As technology evolves, so does the way we learn. Educational games are an effective and enjoyable way to engage with a variety of topics and strengthen learning skills. Educational games are a powerful approach to engage students in meaningful learning.

Educational game designers strive to create games that meet certain learning objectives while remaining fun, motivating, and age-appropriate. From STEM to language arts and more, educational videogames teach concepts, mechanics, and problem-solving. They also provide students with a safe environment to develop skills to their fullest potential without the fear of failure.

Types of Educational Games

• • Virtual Reality (VR) Games – Virtual reality games are immersive three-dimensional environments that students can manipulate to learn and explore. An example is a water pollution game, where students would use a VR headset and controlling device to clean up a polluted lake.

• • Puzzle Games – Popular puzzle games such as sudoku and crosswords challenge intellectual thought to create exciting and broad learning experiences.

• • Strategy Games – Students must learn how to combine tactics and develop strategies for success with these games. A perfect example is the popular board game Settlers of Catan, a trading and building game used to explore the concept of cooperation.

• • Simulations – Simulations are used to build knowledge in a safe digital environment. A popular simulation game is SimCity, which allows players to design and create their own cities. The goal of the game is to understand what factors make a city successful.

Benefits of Educational Games

In addition to providing an engaging and enjoyable learning experience, educational games offer numerous other benefits. Students develop their problem-solving skills and their critical thinking capabilities as they must think strategically to succeed. The challenge of achieving goals serves to motivate and engages students who may struggle with traditional methods of learning.

Moreover, educational games hone students’ collaboration skills, as games such as chess and Risk are often played as team games. Finally, educational games can encourage digital literacy skills, allowing students to feel more comfortable with technology and supplementing their “analog” education.

Educational Games Online

The internet offers a wealth of educational games to choose from. Sites such as ABCya.com provide free access to hundreds of educational games for all ages. Additionally, the Educational App Store offers award-winning apps for teaching and learning aimed at pre-K, K-12, and beyond.

The wide variety of educational games available online ensures that there is something for everyone —from the younger learner to the experienced scholar. With games for every subject, it’s easy to find fun and engaging games that will enhance any student’s learning.

Conclusion

Educational videogames are an enjoyable and effective way to learn. With the right combination of educational objectives and game mechanics, educational games can foster a love of learning and create lifelong learners. By exploring the variety of virtual environments and games available online, students can use games to take their education to the next level.