Kids Learning Games » Learning Experience

Eight Great Ways to LEARN to Be a Kid Again

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:41:31 +0000

Most of us have taken at least one walk down the aisles of Toys “R” Us. There’s no better place than a toy store to observe these truths: Learning is fun. Learning is kid stuff.
Kids are smart enough to reject anything they don’t like, yet many of the most popular toys are dedicated to teaching them something new. Note the tremendous success of the LeapFrog® toys. They teach reading, writing and more, and kids love them.

No matter your age, abilities or income level, you can always be a learner. People who continue to grow and learn are happy – like kids. Here are eight great ways to keep that childlike grin on your face while you learn:

1. Fire Up Your Desire to Learn with Fun

At its best, learning is a form of entertainment. Next time you walk down the toy aisle, notice how many ways the educational toys make learning fun. They use music, color, pictures and physical interaction. How much more interesting is that than sitting for an hour listening to an important but dull lecture? No wonder the really great educational toys are so popular.

Studying a topic that interests you shouldn’t require a double espresso to keep you from falling asleep. If that’s happening, you might have the wrong instructor. Who needs that? Seek out trainers who know how to deliver a message with punch. Not only will you enjoy it more, you’ll want to learn and you’ll retain more of the information.

In my training seminars and conferences, I strive to provide a one-of-a-kind learning experience. I educate with entertainment – music, games, contests and humor. It’s all connected to the topic I’m presenting, and the students’ brains just soak it up. In the process, their careers are reignited, and so is mine.
Education should be entertaining. Commit to having fun while you learn.

2. Keep the Flame of Learning Alive with Variety

Advanced learning is essential. So is brushing your teeth. But just because learning is essential to your career, doesn’t mean it has to be as monotonous as brushing your teeth.

Every day of my life I have fun reading at least one book and often have several open at one time. A few minutes of study on each book keeps my interest stimulated, I retain the material better and I often find myself synthesizing information from the various sources. I also listen to audio programs while driving. Not only is this a fun way to learn and improve myself, it also keeps me calmer and more relaxed in traffic. I tried watching videos, but that seemed to excite the other drivers.

No matter what the subject, you can find a variety of interesting ways to further your knowledge and expertise. Open a book. Listen to an audio presentation. Watch an educational video. Start a study group with other lifetime students.

The same principle applies to the teachers and mentors you learn from. Choose those who have something interesting to say and an interesting way of saying it. Don’t hesitate to have more than one mentor with different experience and teaching styles for different subjects. While one-on-one personalized mentoring is ideal, you’ll find a world of varied and specific information presented by excellent speakers on audio and video. The varied approaches will enable you to better absorb each subject from the most appropriate teacher and will keep you stimulated and eager to learn.

Learning shouldn’t lull you to sleep. Commit to learning from a variety of teachers and choose the learning modes that keep you excited about learning every day.

3. Seek Out Teachers from the Trenches Who Make Learning Fast and Easy

In all my years of education, I’ve discovered that there are basically two ways to learn:

You can choose the hard way, figuring things out on your own by trial and error and making lots of mistakes. You’ll do some of this anyway, but it’s a slow path to success.

OR you can choose the easy way, learning from mentors who have already overcome any challenge you might encounter and already discovered the solution. The right mentor is eager to share those answers with you and set you on a smoother, easier road to knowledge. The best continuing education is immediate and applicable. Going back to college is not the way to change your life’s work. Your best bet is to seek the fast-track education route to business success. You want a nontraditional program designed specifically to deliver the information you need in a form you can use immediately.

All teachers and training programs are not created equal. Learning shouldn’t have to be an uphill struggle. Commit to finding the wildly successful teachers and targeted training programs that can make the process fast and easy for you.

4. Be Willing to Learn from Anyone and Everyone

Never fall into the trap of educational snobbery – “Oh, I have my MBA, JD, PhD, etc. , etc. – I couldn’t possibly learn from a secretary. “

I’m open to learning from anyone. Four times a year, 20+ Institute staff members of all levels plus outside consultants gather around our big conference table for a focused, all-day brainstorming session. We work hard on a number of strategically selected topics, and we include frequent breaks for eating and exercise to keep the day interesting and fun. These brainstorm sessions have contributed tremendously to the phenomenal growth of my business.

