Gamification: Why Kids Love it and Why You Should Too
Play - is a game changer
What do Minecraft, Soccer, and Escape Rooms have in common?
You guessed it — they are all games.
And each has a lot to teach kids.
Imagine an activity that not only captivates your kids’ attention but also makes learning feel like play. Your kids eagerly engage, forgetting the ‘work’ of learning.
This magic happens through gamification, a powerful tool that not only captures kids’ enthusiasm but also enhances their learning experiences. And it can be used in any type of lesson on or off the computer, or playing field.
What Gamification Looks Like
Our journey into gamification began with educational games like Webkinz and Poptropica, Go Fish, and Apples to Apples when my kids were little. They moved on to Minecraft and Fortnite, Scrabble, and Monopoly as they got older.
My kids went on virtual quests, solved puzzles, and earned rewards for completing challenges. From mastering math concepts to taking care of cute animals and exploring historical events, these games turned learning into a game.
When my kids played MathQuest and became time-traveling mathematicians, they navigated through different eras and solved math problems as part of a quest to unlock the next chapter in history. As though Pythagoras and Einstein were mentors guiding them through numerical challenges and making equations and formulas relevant — therefore interesting.
Gamification can also be as simple as adding a challenge competition or hunt to an ordinary math or history lesson; adding an element of play and figuring it out to get kids invested in finding the answer and winning points or a challenge.
This gamified approach not only made learning fun but also gave my kids a sense of accomplishment. It made learning an adventure my kids wanted to take rather than a tedious task.
How Gamification Engages Kids
Like our morning homeschool reading sessions that brought Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events to life, gamification injects excitement into learning. The interactive and dynamic nature of gamified learning keeps kids actively involved; their desire to meet the challenges of the game motivates them to gain any — and all skills required.
Learning becomes fun.
When my kids explored HistoryQuest, a gamified history app, they not only learned about historical events, but they actively participated in decision-making scenarios. Whether it was strategizing during wartime or navigating diplomatic challenges, the kids became time-traveling historians shaping the course of history.
It was equally as true when they did real-life (non-digital) scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, and tabletop games.
The element of choice and consequence in these games, regardless of whether they were digital or real-life, kept my kids engaged, curious, and ready to meet challenges.
Transform the Way Your Kid Perceives Challenges
Just as they loved second-guessing Count Olaf’s next evil scheme in our morning readings of A Series of Unfortunate Events, they (perhaps unwittingly) embraced educational challenges within games like Monopoly, Apples to Apples, Uno, or Scrabble.
The element of competition, whether against themselves or peers, motivated them to tackle complex problems and meet challenges with determination.
Because games are perceived as the opposite of homework and tests, they don’t carry with them the element of stress and worry about ‘getting it right.’ Instead, we play them fearlessly, we take chances, test ourselves, jump into challenges, and persevere.
The Value of Gamification Across Age and Skill Levels
When kids of different ages play the same game together, it has educational value for both younger and older kids.
Games and gamified lessons are often multi-player, ensuring collaboration, debate (otherwise known as disagreement and conflict resolution), communication, and skills building.
Younger kids might need to pause to improve their skills; they might need to look up more words if playing Scrabble or play more rounds and start over more times if playing Fortnite. Older kids might learn to guide or teach younger kids, developing empathy, communication, and teaching skills along the way.
When playing multiplayer style, younger kids are motivated to reach the level of older kids. Older kids are empowered to help guide and encourage younger kids (even if it takes everyone several rounds of gaming to achieve this ideal state).
The Power of Letting Your Kids Play and Learn
“Play is the highest form of research.” — Albert Einstein.
Gamification engages kids beyond traditional learning methods; it taps into their innate curiosity and playfulness.
The key is to embrace the aspect of PLAY in your kid’s learning process.
Learning through play is not a deviation from conventional education but an enhancement. It’s a dynamic approach that helps kids stay engaged and retain their sense of curiosity, adventure, and resilience.
Suppose your kid is glued to their Xbox and fighting their opponents, fiercely battling to keep their character in the game — they are also problem-solving, learning strategic thinking, collaborating, and challenging themselves to build resilience and grit. These are powerful skills that will hold them for life.
And if you prefer your kid gain these same skills but not be glued to the screen umpteen hours a day, there are tons of great tabletop and role-playing games that also have the magical ability to suck your kid into a world where they learn these same powerful skills. Many tabletop games also prompt kids to figure out scientific theories, how different chemicals or molecules react in chemistry, or how World War I started.
Kids don’t get discouraged when they have to struggle to achieve a challenge in-game. They go for it. They keep trying — and learning.
