Learning Games for Kids: What are the best games you could buy that are educational and enriching?

Parents ask me all the time, “What are the best learning games for children that won’t bore them?

The answer: The one that you and your child play together.

My response sometimes sounds like a cop out but let me explain my reasoning behind it.

You know that closet that you have that is full of games that someone told you to buy?

The one where all of the games that you have not played in years collect dust or end up in the garage sale?

Do you know why they are not being played?

Most of the time it is because somebody doesn’t like to play the game.

Make Learning Fun: Choose The Right Games

We all have personal taste and preferences.

Game night can be an educational and enriching way to teach children, but only if it is fun for both people involved.

If you are not enjoying the game or your child is not enjoying it, then learning does not happen naturally.

Your home should be a place where you explore your child’s interest, their taste, their preference, and instill a love for life long learning.

Game playing is an excellent and easy way for this to happen. Below is a list of games that have proven to be educational and enriching.

They all teach children something through game play.

Pick Games That Challenge The Mind

Some of these games work on challenging a child’s memory, logic and reasoning, visual perception, attention, processing speed, or a little of each.

I encourage you to explore the games (most can be purchased on Amazon), find the one that you feel comfortable with and that you think that your child will enjoy.

Then set aside some time to play with them. If your child is weak in a particular area you will start to see the struggle.

Rather than allow your child to walk away from the game when it gets hard, use this time to encourage your child to push through the struggle and find a way to grow in this area.

This will demonstrate to your child that you validate how hard it is for them and that together you can work through it.

This teaches your child that you value learning through mistakes and that if we don’t fail, we will never rise.

You can use this time to show your child that you are a cheerleader. You are modeling that your home is a safety zone and practice pad.

It is a great time to reiterate the expectation of persistency, not perfection that equals success.

• Schylling Simon Memory Board Game
• Wits & Wagers Family
• Bananagrams
• Guess Who? Board Game
• Learning Resources Snap It Up! Math: Add/Sub Card Game
• Pictureka
• Spot It
• ThinkFun Rush Hour Jr.
• Hasbro Yahtzee
• Learning Advantage 8240 QUIZMO Place Value Card
• Brain Quest – Magnetic Four
• Albert’s Insomnia
• Make 7
• Ravensburger Make N Break Junior – Children’s Game
• ThinkFun PathWords
• Sport Stacking with Speed Stacks Cups – Cool Blue
• Sequence Game
• Simon Flash Sonic – Clear Green Color
• BrainBox Preschool – My First ABC
• I Spy Mystery Grab Game