by Kevin Mcdaniels

Created on: August 12, 2009   Last Updated: August 15, 2009

How Science Games Help The Learning Process

It is a proven fact that when learning, the more senses you involve, the more likely you are to retain the information. When playing science games, you use your sense of sight, sound and touch. When I was a kid, I remember playing science games. They were fun, and I learned a lot more than I would have if I had just read the book. In this article, I will add links to websites that I use in my classroom, and with my children.

Operation Frog

When I was in elementary school, I remember playing a computer game called "Operation Frog", it was a game where you would dissect a frog and learn all the parts. The best part about this game was that it was humane. We did not actually have to kill and take apart a frog. I still remember that game vividly in my head, which can show the impact that a program like that can have on kids.

Magic School Bus

One science program that I like is Magic School Bus. The people at Scholastic have done a very nice job creating games that go along with some of the Magic School Bus episodes. The games are fairly easy for most elementary school kids. The website has games, experiments for people to try, and a section for parents.

Edheads

Another website that a colleague of mine uses is Edheads. This website uses Flash, so make sure you have that installed on your computer. On Edheads, you can design a cell phone, or do a variety of surgeries. One of my favorites is the simple machines. Using this, you can learn how household items function.

Kaboose

Kaboose has some fun science games. They are geared towards younger students (elementary school). The only down side to this website is the endless advertisements. The website is free and makes money by having ads. It is not a bad trade off, but can get annoying after a while.

All of these websites can help you learn about a variety of science topics. When learning is fun, most people won't mind learning. People learn different ways, there is no reason not to use as many senses as possible. If you were covering something such as yeast, you could bake bread and include not only sight, sound and hearing, but taste and smell too. That would help the student remember everything so much better.

In conclusion, learning can be fun, and should be fun. There is no reason for it not to be. Many people reminisce about things they did, and not about things they heard or read. Make learning fun, and you will have life long learners.

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