Adding play into learning at home and at school

Children today have the advantage of supplementing their learning in the classroom with gaming, which can help them understand educational concepts while having fun, so they may not feel like they are “learning” at all!

Whether you’re a teacher looking for engaging activities for your pupils or a parent seeking a game that helps your child without losing the fun factor, here are some of our recommendations.

Minecraft Education Edition

Format: Downloadable

Cost: School licences available; home version through Microsoft 365 Family subscription

What’s it about:

The popularity of Minecraft speaks for itself, with many children already big fans of the original game. This edition takes the building blocks concept a step further with a learning platform that develops:

• Spatial reasoning and geometric thinking
• Measurement and scale concepts
• Area, volume and perimeter calculations
• Coordinates and navigation

Teachers can use the pre-built kits or create a custom challenge, such as “Design a garden with an area of 48 square units”. Find it at: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us

BBC Bitesize

Format: Online

Cost: Free

The CBBC and the BBC’s Bitesize platform is a safe haven for educators and parents looking for programmes and games that are age-appropriate, whilst offering engaging and effective learning.

Bitesize primary games is a great place to start, where children can improve their Maths skills as well as discover science, history and more.

Duolingo

Format: Online app

Cost: Free plan available

Duolingo is not just for grown-ups! If you have a holiday abroad coming up, try engaging your child in learning some key words and phrases. Your child will feel a sense of achievement for having learnt something new, and studies have shown that language learning improves cognitive skills, including memory and focus. Visit: https://www.duolingo.com/

IXL

Format: Online

Cost: Mix of free & paid resources

IXL is a very useful platform that covers material from Reception through to Year 13, on core subjects Maths, English and Science. There is a huge section for each year group offering a “learn by example” on specific topics that cover the UK curriculum. At the bottom of each year group page, you’ll find some educational games that are well-designed. There is a limit as to how much you can play on the free plan, but it’s worth a look! Visit: https://uk.ixl.com/

In summary, embracing digital games as a fun addition to your child’s learning could be a win-win: your child gets to enjoy some screen time, but it could also be a valuable addition to their education, particularly for those who are very visual learners or neurodivergent.

Do you know of any educational gaming platforms that we should mention here? Let us know!