Tip #148 from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents (McKInley, Trombly) - Invent a Game

 


Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.

                                         

#148

Invent a Game

The only difference between ordinary and extraordinary is a little extra.
~Unknown

 

Parents and teachers alike know that anytime they can make learning seem like a game, children become active, interested learners! Help your child make learning a game by helping her create her own board game.

She can make a board game for any academic subject. She could create a game based on a book read for school, science information, social studies facts. Anything goes! Encourage her to look through all her board games at home to get ideas about how the game could look, how many players should play, and the objective and rules of the game.

There are many different surfaces to use as the actual board for the game, but poster board is probably the easiest. Encourage your child to make a small scale rough draft of her game to eliminate the frustration of erasing on the poster board. She may even want to play a game or two on the rough draft to avoid any inconsistencies or mistakes she may have missed and change them before creating the final game on the poster board.

How detailed the game gets is only limited to your child’s enthusiasm. If she is a game lover, she just might surprise you with the details she includes in the rules of the game. You probably won’t need to give many opinions or advice. Just sit back, and watch her go! If she’s at all reluctant, however, get in there, and help her out!

Once the game has been tested at home, encourage her to take it to school (if the game is based on an academic subject). The whole class can benefit from your child’s work. She should consider writing the directions out in detail and donate the game and directions to her teacher for next year’s class to learn from and enjoy!

 

Variation:

She could also create a card game (using only index cards and her knowledge of a subject) to make a matching game. (For example, a “Lansing” card matches a “Michigan” card for state capitol practice.)

 

    


     Cindy McKinley Alder                                            Patti Trombly

 

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