Word Games

No, this is not the usual word games one unwittingly plays with others, in relationships, at times.

I talk instead of learning word games.

Yesterday, Gerry, Thomas, Anthony and I had a game of Taboo .
Taboo is a word guessing game. The object of the game is for a player to have their partner guess the word on their card without using the word itself or five additional words listed on the card.

Really works one's thinking and speaking skills and can be a vehicle for many language and vocabulary discussions.

Hey, it is also fun!

Children and adults alike learn a lot from games. Games, board games, card games, oral games ( I Spy), video games play a big role in our homeschooling.

Plato wrote, "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play, than in a year of conversation."

Very true.

This article describes the family and educational benefits inherent in game playing ~ "With the hub-bub and rush of daily living, many parents are looking for more ways to spend quality time with their families. They are also concerned about enriching their children's education. Parents are concerned about molding their children into honest, patient, well-rounded members of society. Family games are a great, wholesome way for parents to meet all of these needs at once.
Family games give parents the opportunity to spend time with their children, as well as to sharpen their wit and knowledge.
Homeschoolers and teachers have known for years that games are a great way to learn.
And learn they will. Parents are often amazed when they stop to think about all of the possible skills enhanced by game playing. Nearly all games will broaden cognitive skills by applying problem solving methods, critical thinking skills, and strategic thought."

And there is value not just in board games but in video games, too - in playing the games, in doing something hard, in discussing the games, as Papert describes.

"Two big lessons I have learned from computer games are opposites of the messages of the ads I was quoting. The first, which I have already noted, is echoed by kids who talk about "hard fun" and they don't mean it's fun in spite of being hard. They mean it's fun because it's hard. Listening to this and watching kids work at mastering games confirms what I know from my own experience: learning is essentially hard; it happens best when one is deeply engaged in hard and challenging activities. The game-designer community has understood (to its great profit) that this is not a cause for worry. The fact is that kids prefer things that are hard, as long as they are also interesting. The preoccupation in America with "Making It Easy" is self-defeating and cause for serious worry about the deterioration of the learning environment."

Interested in making your own games? I thought I might strew these articles this week ~
Make Your Own Board Game
How to Make Your Own Board Games