The Google Game for Children

This Google Game for Children was created out of sheer boredom one day when some of the children I was taking care of wanted something new to do. If you are online with your own computer, then you have all the major tools you need for this game. The Google Game for Children, encourages reading skills and computer usage. It also helps them begin to learn how to do research online, which is becoming more and more of a necessary tool in any education. In a world that now relies so heavily on computers and the internet, helping them become more proficient at basic computer skills is a major plus. Making a game out if it puts it into the fun category ,which is a much bigger draw for a child.

One warning, this should be done with adult supervision. Seemingly innocuous words like toy, doll, girl are often terms used for sites totally inappropriate for children. The very first time I used the internet for a search I was somewhat surprised what came up when I typed in things like Russian dolls when I was looking for some Russian wooden stacking dolls, or toys, not even pausing to think about the truly "adult only" type of toys. If my children had clicked on a few of those search results, without my knowledge and come across some of what they had to show, I would have had to do some quick damage control explaining what they had come across. You can limit the sites a child goes to with some computer settings. Inappropriate sites often try to find ways around these limitations, so be forewarned.

Supplies Needed:

Computer and online service

Paper and pen or pencil

Curiosity and imagination

The Google Game for Children can be played just freestyle or you can make the game more organized by assigning each child certain words or phrases to look up. The fun of the game is seeing what the searches bring up. The most simple way to play it is to simply look around the room and call out an item you see. Then type in the name of the item and run a search on that item. Another way to do it is just say whatever pops into your head, no matter how ridiculous it may be.You can also encourage the children to look further into a particular hobby, collection or interest they have. Chances are somewhere on the internet, the word you or they are searching for will pop up. Some of the results are very interesting and others are quite humourous.

Another place to do this game at is eBay. They sell such a variety of things there, that it is funny sometimes to see just what they do sell. You can even get history lessons with some of the items listed there.

Try the Google Game for Children. Encourage them to expand their minds and their reading, typing, computer, and online research skills.