Games that Help Children to Learn as They Play

When children play, they don't just play. They are actually learning as they go along. Every sight and sound, every movement, everything that surrounds them is an opportunity to learn something new to broaden their mental capabilities. Parents must always keep this in mind. Learning can be child's play and child's play can be learning.

From day one, children need interaction, visual stimulation and adult contact in order to continue learning and thriving. Each new day is a whole new opportunity for them to experience and learn new things. Play time with friends, and parents (other adults) can be a great tool in getting them ready for those later years in life.

Some simple playtime activities to get your children stimulated and on their way to an early educational experience are as follows:

* Bean bag toss is a good (and safe) game for the younger child. They learn dexterity as they toss the bean bag into a numbered hole. This also teaches them their basic numbers as well as simple addition, if they're keeping track of their scores. This is a game that can be enjoyed by children as young as 2 or 3 years of age, right up into later years.

* Another simple game for teaching colors and counting, is to cut out colored shapes from felt cloth that they can place on a flannel covered board. Children can spend hours with these felt shapes, either by making pictures or telling stories from the shapes. They can also learn their numbers and the alphabet. This is a fun way for them to develop basic counting skills and color concepts.

* Even by playing musical chairs, children can learn while having fun. Each time a chair is removed, they're learning simple subtraction. They can also learn life skills, such as, you don't always win, but can still have a good time by being in a social setting with other children.

* A lot of board games are also a good way to allow children to learn while enjoying play time. "Snakes and Ladders" gives them the opportunity to recognize numbers and learn how to count by the numbers on the board. "Junior Monopoly" can help them to learn about the concept of money (as well as counting). "Junior Scrabble" helps with their alphabet and the formation of simple word skills.

* The game of "Concentration" can help them to hone their memory skills and keep their brains stimulated. From the simplest to the more complex form of the game, depending on age, Concentration encourages them to remember where certain words, shapes or pictures were, as each turn requires the cards to be placed upside down so they can't be seen.

* Flash cards are always a great learning tool to keep around. There are so many different kinds of flash cards, covering many different subjects, from basic arithmetic, to the simple correlation of words to pictures. Flash cards can be a lot of fun and offers quality time between parent and child.

* "I Spy" is great for learning colors and for the introduction of general knowledge to expand their scope about the world that surrounds them. Again, parents can interact by discussing further, a few facts about the item that is being guessed.

Whatever your child's level of learning happens to be, it's always paramount for the parent to interact, by discussion and explanations. This way the parent has a better understanding about their child, their level of knowledge and are able to give them added help in learning if need be. Repetition is also a key element, as children don't always grasp a new concept immediately.

Take the time to play with them. They won't even know that they are learning, yet they are so eager to learn. It makes it all the more fun when they have that quality (one on one) time with their parents.