Free Kids Learning Games to Work With Offline
Playing games is an effective method for children to develop and strengthen academics. Games are available for reading, mathematics, written language and memory. By adding an element of entertainment, children actually enjoy participating in the lessons. While activities are available on the computer, there are also ideas for offline. Games that do not rely on virtual play promote social and communication skills by having children interact with one another as opposed to having a relationship with a keyboard.
Other People Are Reading
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Put on a Play
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Practice reading through theater. An interesting and inexpensive method to help children practice reading is by putting on a play. Allow the children to select their favorite story, such as Cinderella. Give each child roles and an easy-to-read script. By reading, memorizing and rehearsing, the children will be strengthening their fluency and vocabulary skills. To add more excitement, have costumes and props available. Allow the children to design their set and make a program book (another way to add reading practice). Have the children perform the play for guests and family members.
Flip Up
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Practice math with card games. Flip Up is similar to the War card game, but it teaches math skills. Two players are given equal piles from a deck of cards, minus the face cards and jokers. The players flip over their top card. The first person to call out the sum or product wins both cards. For example, if you are teaching addition and the cards are two and three, the first player to say five wins. The player with all the cards is the winner.
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Tic Tac Spelling
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Spell for your turn. Instead of playing regular tic-tack-toe, children are asked to spell a word before being able to take a turn. Create a tic-tack-toe game board on a sheet of paper. Designate one child as "X" and one child as "O." The object is to get three designs in a row, whether it be vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Before the child is able to put an "O" or "X" on the board, he is given a word to spell. If he is incorrect, his turn is lost. This is an effective strategy for practicing spelling skills.
Going on a Picnic
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Practice memory with the picnic game. Playing Going on a Picnic is an easy way for children to practice and enhance their memory and auditory processing skills. To play, children must be familiar with the alphabet and understand alphabetical order. The first player says, "I'm going on a picnic and bringing an_____ (e.g., apple, ant, aquarium)." The next player repeats the first player's item and then adds something that begins with a "b." Each consecutive player must repeat the previous items and add an object going alphabetically. Whenever a player makes an error, he is out.
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References
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