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How Board Games Affect Students’ Minds & Development

How Board Games Affect Students’ Minds & Development

As our world evolves and expands, we find more and more ways of helping our children learn. New learning methods appear every day, while new scientific discoveries can change the way in which we look at the world.

If you’re a parent or a teacher, you’d be happy to hear that interactive play can pivotally change the way in which students’ minds develop. Social scientists have found that games can encourage children to reason about morality, practice following specific social rules, and understand social cues.

Playing can develop a kid’s mind in an unimaginable way. Not only do they learn to plan ahead and think logically, but they’ll also learn from their own experiences and predict any possible outcomes that might follow. For example, the game Mastermind has changed college students’ skills for computer programming and helped them succeed academically, according to Lorenzen and Chang (2006). 

Before we dig deeper into this subject and come up with even more relevant examples, let’s check out the benefits of playing board games, and see how development can be positively influenced by playing such games. 

Concordia Board Game Setup

What Are the Benefits of Playing Board Games?  

Board games are extremely valuable for the following reasons. 

They help students build better communication skills.

Students need to be able to think independently – playing board games will help them express their needs and personal opinions. They will learn that challenging topics can get easier to talk or constructively argue about.

They help kids with special needs.

There is a ton of research on the importance of board games in the lives of kids with special needs. Many children on the autism spectrum learn how to communicate and stand up for themselves by playing board games.

They teach students how to learn from failure.

Failure is not something we should be afraid of – it’s something we should all learn from. Failure can teach us valuable life lessons. By exposing kids to possible failures in the form of a board game, they can learn that life is not only made out of success – this can help them shape their life perspectives further on. Their mind is now ready to take on failure and learn from it, instead of being scared or terrified by it. This is highly valuable in any student’s education and personal development. 

They encourage a healthy, competitive mindset.

Competition is everywhere, whether we want to admit it or not. Teaching our kids/students to be prepared for it is important. If they’re not exposed to competition from an early age, they might get the wrong impression of life. They might take life for granted, which can be detrimental to their growth.

Board games teach their minds how to cope with healthy competition. If you’re still not sure that playing board games is enough to help your students succeed, you could have them connect with attentive personal statement writing service. Consultants working for this company organize regular essay writing competitions to help students understand the power of competition. They offer assignment help to those in need, which is essential for any student who struggles.

Who knows, maybe your student will end up becoming a personal statement writer after graduation!

Catan Zoom closeup board game free unsplash

They can help students develop better mind strategies.

Kids are encouraged to find various ways and tactics to play a specific game. They’re making decisions based on their own processing abilities, which can only help them develop their minds and grow. 

They encourage problem-solving.

By mapping out a strategy plan and sticking to it until the end of the game, you learn how to quickly solve problems and develop systematic thinking. Playing board games is not just about playing these games, it’s also about learning to accelerate your ability to make quick decisions and coming up with a strategy that works. Your mind is then shaped accordingly. 

They support the school curriculum.

Besides all the benefits stated above, board games also support the school curriculum and ease up the academic process for students. They will feel better prepared and willing to take on the world!

Playing board games encourages dexterity.

When you’re handwriting something or typing, you need good dexterity. In school, students are constantly exposed to writing, so they need to develop excellent writing skills. Your kids could start playing games such as Operation or Buckaroo to practice their dexterity. 

Wrapping Up

Playing board games can help children develop their mental skills, as well as motor. Kids not only learn how to map out strategies and win, but they also learn about the power of failure. Play board games with your students or kids, folks!

Author Bio:

Brandon Kryeger is a freelance writer and strategist. He develops content that sells for businesses that need B2B services. He is a blogger and an uncured romantic. In his free time, he paddleboards and runs marathons. 

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