There is no shortage of digital entertainment to consume your child’s attention. With all of the technology available at their fingertips, it can be difficult to get your kids to pay attention to their education. So what can you do to make learning fun for your children, so they remain engaged with the subject matter? Keep reading to see how educational games for your kids can be used to enhance their learning and enrich their screen time.

Online

One of the many amazing things about the internet is that there is a wealth of information at our fingertips at any given moment. The internet can also be an excellent place to find educational games and, in fact, there are plenty of sites dedicated to providing learning based gaming experiences. While most games are free to play, caution should be exercised as you explore the online option for educational games because the internet is also loaded with viruses, spyware, trojan horses, and nasty viruses that could put your computer at risk of infection. It is in your best interest to supervise your kids’ online activities. Make sure your child has been educated in online safety and security practices before allowing them to seek out games unsupervised.

Handheld

If your children aren’t quite old enough or responsible enough for unsupervised use of the internet, handheld educational games are an excellent alternative. Brands like VTech and LeapFrog offer a variety of video games that teach kids mathematics, spelling, and other subjects. VTech even has apps you can download onto your phone or tablet for even more convenience. Utilizing the app option is an excellent way to control the amount of screen time your kid receives because most phones and tablets have a built-in screen time control option.

Traditional Board Games

If all else fails, there are a ton of traditional board games that can be used for teaching cognitive skills (Memory), improving vocabulary ( Scrabble), strategy (chess) and developing deductive reasoning (Clue). These educational games have been teaching kids valuable skills for decades and, even in the modern age of technology, can still be quite fun for many children. Ultimately, you have to make the decision about which options are right for your family, but board games can be a way to get your kids to unplug while providing valuable bonding time.