Four Free Strategy Games To Help Children Think
Posted: Monday, February 01, 2010
by Andrew Low
http://www.family-games-treasurehouse.com
Good thinking skills do not seem to be very common. I, like most people I know, seem to base decisions on feelings rather than thought. I know chocolate is not as healthy for me as vegetables, yet I still prefer chocolate. Do you feel the same?
Children who learn to develop good thinking skills while they are young have a head start in life. Four particular thinking skills that are important are:
Brainstorming - investigating all possible choices, beyond the obvious ones
Consequences - looking carefully to see where each choice may lead
Linear Planning - breaking down a complex task into a series of manageable steps
Logic is the best way to choose between different options since it bypasses the emotions with all the problems they can cause. You still have the option of following your feelings but at least you have considered the best solution through logic and reason. Children who play Checkers (or Draughts) will soon discover that moving pieces at random is a sure fire way to lose to another player who uses logical thinking.
Brainstorming teaches children to look beyond the obvious choices. This is especially important where achieving short-term goals may make it difficult to achieve long-term goals. It is also important to look at better or easier ways of achieving your goal. An historical example comes from an 1858 game of Chess between Paul Morphy and his two opponents who worked together. During his sixteenth move of the game he apparently made a mistake and lost his Queen - normally an extremely bad move. However, he won the game on his next move since he was willing to think beyond the obvious short-term goal (saving his Queen) to the long-term goal (winning the game).
Consequences are probably the most important thinking skill a child can learn. One choice may seem quite attractive until you consider the results of following that choice before it becomes too late to change. Boxes is a simple game that teaches this concept. Two players take turns to draw lines between dots on a sheet of paper, with the aim of completing as many boxes for themselves while denying their opponent the chance to complete any boxes. Placing a line in the wrong position can hand the other player a number of boxes and lose the game, something I learned first-hand when I played against my son one day. It is much better to learn the skill of considering the consequences while playing a game than to learn it later in life when the results may be far more serious.
Consequences are probably the most important thinking skill a child can learn. One choice may seem quite attractive until you consider the results of following that choice before it becomes too late to change. Boxes is a simple game that teaches this concept. Two players take turns to draw lines between dots on a sheet of paper, with the aim of completing as many boxes for themselves while denying their opponent the chance to complete any boxes. Placing a line in the wrong position can hand the other player a number of boxes and lose the game, something I learned first-hand when I played against my son one day. It is much better to learn the skill of considering the consequences while playing a game than to learn it later in life when the results may be far more serious.
Logic, Brainstorming, Consequences and Linear Planning are problem solving skills that all children should learn, to prepare them for their future. Many commercial games are available that can assist children to learn these skills, but free strategy games like Checkers, Chess, Boxes and Tower of Hanoi Card Game can make learning these skills enjoyable. Isn't that worth considering for your child's future?
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