Search Results for: blog the value of playing games

Preschool Picks: Ten Games in One

It is around the time when planning for the next preschool year begins. I love to choose items and curriculum for my preschooler. Perhaps it is because I am such a kid at heart. Preschool is a wonderful time of exploration and teaching through games. One of the questions I receive most is about products, curriculum, and games that I recommend for the preschool years. In this next series on Preschool Picks, I will share the best I have used and come across. The first item I want to share is My Very First Educational Play Zoo by HABA. Last … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Video Games

How much do you spend per year on video games and video game systems? With new technology and new games coming out practically every day, it is easy to spend more money on video games than you might think. Most video games cost between $20 and $40. If you have just ten games, they could have cost you up to $400! The systems themselves cost another couple of hundred. Most households do have more than 10 games, plus they have more than one video game system, making the cost even higher. Wow–that sort of slaps you in the face, doesn’t … Continue reading →

Parents, Kids and Video Games

If you can’t find a single thing valuable about your kids’ video games, then you obviously haven’t been reading the paper inserts that come in the game boxes. Many video game manufacturers now include tiny leaflets as part of their product’s packaging listing reasons why electronic gaming is beneficial to a child’s development. Surprisingly, more and more childhood experts are going public supporting the video-games-can-be-an-important-part-of-a-child’s-social-life philosophy. Though, the experts add one caveat: Video games are okay provided they are played in moderation and the types of games being played are age appropriate. A recent study found that quality video games: … Continue reading →

The Value of Playing Games

Have architects and house designers had a negative impact on family life? Yesterday Mick and I went out for the day to look at some exhibition homes in a display village. Not that we have any plans to up and move from where we are, but often it is away to pick up decorating ideas and we did come home with one or two. However the thing that struck me most and saddened me was the idea of parent’s bedrooms often with large parents retreats where they can sit and relax are well away from children’s bedrooms, being at opposite … Continue reading →

3 Fun Water Games to Keep Kids Wet and Cool

Are you looking for some fun water activities for your kids? In the hot summer months, water is almost a necessity. Many families have a pool, but it isn’t required to have a great time and continue to beat the heat. Here are a few activities for having fun with water that don’t require the use of a pool. Water Balloon Toss This can be a fun game for kids of all ages. When dealing with extremely young children, tossing the water balloon at a box or board is a better alternative than having them throw it at someone. In … Continue reading →

Barney Fun and Games

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Barney has been a childhood friend for some time now. His jolly character and cuddly appearance is very inviting to children. He has been known to make both the young and old at heart smile with joy. Barney shows and videos have been long loved by children and parents. They offer fun, excitement, and educational values. The Barney movie “Fun and Games” displays his typical movie pattern in that it features Barney, Baby Bop, and a group of children. Barney comes to life and creates a fun filled adventure for the children. He promises to show them his game machine … Continue reading →

What Value Do You Put On Family?

How much time do you spend with your family? Is it more than three minutes a day, one to one? Karen Kingsbury in the after word of her novel ‘Family’ which is part of the Firstborn series, claims ‘national statistics say that most parents spend only three minutes each day having one-on-one time with their kids.’ As I read that sentence I found it hard to believe, perhaps because family has always been important to me. My husband and I made the decision early in our marriage that we would rather have a less spacious house in a less affluent … Continue reading →

Technology is a Poor Substitute for Social Interaction

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Are your kids addicted to the internet? How much time do your kids spend looking at a screen instead of interacting with family? Parents might want to consider taking steps to limit the amount of “screen time” that their kids are getting. The New York Times has an article by Jane Brody in which she discusses the negative affects that countless hours of playing video games can have on children. It’s not just teenagers, either. Younger kids can also behave as if they are addicted to “the internet”. How does this happen? There is a Kaiser Family Foundation study that … Continue reading →

Teaching Your Sons to Be Better Men

In a world where playing video games is more appealing than providing for a family or going to college it is especially important to teach our sons the value of working hard and growing up. While I intend to keep my son little forever, eventually the universe is going to combine against me and make him grow up. For some men, this doesn’t mean much. They are grown up but living in a child’s world. Believe it or not the number of men playing video games between the ages of 18 and 34 surpasses those between the ages of 13 … Continue reading →

Five Free Family Fun Moments

Family fun doesn’t have to be expensive or even cost a thing at all. While taking in a movie and snacks at the theater might cost you $60 or more per family, isn’t it nice to know that there are still some things in life that are free? 1. Family game night. The popularity of family game night might have started as a marketing campaign for Hasbro to get you to buy more games, but the idea is not a bad one. Many of us grew up playing board games and have many fond memories of the hours we spent … Continue reading →