Not all CEOs agree with my egalitarian take on learning. When I recommended company-wide brainstorming to a CEO group I belonged to, all they saw was the cost of shutting down their businesses for the day. They didn’t understand that an idea from a $12-per-hour employee could launch a new division, service or product, adding tremendous value to the company for years to come.

You’ll find mentors in many guises, from business associates to family members, friends and colleagues. Although I’ve been in my business for more than two decades, I still learn every day – not only from recognized experts, but especially from my students and staff members, outside consultants and vendors, favorite writers and speakers, and other CEOs.

Learning possibilities aren’t limited to “learned” teachers or a classroom setting. Stay open to learning everywhere you go, from everyone you know.

5. Make Sure You Learn the Right Stuff

We ask college students, “What’s your major?” Life is a college of its own, and we all learn every day. The important question to ask yourself is: “Am I learning the things that will make a difference in my life or things that won’t enhance it at all?” For example, are you mastering techniques for expanding your professional skill set or absorbing the intimate details of the characters on a TV sitcom?

Successful people do not major in minor things. Massively successful people focus on learning the right things. Do you want to learn about the life of a movie star or about a topic that will make you the star of your own life?

To be excellent at learning, laser in on the topics you need to succeed. Where you focus is where you get results. If you want big results, focus on Big Things.

6. Make the Most of Every Learning Opportunity – Even Those Disguised as SNAFUs

Life is a learning smorgasbord. Try to learn from every experience, good or bad. Even in a crisis, you can always glean something positive.

I happened to be in New York City in August 2003 and experienced the blackout firsthand. I looked around me and studied others who survived this negative situation in different ways, from children to adults, from doctors to lawyers to hotdog vendors. Through my observations, I learned this lesson, “Don’t let a communication blackout come between you and your clients. ” I then wrote an article about this business world application of a SNAFU, and made sure I applied this lesson to my own business.

Life is full of lessons, both large and small. A bad experience is only bad if you don’t learn from it. Commit to learning from each experience, even the “negative” ones.

7. Carve Out the Time for Learning

If continued education still sounds daunting, remember that you don’t need hours a day as you did in college. Commit to reading 30 minutes a day on a topic you find interesting and intriguing. Commit to listen to an audio program while driving or to watch an educational video while exercising.

You’ll also find appropriate classes and other informational material online and even on educational television. Just don’t get sucked into wasting irreplaceable time on the junk that prevails on these media. Subscribe to electronic newsletters that feed your learning in a focused way.

Like any journey, a lifetime of fun and learning starts with the smallest step. Commit to finding the time for learning wherever and whenever you can.

8. Make Learning a Lifetime Priority for Growth and Fun

In today’s information age, believing you can launch or grow a successfulbusiness or career without continuing education is a guarantee of failure. Successful people respect the complexity of their professions. They become students for life.

Researchers say most of us have learned 80% of everything we know by the time we’re eight years old, when we’re still enthralled by every new discovery. How sad is that? I don’t know about you, but I like to think I’m a lot smarter now than when I was eight.

Rekindle that childhood enthusiasm. Pick up a book today. Turn off the TV and tune in to an inspirational speaker. This is the best New Year’s resolution you can make for yourself.

Learning really is kid stuff. Commit to enjoying it. Start today. Be a child again.

