What Makes Games a Priority?
Every Timberdoodle Curriculum Kit from Preschool and up includes at least one multiplayer game. We don’t just toss games in for giggles (though we love the giggles). We include them because they teach skills that no textbook can touch.
What the Research Shows
Games pack a serious punch when it comes to learning. They spark laughter and melt stress. They boost language and social skills. They teach kids to play fair, take turns, and work together. They sharpen memory, focus, logic, and spatial smarts. They help kids set goals, wait patiently, and bounce back after setbacks. And they give everyone a much-needed break from screens, without losing any learning momentum.
Why We Make Games a Big Deal
We’ve made games a core part of every kit for six really good reasons:
1. Games Build Social-Emotional Smarts
Kids build real friendships by playing together—and sometimes by arguing over whose turn it is. Games teach kids how to win without gloating and lose without sulking. These life lessons stick long after the game goes back on the shelf.
2. Games Sharpen Strategy
Planning moves, spotting patterns, solving problems—games sneak critical thinking into every turn. We choose games that stretch your child’s brain in just the right way. Kids feel like they’re playing, but they’re actually thinking three steps ahead.
3. Games Create Connection
Games make it easy to press pause on the to-do list and just enjoy each other. Whether you sneak in a round after lunch or launch a full-on family game night, you’re making space for laughter, memories, and inside jokes that last.
4. Games Train the Brain to Focus
Every game asks kids to follow rules, remember strategies, and shift gears when plans go sideways. That’s executive functioning in action—and kids build it without even noticing. Pretty smart, right?
5. Games Help Kids Handle Big Feelings
Games stir up excitement, suspense, and sometimes a bit of frustration. But here’s the brilliance: kids learn to roll with it. Games give them a safe space to feel big emotions and practice keeping their cool.
6. Games Nurture a Growth Mindset
We love it when kids start out saying, “I’m not good at this,” and end up mastering the game by year’s end. Games prove that practice pays off. They help kids believe they can grow—and that’s a lesson worth learning.
So, What Are You Waiting For?
Pick a game. Gather your crew. Watch your kids light up as they learn, laugh, and level up—no worksheets required.
