Learning through gaming

by Lara Kiernan loves to play video games. On the computer, on the iPad, on the Wii - wherever we'll let him. I try to make sure that he gets a variety of games to play. Sure he can play angry birds and where's the water, but sometimes I want him to play something that challenges him to think a bit more.

Scribblenauts is a game that gets the player to figure out how  to get through the levels by typing in words for items they need or actions they need to do. It takes a lot of thought to figure out what tools are needed and then how to spell the word.

I loved that Kiernan loved this game but the thing is, he can't spell, at all.  So playing this game became "Mommy, how do you spell tree?" "Mommy, how do you spell magic box?" "Mommy, how do you spell green potion?"

So I came up with a plan!  He had to TRY to spell each word three times.  If he couldn't do it, then he would draw a picture in his newly created Pictionary and I would then print the name of the word underneath the photo for future reference.

It made me feel better about letting him play games too much because he was alternating between being creative on paper and being analytical on the iPad.  Seemed like a great mix to me.

What creative ways have you come up with to turn the every day into something educational?

Lara is mom to five year old Kiernan and three year old boy/girl twins Quinn and Juliette. Between the kids and her social media consulting business, she spends most of her time running frazzled.

Playing together

by Lara There are days when I struggle not to just hand over the iPhone or the iPad to the kids so I can get something done with a bit of quiet - for my boys it's pretty much the only surefire way to make that happen.

I realized recently though, that the iPad can be something my older son and I can enjoy together.  Because it holds his attention so keenly, there is no other activity, even if I sit with him to take part in it, that he enjoys at much.  Instead now, we have found a game that we like to play together!

Water is a Disney game (that only costs 99 cents!) that requires thought and logic, all while trying to give a crazy gator a bath :)There's water and slime and acid. There are ducks and cogs and hoses. Together we figure out if the water eliminating the slime so the acid can contaminate the second pool of water, thereby burning the fast-growing moss is the best way to get the last container of water down through the tubes to the gator.  It's hard, and my five year old loves trying to figure it out.  He also loves when we work together to figure it out.

So now, instead of just handing over the iPad when I need some down time, I realize that the iPad can be some us time and I'm really enjoying it!

Do you play video games with your kids?

Bringing back the bean bag

by Brie This snow is making for some long days. It is also forcing me to get creative. With all the activities I am coming up with to the keep the kids amused I suddenly feel like a camp counselor again. Except, you know, I'm definitely not 16 any more.

One day I decided to get crafty. Which for me means pulling out the needle and thread. And trying not to poke myself in the process.

Using some scraps of fabric leftover from the last time I felt crafty and decided to make a cover for my kid-stained couch, I sold the kids on the excitement of bean bags. We are going to make them! And fill them with beans! And then throw them! Seriously, how can it get better then that?

I had the kids trace around a square play dish and then let the four year old cut the fabric. I helped the 2 year old with the cutting. Then while I quickly hand stitched the two pieces of fabric together I had the kids fill their own bowls with dried chickpeas, dried navy beans and popcorn. This entertained them for awhile.

Once the bean bags were done, and the kids were excitedly examining them and practicing throwing them, I started taping the floor. With masking tape I created two starting lines and then filled the distance between them with squares, rectangles and triangles. I gave myself bonus points for building on the shapes and solids unit the girl is learning in kindergarten.

Days later and the tape is still on the floor. The bean bags are still being used and I have decided that masking tape is my new best friend.

Are you a bean bag player? Are there any bean bag games you can recommend?

Brie is the mom of a 4 year old daughter “the girl” and 2 old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.

Game On: Dance Central

by Maranda This post is part of a new monthly series about gaming for and with kids.  Consider it A Mom’s Opinion on Gaming.

Game:  Dance Central Platform:  Xbox 360 with Kinect Players: 1-2 Rating: Teen (for song lyrics)

Dance Central is one of the launch titles for Xbox 360’s new Kinect motion controller.  It’s from the makers of Rock Band and follows a similar formula, only this time instead of matching notes on a plastic guitar, you’re using the Kinect’s full body motion control to match dance moves.  Unlike dance video games of the past, there are no controllers to hold or mats to jump on.  The Kinect’s camera capture every aspect of your movements and your score is based on your ability to mirror the on-screen dancer from head to toe.

Thankfully no real dancing skills are required, and your on-screen avatar always looks great no matter what you do.  Unlike music games, there is no failing and all 32 songs are unlocked from the beginning.  The tracks cover several decades of material and there are three levels of difficulty, making this a great game for the whole family. [But note the game is rated Teen due to a few song lyrics]

My 11 year old son and I in particular have been really enjoying Dance Central, including the Dance Battle mode which allows two players to swap in and out and each dance at their own difficulty level.  I love that he's being introduced to some new music, and he even had his guitar instructor teach him "Funkytown" after dancing to it in-game.

Personally, I love the addition of the “workout mode” which gives you an approximation of calories burned for each song.  This makes Dance Central a nice alternative to traditional workouts, and trust me, you will work up a sweat!

Dance Central is super polished and the Kinect controller works solidly.  I plan on making it a part of our regular family gaming sessions, and also a part of my winter workout routine.

Maranda is a mom of four who loves games as much as her kids do and believes the best part of parenting is having someone to play with. She blogs about parenting, techonology and practical-yet-wholesome cooking at MomIcon – adventures of a mom, geek, gamer. Her Xbox Live Gamertag is HotelQueen.