Do Games Make Kids Smarter

"Smarter" Defined

What does smarter actually mean? Does it mean that a child has a measurably higher IQ, or does it mean that a child seems to display a quicker wit than before playing a game? Childhood education experts, psychologists, and scholars do not generally all agree on a measure of intelligence, so it makes it very difficult to decipher what makes kids smarter.

Do games make kids smarter? The answer depends on your definition of smart.

Do Games Make Kids Smarter or Not?

Plenty of games are marketed as accentuating intelligence within children. Examples of these types of games include:

• Numbers games that are designed to familiarize kids with basic numbers and mathematical concepts.
• Phonics games that are designed to familiarize kids with tools they need for reading.
• Music games that are designed to foster an appreciation of music and awaken creativity.
• Art games that are designed to prompt creativity and assist children in recognizing various artistic genres.
• Language games that are designed to teach children different languages, or at least familiarize them with other languages.
• Role playing games that are designed to stimulate children's creativity.

There is no doubt that some children benefit greatly from these types of games. The trick is to find games that interest your kids. Forcing a child to play a game that does not interest him or her will not result in as much knowledge retention as a game that your child finds fascinating.

In other words, simply buying games and prompting your kids to play them does not guarantee that your kids will get smarter. A lot depends on your child's involvement and interest in the game.

The Benefit of Games

A commonly accepted theory among child experts is that the very best way to prepare a child to start school is to foster socialization. According to this idea, your child will be ready to learn – and therefore ready to get smarter – when he or she enters school with plenty of experience with socializing.

For this reason, the mere act of playing with your child poises him or her in a situation where learning will be less stressful than for a child who does not have much practice socializing. Using this logic, it can be said that games have the potential to have residual effects on children which allow them to settle nicely into school, making them adaptable and ready to learn.

This means that just playing regularly with your child – no matter what the game as long as you are engaged in social interaction – will have huge benefits for your child when the time comes to start school. If possible, you should also allow your child plenty of time for free play with children of various ages. This will enable children to figure out the wide variety of social rules involved with play, and may make your child more confident to make new friends when it's time to start school.

Buy Educational Games

There is a wide variety of companies that sell educational games to children of all ages. If you are looking for games that are marketed as enhancing cognitive and other abilities, check out some of these toy companies to peruse their offerings:

Infants and Toddlers

• Baby Einstein
• Brainy Baby
• Learning Curve

Preschoolers

• Leaps and Bounds
• Creativity Institute
• Leap Frog

Older Kids

• NZ Nature Company
• Think Button
• Living Playing

Rigidity Not Needed

Young children do not need to be set down and forced to study flashcards for hours on end in an attempt to make them smarter. Allowing your child to become confident and inquisitive is one of the best ways to prepare him or her to excel academically.