually do not even notice how much knowledge they have acquired.

There are now a large number of board games in board, card and dice format which, in addition to their playful action, convey exciting and useful knowledge and with which students can learn in a playful way.

1. Cool undercover teacher: Learn to play board games

Many board games specialize in certain subject areas and specialist areas such as general knowledge, bio or math. We looked at which subjects can be learned with which board games:

Learn math with board games

Games like Uno or Yazzi can help to make mathematical topics clearer and more exciting by learning addition and multiplication in a playful way. At the board game Pharaoh codedare to do all kinds of basic arithmetic.

Knowledge of geography

With geographic games such as. Geo flag and GeoCards from AMIGO, or the popular one City-Country-River you can look forward to the next with the whole family vacation prepare by acquainting yourself with national flags or engaging intensively with the geography of various destinations.

Improve language skills

Also young philosophers and young writers come with a large selection of board games at your expense: games like Scrabble or taboo expand the vocabulary and help you write the next German essay.

2. Competence training with board games

It is the absolute favorite among the everyday questions of the children: "Do you like to play with me?" Even if the schedule is a little tight, try to take your time and integrate playing together with your children into everyday life. Because board games not only help to better understand specific school material, they also have a great influence on the personal and competence development of children:

Board game Halli Galli encourages quick reaction

Numerous games aim to develop responsiveness and overall motor skills. The well-known board game Halli Galli It not only promotes knowledge of mathematics when it comes to adding the fruits on the cards face up, but also requires a quick reaction: the players have to hit the Halli Galli bell as soon as it is five have counted the same fruit. A loud game full of fun with a high learning factor – the next math test can come.

Exercise with memory memory

In addition, exciting board games promote concentration and help children to train their memory. This is how children learn with the game Memory to remember things and places early on.

Don’t be afraid of big appearances: Activity

Games like Activity In addition to expressiveness, they also promote creativity, imagination and performance skills. Because here terms are described, painted and represented with body language. Children learn in this way, literally "to make a monkey" and to overcome the fear of presentations.

Connect games and learning to the scoyo learning world now:

3. Show and process emotions with board games

With board games, children learn to deal with disappointments and defeats and to deal with them. Especially with the traditional classic among games Man don’t annoy you the frustration can be observed every time the last figure in the final field in front of the house is thrown out. Endurance is also trained. "I don’t want anymore" or "This is unfair and not fun" are the typical sayings when no 6 is rolled to finally be able to start running with the character – or when you still fly out just before the goal. Don’t give up and keep fighting – that’s the motto. Because nobody likes bad losers. Always remember: Next time there will be another chance to win. That increases self-confidence.

Elke Hildebrandt sees a big connection between the self-confidence and the school achievement of the children, z. B. in mathematics: "Many children have a negative self-perception in this subject and think" I can’t do that anyway ". However, if they have experienced that they can solve problems, they also have more confidence in the class. ”

And ultimately, board games also encourage them Willingness to cooperate and children’s team spirit – all important social skills for later life. Because in many games, multiple teams compete against each other. You learn to stick to the rules – "fair play" is very important. It has a positive effect on their development if children can exchange ideas in play. The board game – a game that shapes society.

Limitless possibilities: board games for adventurers

Not all board games have to take place at or around a table. Great games can also be found in caves, on trees or in the forest. That’s how it is scavenger hunt or Geocoaching a good example that the variety of board games is limitless. Outdoor games are of course particularly well suited for beautiful, sunny summer days and let the children demonstrate their geographic knowledge.