It's easy for children to feel addicted to computer and online games, and they will sit in a certain spot for hours on end playing them. This long-term use can result in neck aches, back aches, repetitive strain injuries, eyestrain, headaches, fatigue and mood swings. To avoid these physical symptoms, encourage children to take breaks from the game. Allow them to play the educational game for 30 minutes to an hour, but make sure they stay active as well, by playing outside or on a school sports team.

Educational games can affect children mentally. For instance, children may want to play until they win or advance in the game. According to studies done at Newman University College in Birmingham, England, this determination can cause low self-esteem or aggressive behavior, especially if children keep losing at the game. Additionally, because these games can become so addicting, overuse can cause social isolation and poor social skills. It’s important for your child to interact with the world around him and spend time with his friends and family.

Educational games can also be a major time-waster, taking away from time that your child could spend studying, being active or participating in social events. Enforce rules with your child about gaming. Let him know that he needs to finish his homework or studying before playing any games, including educational games. Set time limits for playing educational games, to prevent him from wasting time.

If a game requires children to “shoot” at objects or people, it may encourage violence. Your child may want to copy some of these behaviors with friends or family members. Before giving your child an educational game, investigate its content. If something within the game is objectionable, you can either prevent your child from playing it, or talk about the game beforehand. Let your child know that it’s only fantasy, and that she shouldn’t demonstrate these acts in real life.

This is something which is very important because we live in a world which is dominated by technology. Playing on games via the internet allows children the license to get used to how a computer works and thus it becomes second nature to them. There are websites, such as Cartoon Network games, which provide young children with fun and exciting games which also teach them to utilize the mouse and keyboard properly, not to mention browsing, username and passwords, and general internet navigation.

3. Helps With Fast Strategic Thinking & Problem-Solving
Most games require children to think quickly. Moreover, they have to utilize their logic in order to think three steps ahead in order to solve problems and complete levels. This is great because it is something which helps children in later life as they develop their logic, their accuracy and their ability to think on their feet and outside of the box. 

4. Develops Hand-Eye Coordination
Games that require children to use a gamepad or a keyboard and the mouse to operate the games can help develop hand-eye coordination. Not only does this get them more tuned to how a computer works, but it also helps to develop hand-eye coordination because children have to look at the action on the screen whilst using their hands to control what is happening at the same time.

5. Beneficial Specifically For Children With Attention Disorders
Research has revealed that online games can actually help children who experience attention disorders. This was concluded by a professor at Nottingham University (CNN covered it here), and is a notion which has been repeated by many in related studies.

6. Skill-Building (e.g. map reading)
A lot of games contain certain aspects which help children with specific skills. For example, a lot of mystery and adventure games contain maps which children will have to read. This obviously helps their map reading skills and practical thinking. Moreover, there are games, such as football management games, which introduce children to managing finances and general project management.

As you can see, there are a whole host of reasons as to why online games can be beneficial for children. Thus, education and gaming certainly aren’t enemies; in fact many would say that they are more like best friends.

Now, if you teach ESL, you know that phrasal verbs can be the source of a lot of anxiety for learners. Learning a handful of phrasal verbs at a time, and making them into fun, creative stories (in groups) is a great way to get students having fun. Also, it eases some of the frustration when students work together, with the challenge of using as many phrasal verbs as possible (from a given list) in their story.

Create a board game worksheet with questions specifically using the tense you have been practicing (past, future, conditional, etc.) Simply having students roll the dice, land on a square and answer the question seems to liven up the classroom atmosphere. Again, be sure you play the role of a “monitor” and walk around, quietly noting down errors, so you can finish the lesson with a recap of common errors on the board. Depending on your error correction strategy, you may want to correct students as you hear errors made. 

Playing games in the classroom increases overall motivation. By playing games, students become more motivated to learn, pay attention and participate in set tasks. Games help students to become a part of a team as well as take responsibility for their own learning. They can also be a great classroom management tool, helping to motivate a class.

By playing games, students become more motivated to learn, pay attention and participate in set tasks. Games help students to become a part of a team as well as take responsibility for their own learning. They can also be a great classroom management tool, helping to motivate a class.

They can also be a great classroom management tool, helping to motivate a class.

Students can become very competitive in the classroom, especially boys. Games are a great way to control the competitiveness between peers. By using games in the classroom, students can compete against each other whilst

Games are a great way to control the competitiveness between peers. By using games in the classroom, students can compete against each other whilst

By using games in the classroom, students can compete against each other whilst playing a game, then support each other during other learning activities.

Most games require problem-solving strategies and planning. By applying a range of strategies in a game, students are able to use their working memory to solve problems, increasing their mental cognition. Stimulating the brain with strategies in a game can be a great brain workout!

By applying a range of strategies in a game, students are able to use their working memory to solve problems, increasing their mental cognition. Stimulating the brain with strategies in a game can be a great brain workout!

Stimulating the brain with strategies in a game can be a great brain workout!

Using games in a lesson, as part of teaching and learning, helps to create positivity around the lesson, motivating students with their participation and creating a positive attitude towards learning.

Games can also create a positive memory and experience of learning for students in the classroom.

Having to answer questions on a worksheet, or produce a page of text can be quite daunting and stressful for some students. It can also create a negative perception of a students’ learning environment.

As an alternative to worksheets, games can be used as a less stressful way for students to demonstrate their knowledge, skill and understanding of a topic. Being less stressed will help students to have a more positive perception of their learning environment and give a true indication of their own learning.

Playing a range of content specific games can increase memory. As they play a game, students need to remember important details about a topic but also use their working memory to think and act quickly.

Games that were made by the students can be some of the most effective. As students construct a game they are required to use their memory of specific content to create questions and answers suitable for the game, then use their memory of the topic to play the game.

Playing games in the classroom increases class cooperation.

Students need to work together as a team when playing as a whole class against the teacher, or in small team groups when playing games with each other.

Through games students learn how to take turns, build respect, listen to others and play fairly. Classroom games can also be used as a team building exercise.

Playing games requires students to pay great attention to detail. As games can move quickly, when playing a game, a student needs to be alert and attentive.

This attentiveness when playing a game can help students to stay focused on other tasks in the classroom throughout the day.

Playing games in the classroom is always great fun!

When playing a game, endorphin’s are produced that stimulate the brain and gives students a feeling of euphoria. This feeling of euphoria creates a great sense of happiness and excitement for students in the classroom, developing a positive learning environment.

Games are a great tool to use in the classroom to consolidate new knowledge.

After teaching new content to the class, provide students with a game that will consolidate their understanding and make connections with what they already know. Asking students to create their own content specific games can also be a great way to assess students at the end of a unit of work.

Game-based learning has shifted focus from learning with lectures and written tasks to learning with games and it has become an indispensable part of modern education. To be a well-integrated member of contemporary society requires more than just the mastery of the basic skills of reading and writing.  It allows learners to discover new methods of working towards achieving goals and objectives in an interactive manner. Let’s hope that the latest trends of game-based learning will contribute for the betterment of students’ learning and to the quality of knowledge and skills they gain. May this type of assessment help to receive better results of the students.