Rich really rounded out the term well with the last few Edtech topics. Last week was 3D printing, which I flew my nerd flag proudly. Then this week’s topic about video games and learning. I was huge into video games as a kid (I wish I was still now, but time and money make video games a non-priority… although winter break is coming up?!). I don’t recall using video games as a learning tool when I was in middle or high school, but I certainly remember the countless, or as my parents put it, wasted hours playing video games for fun. When I think of video games and learning, I remember my elementary school days of playing Oregan Trail, Treasure Mountain, Midnight Rescue, and Math Blaster. The classics. That probably dated me really well.

 

What’s really cool is that you can find most of those games for free online! I have actually started playing them with my five year old. He loves Treasure Mountain! Whenever we put our two year old down for his afternoon nap, my oldest knows it time to play computer games. The naivety that he doesn’t realize he’s actually learning math and reading. Muuuuhahahaha! Parenting win.
I love that time of the day spent with him. He gets to learn and have fun, and I get to reminisce over old video games that still hold true to their intentions. You can’t beat the classics. Next, I think I will dust off the old originals NES and let him play Mario 1 just to teach him the consequences of dying and having to start from the beginning. Kids these days with their save-points, back in my day…