The game is a fundamental pedagogical tool in the development of the students.
We are not really aware of the skills and abilities that arouse in them, because of this, they are able to invent imaginary situations of reality that themselves unknown. Bernabeu y Goldstein (2010) point out that "The game constitutes a resource of first order for the integral education of the student. Generally, in a free and enjoyable game, the child deploys all his previous learning and shows the strategies that he is able to use to solve the conflicts that the game poses. "(P.55)
We believe that the importance of the game in the development of human faculties and their ability for learning, leads us to realize that playful activity should be an important element in the classroom, not only in the initial levels but also in the advanced ones, since, it helps people to remain creative, tolerant and free throughout their lives.
We must realize the importance of the game in different fields of life and knowledge, such as play therapies, which, according to Schaefer (2011, cited in the Association for Play Therapy) defined it as "The systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process in which trained therapists use the therapeutic powers of the game to help clients prevent or solve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." (p.4)
Schaefer (2011) considers that the therapeutic powers of the game can be classified into eight general categories: communication, emotional regulation, relationship improvement, moral judgment, stress management, self-strengthening, preparation for life and self-realization.
We know that the game has many benefits in life. When children play, they learn to control their emotions and their desires so they can practice new skills without the structured limits of the "real world", in this way, they use the game to communicate. Schaefer (2011, cited in Landreth, 2002) states that "Play is the language of the child and toys are the words". (p.4)
We can find many types of games: symbolic games, building games, functional games, regulated games, board games...
Especially, board games are a very useful resource to work with the different abilities and various interests of children. All of them have in common their playful functionality.
Vélez (2017) highlights a series of board games that we can find:
- Strategy games: such as Chess, Checkers, Connect 4 or even the classic Domino that teach children to develop simple strategies or make decisions, so they are perfect to stimulate the autonomy of any child.
- Educational games: Although the best known educational board game is the Trivial there are many in the market that are the funniest. Children learn vocabulary with the Sracbble, geography with the Tourist, history with the Risk or show their creativity with the Pictionary.
- Concentration games: They are great to improve memory and the ability to focus on children. 'Simon says' is one of the funniest games in which children should pay close attention to not fail and other games like 'Who is who' are great for practicing memory and deduction skills. In addition there are the Puzzles varied and adapted to each age.
- Gambling: In other board games is chance or luck the true subject. In some, a certain dose of strategy is also needed, but what really counts is spending an exciting time playing Parchís, Goose, Snakes and Stairs or Monopoly.
- Card games: The cards offer infinite possibilities of play, from memory games for the little ones to poker for the most restless; the whole family can play cards in fun ways where the laughs are assured.
All these models can be taken as reference in the classroom and implemented according to the needs of our students and the subjects we want to work on.
According to C.E.P. La Vera (2017) the most relevant skills that are stimulated with games are among the most important, which an educational system can aspire: social and communicative skills, for a respectful and comprehensive treatment in the relationship with other people. The greatest beauty of board games is that they are played in a group with other people, the hand of a game is focused on their social interaction, and during that time each person can sometimes benefit and annoy others, the rest of the players.
All these interactions, combined with the fact that (generally) in each game there is only one winner, means that people who play learn or must learn to treat each other kindly, behave appropriately within the game, and put in practice the best sportsmanship of the Olympics (The important thing is to participate - play, in this case). But also, there are cooperative games where people play together in the game for a common goal; these games are excellent tools on the dynamics of teamwork. The majority of board games encourages memory and, in turn, work vocabulary.
You can choose games to cover a specific pedagogical need, to focus on a specific lesson, to reinforce knowledge, to help teachers to investigate how much of contents have been taught has really internalized by the students, or to apply the knowledge outside the context in which they learned. This implies going beyond the mere learning.
We must be aware that students can be interested in a board game for the fun of the game, and will continue to apply in the game beyond the pedagogical reinforcement for which they intend to use the game, for this reason, it is convenient to choose games of this type and introduce them into the classroom.
The game, this simple word represents countless experiences, discoveries, relationships and feelings. Its value is incalculable. For those who practice it, life becomes more pleasurable; those who despise it are dehumanized; for those who know it and are limited to the right to play, the result is a painful existence. (Umaña, 1995: 7).
According to Marielos Murillo Rojas (1996), the playful activity or game is an important way to express the deepest thoughts and emotions of being; which allows it to externalize internal conflicts of the person and minimize the effects of negative experiences. It promotes the integral development of the individual in a balanced way, in physical, emotional, social and intellectual aspects, favoring observation, reflection and critical thinking, enriching vocabulary, strengthening self-esteem and developing creativity.
Furthermore, the game is based on a constructivist learning, which means the need to give the student the necessary tools so that they can build their own procedures to solve a problem. So the student will develop both individual and social skills, as they are part of a group which have the same goals.
Learning through the game allows students to experiment in non-threatening scenarios and gain knowledge through practice and social interaction with the environment and peers.
It also gives the ability to capture the attention of students and ensure their full involvement -engagement. The motivating approach of the game turns the learning process into something dynamic and interesting, and allows children to get the objectives in a meaningful way.
Meaningful learning is also a part of the methodology, due to children get involved in overcoming the obstacles of the game, so they actually take advantage of their knowledge, of what they have learnt during the lessons to face challenges. They learn through experience so they will never forget.
As every game played in groups, cooperative learning is one of the main characteristics. Johnson and Johnson (1994) Postulate that there are five main principles that characterize successful cooperative learning situations. These principles are: positive interdependence, face-to-face promotive interaction, individual accountability and personal responsibility, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing.
