Games allow students to generalize information across different environments.  A  game can be a powerful tool to:

• motivate students 
• create spaces for active learning
• reduce stress and anxiety

Games have challenged and brought joy to millions of people of all ages around the globe for centuries.   Using games in the classroom can make learning, assessing, and reviewing information a lot more fun than another worksheet! Read on to find all the smile-promoting benefits of adding games to your lesson plans.

Motivation & Active Learning

As an educator, you usually sense when your students need a little spark to bring all the new information together. Classroom games are a fantastic method for students to have fun using the information they have been learning. Some studies show that games can increase active learning, student motivation, and engagement. The real value to me is that failing and trying again is par for the course when students play a game.  It is not a big deal if they fail; they just keep going, unlike most assignments where some students would consider quitting after not being successful on the first attempt. However, what is the actual value of playing a game in class? Game playing allows students to take educational risks without the stigma of failing or feeling like a failure. When using educational content, students are more likely to use the information to think critically to solve problems more pragmatically.

Reduction of Stress and Anxiety 

Student Stress and Anxiety? Yes, did you know that a Pew survey found that 70% of teens reported that anxiety and depression are a ”major problem” for their peers? Stress and anxiety are real things that can affect learning outcomes.  Using games can take the sting away 

from feeling overwhelmed by one more assignment on the stack of tasks.  QuizletLive or Gimkit are excellent maintenance and evaluation tools. If the students know in advance, it gives them time “to get ready” to be more formidable players.  My students perk up and smile  at the thought of escaping “schoolwork.” In reality, I review material, evaluate what the class understood, or, sometimes, what I need to reiterate.