I sincerely prefer older games to help children learn as they play. I've been around long enough to remember the days before video games, and I fondly remember playing games with my parents and friends. While groups of children still do get together to play video games, the learning factor of that is nearly non-existent. Learning what buttons you need to mash to produce a cut-scene in Mortal Combat is not (hopefully!) the kind of learning that parents hope for in their kids.

I know that there are hundreds of child-oriented video games that are terrific learning aids. Math-Blaster was one that my daughters enjoyed. My son still plays with his Leap-Pad. But even the best solitary games that children can learn from will bore them after a while. The best way to learn is to share learning with another person, particularly a peer or friend. The problem with that is the temptation for kids to waste time fooling around with each other without someone to keep them focused.

I will notably say that Wii is a fun way for kids to interact without actually having to go outside in the bright sun. The games are action-oriented, and kids can learn basic sports by their actions in that series of games (which comes with the most popular Wii package). Even the arcade type or action games in Wii generally involve physical activity, and that's a plus. However, and I'm about to speak heresy to many modern kids, the best way to get physical activity is OUTSIDE!

When I think of games that I learned as I played, I think of baseball, football, and basketball. You learn things just as important as how to count, or historical facts. You learn how to interact in society and how to participate in a team. While that was common when I was a kid, the fact is that the youth today don't get that kind of early social interaction amongst their peers except in the controlled environment of school. Children are growing more and more distant from each other, and from humanity. With TVs in every room, Ipods , DVD players, and mobile phones, not to mention impressive home video game platforms, the incentive for children to go out and play with each other is mostly gone. Boredom spurred kids in my generation to go outside and play sports. Parental influence will have to do it now...

In addition to sports (outside, moving around, not sports simulations...), the game that I identify learning with most is Life. While the original Life board is slightly outdated, there are many modern versions. The accent is on going to school, buying a house, having kids, getting a job, and all the crazy things that can happen in real life. It sounded boring when I was a kid too, but even jaded youth seem to have fun with it, and in a joking way, it tells you some of the roller-coaster ride that life consists of. Old-fashioned sure, but it's a great excuse to talk to your kids about things that might happen in their future without seeming overbearing. And that's still the best way for them to learn.

One tradition that has sustained itself through several generations in my family has been weekend card games. Card games of all types have been used for centuries to teach basic math and probability. It is also something that multiple generations can do together, which provides the opportunity for people to learn from each other. Though we like Poker, those that don't think gambling is a good example have lots of choices. Any Hoyle Card game book can give you a hundred choices with one deck, and you can find what you want. The most important thing is for people to get together, which has always been, and always will be, the environment most conducive to learning.

Learn more about this author, Benjamin Lomax.
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