Games are crucial to the development of every child. This is because they play a significant role in their cognitive, emotional, physical and social wellbeing.
Family game nights also create an opportunity for parents to bond with their children.
Below are ways in which games help to improve the life skills of children.
Patience
Learning how to be patient is an important life skill. When children play games such as shape and sizing boards and puzzles from My Happy Helpers, they learn patience by working through the steps it takes to reach a long-term goal.
The goal is the completion of the puzzle by putting the correct pieces in the right place on the board.
Logical thinking
Games such as chess play a considerable role in promoting children’s strategic and logical thinking.
Chess requires adequate planning, foresight and making the right moves at the right time towards a specific goal.
The game requires a player to think what would be their opponent’s next move for them to stay safe. Therefore, the game will help your child to think critically as well when it comes to real life problems.
The ability to follow instructions
A game such as Simon Says helps children to develop their listening skills and the ability to follow instructions.
For instance, the leader of the game calls out to their peers, “Simon Says clap your hands.” The other children have to follow the instructions and do as requested.
Children who do not pay attention to instructions will quickly learn to do so to keep up with everyone else.
Healthy eating
Most kids do not know about a healthy diet. All they know is that whatever mummy offers is safe. Challenging your child about what they eat will make them realise that they have to be selective in what they eat.
For instance, ask them to make a complete balanced diet meal from the ingredients in your kitchen. As they do so, discuss with them the advantages and disadvantages of every element they use.
Math skills
Other than math books, a game such as Buy It Right can be used to improve a child’s math skills. The game involves aspects of mathematics such as addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and decimals.
The game can be played without adult supervision. It involves toy money that looks very realistic.
The child has to learn how to set prices for the items on sale and sell them right. The game also comes with a calculator to make the game a little bit more fun and easy.
Togetherness
A game such as Pandemic requires children to play together for them to achieve the targeted goal.
In Pandemic, children have to play together to eradicate the risk of diseases. The game allows children to communicate and work together to fight against infections.
It takes a fair amount of collaboration & strategy to beat the board. Therefore, children have to work together to stand a chance to win the game.
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is one of the crucial skills that a child should learn as they grow up.
It is through self-awareness that a child will be able to access their learning abilities. This can be quickly introduced through a game such as Row Your Boat.
The game Row Your Boat creates physical self-awareness in children. During the game, children are required to rock back and forth in rhyme with the song. They also are required to work together for coordinating their hands’ movement.
In addition to creating self-awareness, the game also helps to improve the focus level of the children.
Image Pexels License CCO
