Playing Games Can Be Fun and Educational By Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., vice president of education, Sylvan Learning Center Many parents find themselves in the same dilemma year after year - do they buy their children the most popular board games or those that can help their children learn? Fortunately, the wide variety of board games available today creates a number of options that enable parents to buy their children games that are both fun and educational. When selecting games, parents should look for those that are challenging, but allow for success, and also leave room for a variety of play. Good games nurture a child's ideas and imagination, while growing with a child's changing interests. When purchasing board games, parents should choose board games that: Help with problem solving skills and computation speed and accuracy Build motor skills and help with following directions Enhance reading skills (instructions) and critical thinking skills Build reasoning and logic skills Help build vocabulary and word association skills Reinforce communication skills Encourage math discovery Reinforce basic math skills Board games are instrumental in a child's education and learning development. Countless board games are available for children of all ages and involve counting, rolling dice, word association and vocabulary. Board games can show children that learning extends beyond the classroom and playing games like Malarky®, Buzzword®, Such & Such®, and Toss Up® can help them develop a love of learning. Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., is vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center and directs all academic programs used in the Sylvan Learning Center network, including educational content and new curriculum. With more than 30 years of education experience, Dr. Bavaria is committed to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics for all students and seeks to continue Sylvan's position as the leader of supplemental instruction in those areas. 1,232,187 2011 Supporters