Why K-3 Educational Games?

Shelves of software stores seem to be spilling over with computer games designed purely for entertainment. Such pieces of software have few real-world applications and oftentimes don’t have positive educational influences. Some parents dislike video games because they can suck away their kids' lives and do little for their personal growth. But many parents and teachers don't realize that among all the time-wasters, there are products out designed to teach the budding student, including educational games grades K-3. Expose your students to the right computer games so they will better cultivate positive attributes that allow them to interact with and contribute to the world.

We're used to thinking of education as students sitting in a classroom listening to their teachers. Yet education need not be relegated to the classroom – there is so much that we as parents and teachers can do to improve upon the pedagogies used in the classroom. Teaching kids today means preparing them for the technology-driven world we live in, and you can contribute to your student’s progression not only through encouraging them to use the computer, but by giving them games that will teach rather than just entertain. Read more articles on educational games grades K-3.

Educational Software: What to Look For

Educational games have evolved from boring learning activities into entertaining, action-packed adventures that engage the senses and encourage positive interaction. We've researched and weeded out games that will reinforce specific educational disciplines (e.g., English, social studies, science, math, etc.) and games that simply cultivate problem solving, critical thinking, and logic skills. All games aren't inherently evil, and we have worked hard at TopTenREVIEWS to find games that will prove wholesome and uplifting for students of all ages. When purchasing K-3 educational games for your students, keep the following pointers in mind:

Feature Set
If a game has few features then it isn’t going to last your students long or have much educational value. Games that contain dozens of activities and hours of play will not only have a more lasting effect on your children, but they will also keep them occupied and entertained longer.

Educational Value
While it’s quite easy to determine if a game is purely entertainment, it’s more difficult to determine how effective the teaching method is in a game. Activities with obvious grammar or math problems are easier to identify as educational as opposed to puzzle games. Yet at the same time, puzzle games help build foundational skills in problem solving and logic.

Ease of Use
The purpose of educational software is defeated when students can’t even navigate the program. Learning software should be simple enough for a student of any grade level to understand without constant assistance from adults. These programs should still maintain some challenging attributes, but navigation and progression through activities on a game should be intuitive and straightforward.

Kid Appeal
If the student won’t enjoy the game, then the software’s features or educational value will matter little. It’s important to maintain a student’s interest with fun learning activities that will challenge and engage them. Understanding what your students enjoy should be an important contributor in choosing the right games.

Help & Support
If the software isn’t working to your satisfaction, you should be able to contact the developers to have them fix the situation. Companies should offer support through the traditional media of FAQs, email support and telephone support. Reputable companies offer quick response times on all of these outlets.

Educational games grades K-3 can take on many forms to accommodate the myriad of children's learning styles. As you decide on educational software, keep in mind the way your students learn. Choose games like JumpStart, Elementary Advantage 2011, and Schooltown that will appeal to students and reinforce the things they're learning in school. We had fun playing these education games, so why won't your students? At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™