Disney Games – Learning While Playing Can Be Fun

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:35:37 +0000

Developing a child’s fine motor skills is extremely important. This can be done through playing various games. Not only are the fine motor skills developed through play, gross motor skills and cognitive language skills are also learned.
A push toy can assist a toddler in his or her gross motor skills, and kicking a ball helps the child to learn balance and coordination.
When a child plays catch, his or her hand-eye coordination and grasping skills are being developed. Both of these skills are major fine motor skills that a child will carry into their adult life.
Whether play a game of tag or jumping rope to a sing a long, your child’s motor skills are being developed. A rhyming sing a long can assist your child in learning semantics.
Disney Games were specially designed to assist children in their development while have tons of fun doing it. The activities offer opportunities for the child to learn and develop while in playtime.
Kids Just Love Them!
Children love to play games of all kinds. Unstructured playtime is just as important as structured playtime. A child does not realize that they are developing skills, or learning, they only know that they are having fun. Disney games provide learning experiences and fun at the same time. A child will choose the game that they have most fun playing and often, it is a Disney game.
Perhaps the reason a child chooses a Disney game most often is because they contain all of the characters that they recognize from their favorite movie. The rules are easy to follow and easy to remember. Your child will spends hours playing and laughing and having fun.
There are many different types of Disney games for all age groups. For small children, board games with large child safe pieces allow a child to recognize the characters will provide a fun learning experience.
Video games allow older children to also recognize their favorite characters, but it allows for interactive playtime allowing your child to decide what to do in certain situations. These video games are also available online. Your child is more likely to identify with the games more closely if they know the characters
Learn While Playing
Learning colors shapes and numbers are an important step in your child’s development. Children have a natural curiosity and want to learn.
There is a Disney game for each step in your child’s development that will provide hours of fun filled playtime while their skills are being developed.
Summary:
Studies have concluded that it is through play that children learn best. The motor skills that are developed by playing Disney games will assist your child in achieving their goals, as they get older. The satisfaction that a child feels when they win a game or complete a task is evident on their face.

Why Disney Games Enjoy Such Popularity Amongst Kids?

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:34:19 +0000

Disney games have been very popular for decades. They keep our children entertained for hours, while teaching them skills they will need later in life.
There are many different types of Disney games. Whether your child is playing online or a board game there are so many options that they are sure to offer hours of playtime.
Sites like disneyplayhouse. com offers games for even the youngest player. The games are fun and colorful and offer a unique learning experience combine with action and adventure. For your older children, disneygamecafe. com offers more sophisticated games that are just as fun and are also downloadable for hours of enjoyment. Many adults enjoy playing these games with their children.
Of course, the board games that Disney created that kept kids entertained are still available. These are still the favorite among many children because the games contain the characters of their favorite Disney movies.
Disney games also include video games. A new console that has been introduced to the market is called “Disney Game – It. ” The games for this system still offer the Disney character only in a portable unit similar to other hand held games.
Popularity Of Disney Games
Playhousedisney. com is especially designed with preschoolers in mind. They can sign in every morning to play free games that are designed around the characters that are on the Disney channel.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jo Jo’s Circus, Handy Manny, Higgly Town Heroes are among the many shows that the Disney channel airs that are part of the playhousedisney. com games.
What is unique about this website is that each of these characters has a special section of the Disney game website that allows the child to use their imagination and create the characters wardrobe and add accessories.
Disneygamecafe. com is geared more toward older children and adults. The games on this site are free for the trial period and then need to be paid for after it ends. Characters from Aladdin, Kim Possible and Cinderella are among the games that are offered. They are fully downloadable and offer hours of fun for children of all ages.
Why Kids Enjoy Disney Games
When a child knows and identifies with the characters in a video game or on a website, they naturally want to play the games more often.
Children enjoy playing these games because they can interact with the lovable and not so lovable characters of Disney. Both website games and video games allow the child to interact with the game play.
Of course, older children know that cartoon characters are not real. However they still love to play games based on Disney characters. The Disney games that are for older children revolve are characters from Hannah Montana and that’s So Raven.
The games offer challenges like problem solving and puzzles that teenagers deal with in every day life. It gives them the ability to choose different solutions and pick which one is best.
Not Everything Is Fun
Most of these games that are offered online and offline are basically the same game with different characters. The child will play the same game only with different characters and not even realize it. He or she could play the same game over and over to learn the concept and develop a strategy to win.
Summary:
Whether it is a board game, video game or online game, Disney games are available to everyone from the very young to the young at heart.

5 Creative Ways to Make Playtime a Learning Experience for your Kid

admin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:47:26 +0000

Playtime is one of the most enjoyable activities that kids love. It is also a highly-anticipated activity especially during weekends and summer vacations when kids have a long time-off from school. But learning while away from school is possible and it doesn’t have to be boring all the time. By incorporating fun learning activities, parents can ensure that their kids are always well-informed whether they’re in or out of the classroom. (1) Play the “chore game”Who says playing and doing chores cannot mix? The “chore game” is a parent-and-kid activity that you can always play while the kids are at home. It helps building your child’s sense of responsibility while showing him/her how to do it and what items go with it. For example in the garden, you can let your kid identify the tools you’ll be using in weeding and cultivating your tomatoes. Another is when you’re cleaning the house, you can ask your kid to identify a household item and associate it with a particular usage. (2) Nature tripping and spotting the flora and faunaNature trips such as a walk at the park or just by staying at your backyard can be very educational for your kids. You can go bird watching, insect spotting or identifying the various shapes of leaves as you walk pass them. Another is by going to the beach. If your kids love building sand castles, you can teach them about shapes and how to be creative with them. By letting your kids feel and use the sand in creating their works of art, you are allowing them to explore their creativity without even talking them into it. (3) Turn that wall into a kid art galleryKids love using crayons, pencils and colored pens. But most of them love using these colorful markers on the walls of your house! Yep, many kids use the walls of their houses in drawing and writing their names on. There are coloring books and sketch pads, but a huge wall is perfect for scribbling and drawing in large scale. Instead of telling your kids not to draw or write anything on your big, blank wall, tell them you’ll allow them to use it to create their works of art. It is rewarding for your kids to enjoy their freedom without being scolded at, because expressing their artful creativity is a way for them to convey of how they see the world around them. By allowing them to express their creativity also allows them to improve and grow their craft over time. (4) Bake, cook and play at the same timeThe fun part about baking and cooking is usually the tasting of the finished meals and pastries. But this time, let your kids help you with the preparation from beginning to end. Going to the grocery is the initial step as there are many things that your kid can see and learn from this place. Grocery shopping can be playtime to a kid, so why not use that opportunity to teach your kids how to identify ingredients, use math in computing price differences, and counting the right amount of money when it’s time to check out at the counter. At home, you can designate the measuring of ingredients, the mixing and the final touches prior to the actual baking or cooking. When it’s time to serve the pastries, let your kid decorate and plate them properly with your guidance of course. If it is a home-cooked meal, let your kid garnish the meal and serve it to family or guests. These small gestures give your kids a sense of pride and accomplishment even if it’s just a regular thing for you. (5) TV or movie time can be fun timeTV shows such as the long-running kid show Sesame Street is an educational and fun way to let your kids learn from characters, adults and kids alike. A cartoon movie such as Pocahontas tells a historical tale, while Hercules tells of a legendary God based on mythology. Letting your kids enjoy and learn may be a challenge. But with the aid of practical parenting tactics, household items, playtime stuff and your goal to make your kids enjoy, learning something out of playtime is achievable and worthwhile.

Computer Game, a Useful Teaching Aid

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:23:10 +0000

As we know that children are not like adults so teaching them requires a lot of energy and patience. It is in general that which touches the heart is remembered the most so is with children. Kids favor playing than studying or serious job and this could be apply while teaching them any subject.Computer game is possibly the best the fastest and the easiest way to help them collecting information, knowledge and develop skill. Online kid’s game also help them to learn to spell; read, count, and do basic math while having a great interaction with the other players online.

A computer game has proved itself to be a useful teaching aid making learning experience for the children interesting. There are arrays of online kid’s game , most of which you will find are free of charge. You can also come across paid online kid’s game that will charge you to access the games on those particular sites. There are many games available on net for children but not all games are beneficial. So here parents play a vital role in the selection of good games for their children. Online games that can teach reading skills, math skills, and many other aspects of learning are best because it provides two fold benefits. It helps to acquire knowledge and fun both at the same time. The online kid’s games comes in a package of vibrant colors, super quality sound and the idea of playing with their parents making the children have fun with their parents.

Playing computer games enables the player to learn the use of mouse, keyboard, and viewing the screen. Thus they can practice paying attention on doing something on the screen and manipulating the keys on the keyboard without looking at it. Thus they learn to type without looking at it. Next they also develop their thinking power in an urge to win the game. Various situations in games persuade them to think to bring out solutions to any kind of problems. Online multiplayer games help the children to learn to co-operate and interact to obtain better result.

Presently with the advent of many high-tech toys such as voice changer software, children gathering into a group or a community during their games can choose a distinguished voice by adjusting Pitch and timbre of this voice changer so that team’s members can easily distinguish their partners from their enemies. Such groundbreaking tools enable the kids a lot in unfolding the technology. In addition to it creating game community favors children to improve their teamwork skill which is useful for them in their future.

By: Bob Flushman