BOARD GAMES

Great games Mike. The bright, colourful set out of the large board and well explained and easy to follow rules make them fun for everyone. I especially liked the way they enable the children to cooperate and work together to solve problems. The games are designed so as many children can play as are interested, you are not limited to only a certain number of children playing. The questions on the cards allow for genuine discussion and learning to take place. These games fit in perfectly with all 5 strands of Te Whariki the early childhood curriculum. I’m sure however that Primary School aged children would get just as much fun, enjoyment and learn out of them.

I have used Mike’s games while working with preschool children – children from 3 years 6 months of age, up to 5 years. Mike’s games are easy to use, and they encourage turn taking and group participation because there doesn’t have to be just one winner. Most of all, they are fun! The streaks of ‘silly nonsense’ keep children captivated as they play. As laughter effectively engages the learning areas of the brain; learning that teachers and adults tend to focus on – such as maths and literacy – happens seamlessly. In addition to this, the games all impart knowledge of the topic they concern – such as fire awareness, emergency services, and recycling. These games are durable, tough and great size for working with large groups.

These games sit beautifully within the principles of Te Whariki. They have been designed with a number of educational outcomes for children, enabling them to have fun as they learn about how to keep themselves and others safe. The large colourful game mats are ideal for working on a table or on the floor, allowing many children to be involved. I particularly like the literacy and numeracy elements and the opportunity for imaginative conversations between the children and Teacher. I believe these games would be a very useful tool to develop children’s knowledge about emergency services.