Both in the classroom and at home, games not only reinforce academic skills but also help children develop socio-emotional skills, improving their ability to interact with others, manage their emotions, and resolve conflicts. 

In the field of child neurodevelopment, cognitive development is one of the fundamental pillars for holistic growth. This process encompasses various skills such as attention, reasoning, language, memory…

Fortunately, there are many ways to stimulate these areas, but games and playful activities remain a powerful tool for fostering effective learning.

Despite the many efforts by professionals dedicated to neurodevelopment to explain the benefits of play, the reality is that games are increasingly being left out as a tool for cognitive development.

Last week, during one of our visits to schools, we entered a 1st-grade classroom and were struck by the materials and resources available to the children. What especially caught our attention was a box of games (I included the photo I took with the teacher’s permission so you can get ideas for your classrooms) and activities, as well as a dress-up corner. It had been so long since we had seen that in primary education classrooms that we were genuinely moved, and we congratulated and hugged the teacher.

The classroom is indeed the ideal space to promote cognitive development according to the children’s stage and needs. It is crucial for teachers to understand that by using games, they are not only making learning more dynamic but also promoting the acquisition of key skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making—skills that are essential throughout our lives.

Here, I must make a point. Often, it’s not just the teachers but also the administrations and even parents who demand books, worksheets, and frenzied, nonsensical studying at certain stages. We are ALL responsible for the education of our children, not just the teacher standing in front of the class.

Now, let’s get back to what we wanted to share in this article.

It is through games that opportunities are created for children to face challenges, make decisions, reflect, and experiment with different solutions. Integrating playful activities into the daily routine of the classroom may seem like a challenge, but with the right approach, games can become a fundamental part of learning in each subject.

And so as not to stay in the pretty theory that we all know but tend to forget, I’ll share some ideas. These first activities can be easily integrated into the classroom. And I’ll tell you when they are ideal:

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUBJECT

1. “Broken Telephone”: promotes active listening, attention, and memory. In this game, you can use concepts or content that has already been covered (or, if a topic is going to be introduced, the students’ prior knowledge on that topic).
2. “Absent-Minded Mailman”: this is the written version of the first game. Here, literacy skills are also incorporated. One student starts by writing a phrase or word related to the theme, passes it to another student, who must add an idea or related word, and so on until the teacher calls STOP. The student holding the paper must read aloud what is written so that, together, they can clarify the ideas.

AT THE END OF THE SUBJECT

1. “Memory”: besides strengthening memory, it helps to reinforce the content covered in a playful and fun way.
2. Word Puzzles and Logic Games: develop problem-solving, analytical thinking, and planning skills (puzzles, tangrams, sudoku…).
3. Role-Playing Games: encourage empathy, creativity, and the ability to understand different perspectives and apply concepts to daily life (playing shop or restaurant helps with language, literacy, and math).

How do we include this in the routine? When we are always rushing to cover all the content we have to teach!

First, understand that games are not a “filler” or entertainment but an essential part of the curriculum. And as such, it is NOT time when we abandon everything. Rather, we must plan the activity according to the objectives we want to achieve, but do it in a fun way.

For example, one of the weekly math sessions (or even better, 15 minutes of the daily math session—because, let’s be honest, it’s absurd to think that children will pay attention for 45 minutes straight), we can play games that help reinforce arithmetic concepts in a fun way.

Another way to incorporate them is to allow children to choose a playful activity every Friday at the end of the day (again, proposed by the teacher depending on what they want to work on or the goal they want to achieve). In teams, pairs, or however the teacher prepares, the children will be reinforcing content naturally, motivating, and stimulating.

We can also use a game format to review content before an exam, like a team quiz. And we can go even further to motivate students to learn. These teams earn points, and at the end of the term, if all teams reach 2000 points, they get a field trip! (even if it’s just to the park next to the school to spend a different picnic day).

And at home, what happens? Learning should not stop when they leave the classroom. But this doesn’t mean they should keep doing worksheets like crazy until they get so bored that they hate school, the teacher, reading, and anything related—WHEN IT SHOULD BE THE OPPOSITE BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE NATURALLY CURIOUS AND SCIENTISTS!!!!!!!

As I was saying, parents play a crucial role in the cognitive development of their children by continuing activities at home. And of course, we can continue with games and activities that spark the excitement of learning.

Contrary to what many parents think, playing is not a waste of time. Playing should be the fundamental occupation of children. And I’ll explain what we can foster with those “silly” games we have at home, so next time you see them, you look at them with more affection.

1. Cards and board games: besides having fun family time, we are stimulating essential cognitive skills that teachers need in the classroom for formal learning. They teach rules, self-control, planning, ideation, attention, and managing frustration (PLEASE DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN WIN, OR THEY WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE FRUSTRATION!).
2. Shared reading: we don’t always have to demand that our children read. This only teaches them that reading is a compulsory activity, when it can actually be very enjoyable. Sharing a book, taking turns reading, talking about what was read, adding information or experiences to the reading; fosters reading comprehension, active listening, memory, the ability to connect concepts and ideas, critical thinking…
3. Outdoor games: treasure hunts, following a map, hiking or biking trails. Not only are these healthy activities, but they also encourage planning, spatial-temporal orientation, problem-solving, exploration, coordination…

Cognitive development is an essential part of children’s growth. We all agree on that. But we need to understand that cognitive development in children doesn’t occur in the same way as in adults. For children to achieve full cognitive development, they must play. They must touch, explore, experiment, and move. Therefore, expecting them to learn while sitting throughout the entire class period during primary school stages is quite ineffective (although probably more comfortable for adults).

Both in the classroom and at home, playful activities provide a safe and engaging environment for children to learn while having fun. By integrating these games and activities into the daily routine, both parents and teachers will be fostering fundamental skills that children will need throughout their lives.

At DyLes, we firmly believe in the power of play as a tool for learning and cognitive development. That’s how we design our sessions, our family and educational advice, our workshops…

DON’T FORGET TO PLAY!