We are not really aware of the skills and abilities that arouse in them, because of this, they are able to invent imaginary situations of reality that themselves unknown. Bernabeu y Goldstein (2010) point out that "The game constitutes a resource of first order for the integral education of the student. Generally, in a free and enjoyable game, the child deploys all his previous learning and shows the strategies that he is able to use to solve the conflicts that the game poses. "(P.55)
We believe that the importance of the game in the development of human faculties and their ability for learning, leads us to realize that playful activity should be an important element in the classroom, not only in the initial levels but also in the advanced ones, since, it helps people to remain creative, tolerant and free throughout their lives.
We must realize the importance of the game in different fields of life and knowledge, such as play therapies, which, according to Schaefer (2011, cited in the Association for Play Therapy) defined it as "The systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process in which trained therapists use the therapeutic powers of the game to help clients prevent or solve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." (p.4)
Schaefer (2011) considers that the therapeutic powers of the game can be classified into eight general categories: communication, emotional regulation, relationship improvement, moral judgment, stress management, self-strengthening, preparation for life and self-realization.
We know that the game has many benefits in life. When children play, they learn to control their emotions and their desires so they can practice new skills without the structured limits of the "real world", in this way, they use the game to communicate. Schaefer (2011, cited in Landreth, 2002) states that "Play is the language of the child and toys are the words". (p.4)
We can find many types of games: symbolic games, building games, functional games, regulated games, board games...
Especially, board games are a very useful resource to work with the different abilities and various interests of children. All of them have in common their playful functionality.
Vélez (2017) highlights a series of board games that we can find:
- Strategy games: such as Chess, Checkers, Connect 4 or even the classic Domino that teach children to develop simple strategies or make decisions, so they are perfect to stimulate the autonomy of any child.
- Educational games: Although the best known educational board game is the Trivial there are many in the market that are the funniest. Children learn vocabulary with the Sracbble, geography with the Tourist, history with the Risk or show their creativity with the Pictionary.
- Concentration games: They are great to improve memory and the ability to focus on children. 'Simon says' is one of the funniest games in which children should pay close attention to not fail and other games like 'Who is who' are great for practicing memory and deduction skills. In addition there are the Puzzles varied and adapted to each age.
- Gambling: In other board games is chance or luck the true subject. In some, a certain dose of strategy is also needed, but what really counts is spending an exciting time playing Parchís, Goose, Snakes and Stairs or Monopoly.
- Card games: The cards offer infinite possibilities of play, from memory games for the little ones to poker for the most restless; the whole family can play cards in fun ways where the laughs are assured.
All these models can be taken as reference in the classroom and implemented according to the needs of our students and the subjects we want to work on.
According to C.E.P. La Vera (2017) the most relevant skills that are stimulated with games are among the most important, which an educational system can aspire: social and communicative skills, for a respectful and comprehensive treatment in the relationship with other people. The greatest beauty of board games is that they are played in a group with other people, the hand of a game is focused on their social interaction, and during that time each person can sometimes benefit and annoy others, the rest of the players.
All these interactions, combined with the fact that (generally) in each game there is only one winner, means that people who play learn or must learn to treat each other kindly, behave appropriately within the game, and put in practice the best sportsmanship of the Olympics (The important thing is to participate - play, in this case). But also, there are cooperative games where people play together in the game for a common goal; these games are excellent tools on the dynamics of teamwork. The majority of board games encourages memory and, in turn, work vocabulary.
You can choose games to cover a specific pedagogical need, to focus on a specific lesson, to reinforce knowledge, to help teachers to investigate how much of contents have been taught has really internalized by the students, or to apply the knowledge outside the context in which they learned. This implies going beyond the mere learning.
We must be aware that students can be interested in a board game for the fun of the game, and will continue to apply in the game beyond the pedagogical reinforcement for which they intend to use the game, for this reason, it is convenient to choose games of this type and introduce them into the classroom.
The game, this simple word represents countless experiences, discoveries, relationships and feelings. Its value is incalculable. For those who practice it, life becomes more pleasurable; those who despise it are dehumanized; for those who know it and are limited to the right to play, the result is a painful existence. (Umaña, 1995: 7).
According to Marielos Murillo Rojas (1996), the playful activity or game is an important way to express the deepest thoughts and emotions of being; which allows it to externalize internal conflicts of the person and minimize the effects of negative experiences. It promotes the integral development of the individual in a balanced way, in physical, emotional, social and intellectual aspects, favoring observation, reflection and critical thinking, enriching vocabulary, strengthening self-esteem and developing creativity.
Furthermore, the game is based on a constructivist learning, which means the need to give the student the necessary tools so that they can build their own procedures to solve a problem. So the student will develop both individual and social skills, as they are part of a group which have the same goals.
Learning through the game allows students to experiment in non-threatening scenarios and gain knowledge through practice and social interaction with the environment and peers.
It also gives the ability to capture the attention of students and ensure their full involvement -engagement. The motivating approach of the game turns the learning process into something dynamic and interesting, and allows children to get the objectives in a meaningful way.
Meaningful learning is also a part of the methodology, due to children get involved in overcoming the obstacles of the game, so they actually take advantage of their knowledge, of what they have learnt during the lessons to face challenges. They learn through experience so they will never forget.
As every game played in groups, cooperative learning is one of the main characteristics. Johnson and Johnson (1994) Postulate that there are five main principles that characterize successful cooperative learning situations. These principles are: positive interdependence, face-to-face promotive interaction, individual accountability and personal responsibility, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing.