Study Shows Which is Better for Kids, Board Games or Video Games
When I was 9 years old I didn’t have any video games. If fact the only games we had were board games. As many people do, I actually still have a few of my favorites of those original games that I played as a kid. The games in the original boxes that followed me from house to house through the years include Battleship, Stratego, Chess, Twister, and Scrabble. It wasn’t until my teen years that I got my first video game system, but at that time it was much better to play video games at the arcade.
It turns out that my game-playing practices were a good thing because a new study by Chile’s Pontificia Universidad Catolica and shared by Forbes reveals that children, who play board games, perform better in school. Scientists studied several groups of 9-year-olds. They found that the group that played board games had better math scores than the ones that didn’t.
Dr. Jaime Balladares says, ”Board games enhance mathematical abilities for young children. Certain games can improve counting, addition, and the ability to recognize if a number is higher or lower than another, Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex math skills. Further studies should be designed to explore the effects that these games could have on other cognitive and developmental skills.”
Those who conducted the research analyzed nearly 20 studies where children as young as three, and no older than nine participated in special teacher, parent, and therapist-run board game sessions. It was discovered that board games which typically involve moving a piece around a board, or have a fixed set of rules that limit the moves a player can make, tend to be mathematically beneficial.
A few of the games used in the study include Chutes and Ladders, The Great Race, 100 House, and Gem Heroes. So dust off those old games, grab the kids, and get gaming!
4 of the Top Jobs NOT Suited for Millennials To Work
1. Factory Worker
It will be much too boring thanks to the lack of creativity and stimulation. The “tasks are repetitive and strictly defined, leaving no room for experimentation or personal touches.” Some people prefer this kind of job, but not those between 25 and 40 years old.
A man working in an engine manufacturing factory. (Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
2. Door-to-Door Sales Rep
Most of the solicitors showing up at my door recently appear to be under the age of 25. That small sample size tells me that Generation Z, as of today, is ok with this gig. However, for Millennials, the salary fluctuates too much month-to-month, which is one of the huge turn-offs.
An old residential street in the United States. (Photo by: Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
3. Travel agent or data entry clerk
Most know, including Millenials that these jobs are on their way to being almost obsolete. This is due to technology and very few people not already booking their own vacations online. Data entry is either done automatically or can be done very easily.
The window display of a travel agent shows a beach scene. (Photo by DAVID GANNON/AFP via Getty Images)
4. Coal Miner
Most Millennials are socially conscious and committed to sustainability. They’re looking to reduce their impact on the environment, not add to it. Working in this field would go against what they believe in, plus its really hard work and not really the most healthy choice for an occupation.
A miner stands in one of the tunnels at a coal mine on June 9, 2023. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov / AFP) (Photo by ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
