At Blue Orange, we emphasis the importance of high quality learning through play. Oftentimes kids have so much fun playing games, they don’t even realize they are learning! All it takes is the right game to spark your child’s interest; here are but a few to pack in their backpack for this school season.
Doodle Quest
In Doodle Quest the players draw paths and shapes on a clear sheet according to the instructions of the picture in front of them. Then the players place the clear sheet over the picture to test how accurate their lines are to the image. Because it utilizes this form of spatial understanding, Doodle Quest is rated 5 out of 5 stars on Mindprint Learning. Reviewers on Mindprint Learning have acclaimed Doodle Quest a “unique drawing game that will help students develop visual-spatial skills.” Reviewers also loved how the game has an incremental level system, which makes it easier to find the right difficulty for each player.
Rally Up!
In this game, players try to call out themes for cards that belong to the same “family” or category. For this reason Rally Up! is often remarked as a clever way to practice categorization and language organization in young children. In 2015 this game was award the PAL (Play Advances Language) Award for it’s innovative methods of promoting language in young children. The awards are directed by Sherry Artemenko, a children’s speech therapist of 35 years, who recognizes games that “through their design, content, quality, and character, promote play that advances language.”
Tell Tale
Tell Tale is comprised of 60 illustrated cards to inspire players to create stories to tell to friends and family. Because of its cooperative and creative play style, teachers have found that Tell Tale is an excellent game in developing creative expression and communication skills. Fat Brain Toys reviewers have given Tell Tale 4.43 stars out of 5. Fat Brain Toys is a site dedicated to showing and supporting “quality, open-ended toys, games, and gifts that entertain AND educate.” They, like us, believe that toys should stimulate and inspire educational and developmental skills. Their reviewers feel the same. One teacher raved about how Tell Tale has been a “huge hit” in Speech and Language therapy.
Super Genius
Super Genius is hands down the best educational game for any growing and learning child. With 8 games to choose from for multiple subjects and skill levels, Super Genius was developed alongside learning professions. The game engages young learners through a unique formula in which the players spot the matching answer between two types of cards. The game is so effective in teaching children, the Global Educator Institute (GEI) has awarded it the Seal of Endorsement. The GEI sends teaching tools to teachers in classrooms for reviews. This allows real educators to give feedback on innovative, educational products in a real classroom setting. The reviewing teachers called Super Genius “an asset to any educational institution” and “really fun for kids”. Sam Blanco also uses Super Genius to teach autistic children reading and math. She says, “I particularly love the reading decks because many of my students with autism read fluently but struggle with comprehension. This game offers a simple way to practice comprehension.”
At Blue Orange, it is our goal to develop games that inspire child development through fun and engaging ways that the whole family can enjoy. Give these games a try and tell us what you think!