Educational Video Games

Games for Children

The last decade has brought a boom in educational software for kids. Products are available for PC and for every major video game console, teaching topics including reading, math, science, geography and social studies. Educational video games are available for preschoolers, teaching concepts such as colors, shapes, animals, letters and numbers. For older children, educational games get more elaborate, allowing them to solve problems, try virtual science experiments, and test out careers as well as learning the basics like reading and math. While most educational games are designed for home use, to reinforce educational concepts taught in the schools, other products are intended as part of a school curriculum. Educational games can cross game genres, but have the uniting factor of containing educational content.

Games for Kids

While many of software products on the market are billed as educational games, they vary dramatically when it comes to quality. To choose the best educational video games for your children, look for the following:

• Curriculum developed by educators: Often game designers, without any expertise in education or child development, have created the so-called educational games on the market. It is important to see who created the content that the publisher is billing as educational.
• Educational software that is really fun: On the other hand, some of the educational "games" that have been created by educational experts are dry, lifeless drills. The curriculum may be credentialed, but some games lack the fun that makes a good video game compelling and exciting.
• Subject matter that interests your child: Educational games come in a variety of subjects. If you are looking for a math product for your second grade son, you may find math software that is set in a garden environment with fluffy bunnies or on a racetrack with fast cars and cool drivers. If your son loves cars, he will probably be more excited about learning if you get the racing version of the math game.
• Age level: Good educational software will indicate an age or grade level for which the game is most appropriate. Certainly take your child's individual development into account, but use the recommended age level to help guide your choices.

Games for Adults

Many of the simulators used to train adults are little more than sophisticated educational games. Certainly it makes sense to teach people to use expensive equipment and to respond to unique or dangerous situations in a simulation environment. For example, pilots receive training on simulators; this allows them to practice responding to various equipment failures and any dangerous outside conditions. In addition, all of the branches of the military use simulators for everything from heavy equipment and weapons training to battle command and control.