My kids’ experience with gamification didn’t decrease their interest in traditional learning; instead, it enhanced their curiosity. The gamified challenges became a gateway, inspiring them to delve deeper into related topics.
Games sparked their curiosity. When they needed to improve their skills or know more to keep playing the game, they looked it up. Their goal? To continue playing the game. The result? They learned loads more ‘school’ AND developed independent learning skills in the process.
Games sparked their curiosity about a much wider range of topics. Monopoly sparked discussions about the Industrial Revolution in the US and the advent of large companies in the railroad industry, energy industry, real estate, and banking. It sparked years of history lessons. Scrabble sparked discussions on the history and origin of words which branched out into mythology, Shakespeare, and the advent of modern English. Minecraft sparked my son’s interest in architecture, game development, and project management; he now owns and runs his own Minecraft-based gaming company.
What Gamified Learning Does for Your Kid
Games are a gateway to individualized immersive learning.
Gamified learning makes concepts more accessible. Whether you’re homeschooling or complementing traditional schooling, these resources offer flexibility.
Kids can engage in educational quests at their own pace, reinforcing concepts through repetition or exploring advanced challenges when ready.
Gamified learning transcends subject boundaries and builds an out-of-the-box learning experience.
It exposes kids to a range of ideas and helps them make connections between ideas breaking free of traditional subject boundaries.
We want kids who can make connections and think out of the box.
How to Use Gamification in Your Kid’s Education
Games — of every kind, including scavenger hunts and nature explorations— were a pivotal part of our homeschool learning strategy.
Educational apps and platforms offer tons of gamified experiences across various subjects and age groups. But so do tabletop (read: in person) games, debates, escape rooms, and team sports. From math puzzles to language quests, the options are diverse and cater to different learning styles.
Start by identifying your child’s interests and find gamified resources that align with those passions. If your child loves space, explore apps or tabletop or role-playing games that turn astronomy into an intergalactic adventure. For a budding scientist, some games simulate laboratory experiments and exploration. You can also do kitchen chemistry experiments which are essentially real-life games.
If you want to focus on ELA (English Language Arts), there are storytelling and wordplay games. If you don’t want your kids on the computer all day, there are loads of tabletop and role-playing games. If you’re a nature lover (as I am), there are a wide variety of scavenger and treasure hunt games designed to help[ your kids learn about nature, native species, seasons, climate, and environment.
The important thing is the element of play that games offer. Learning becomes a step (like scaffolding) on the way as your kid works to meet the challenges of the game.
How to Add Gamified Elements to Traditional Subjects
Turn math drills into a race against time, with rewards for completing challenges.
Transform history lessons into interactive quests where your kids can make decisions that impact the course of events.
Turn reading and ELA into role-playing or debates about what should have happened to say, Katniss, Peta, or Gale in The Hunger Games.
Tailoring gamification to your child’s interests is easier than you might think; with a little research, you can tap into endless possibilities.
Not sure where to start? Try the Teachers Pay Teachers marketplace for affordable gamified options as an easy way to test out types of gamified educational options your kid might resonate with.
The easiest way to blend gamification with traditional teaching and lessons is to start playing a little each day. Test out lots of different types of games until you see which kinds your kid engages with more intensely and then gradually become more intentional about which games you add.
Say, if you see they love math puzzles, but are struggling with a certain concept in their math lessons, hunt down games that deal with the specific concept and blend them into your curriculum. Even pause your regular curriculum for a while and focus on the game to help your child build confidence in the math concept and revive their sense of play.
If want to inspire your child to write more and read more, add storytelling games. Focus on the aspect of play, not on corrections to their reading or writing. The point is to help them engage and develop a love for the topic. They will gradually improve their skills — once they are having fun and become invested in the game.
The Gamification Advantage
My kids didn’t just love playing (educational) games; they loved the skills and knowledge they gained.
Gamification is a bridge between structured education and self-driven exploration.
Gamified learning develops a growth mindset that sees learning as continuous and connected to life experiences, rather than a series of isolated tasks.
Kids learn to face challenges and ‘level up’ their skills. It helps kids become adaptable and resilient. It also helps kids build critical thinking and problem-solving skills that extend beyond the classroom.
Gamification is a Catalyst
Gamification isn’t just a trend; it’s a catalyst for fostering a lifelong love for learning.
As parents and educators, embracing this shift in the educational landscape empowers us to make learning fun — therefore a meaningful and impactful experience for our kids.
Imagine a world where education is not tedious but exciting, where kids approach challenges with enthusiasm and curiosity.
Gamification opens the door to this world, inviting kids to explore, learn, and grow in a way that transcends traditional boundaries.
Embrace the game, and watch your child take hold of their learning, level up their skills, collaborate with siblings and peers, and integrate play with discovery.