Ask any parent about the best way to keep a child occupied and sitting in one position for more than 10 minutes and the answer will mostly be “Hand them a video game!” Though we try to impose restrictions and limit the time spent on electronic items such as games or the computer, an easier way might be to introduce children to games that are fun as well as educational. In this way, we can utilize the time that is going to be spent on playing games anyway, in an effective and positive way.

Free Educational Games Online:You can find a multitude of learning games for kids on online sites which can be played free of cost. These are usually even provided in a grade-wise grouping which makes it easy to find age appropriateness for your child. Do make sure that you scout around and check out the site online before you let your child play any game unsupervised especially for younger children. You will even find fun games for kids that help motor skills, such as painting or typing games, as well as a variety of math games for kids. Some of the most popular games are:

• Coloring games like this which educates the child about colors as well as teaches them motor control in a fun way.
• Math games like this one in which the child gets to play a game like pac-man and also solve some simple math problems along the way.
• Sites like this also give a grade-wise selection of games.

Using gadgets effectively: Children are instantly attracted to gadgets like tablets or phones and pick up navigation skills to get around these devices even faster than an adult can. Parents can ensure that devices are updated with the current apps and newer games, choosing a combination of fun and educational games. Kids spend a lot of time on gadgets especially when you may be traveling and there may be nothing else to entertain them, so by choosing the best educational games for kids, you can make sure that they can learn along with play.“Super Why” has been named as one of the best educational Apple apps for kids, by Parenting.com,

Board Games: Whenever possible, parents can also sit with children and play games such as Scrabble which are great for building vocabulary. Initially they might need a little parental guidance unlike with some online games or apps, but once the child gets an idea of the rules, they can start playing with friends and spread the enthusiasm too.

As we can see, there are many games that we can choose from to help our kids have fun and learn at the same time. Another way to make learning fun and easy is to introduce them to mental math techniques through Abacus classes at Aloha USA. Please see our website for more details: http://www.aloha-usa.com/. Also, follow us on Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/aloha.usa and on Twitter @AlohaKidsMath for continuous updates on your child’s learning development!