What Makes Games a Priority?

What Makes Games a Priority?

Every Timberdoodle curriculum kit includes at least one multiplayer game. Games are not just for fun (though they are!). They are essential to education because they help children develop skills that textbooks cannot.

The Research

Here’s just a fragment of what games can do for your child:

  • Increase laughter and reduce stress
  • Build language and social skills
  • Teach rules, fair play, and teamwork
  • Develop problem-solving, creativity, and focus
  • Strengthen memory, analytical thinking, and spatial ability
  • Promote goal-setting, patience, and emotional regulation
  • Offer a chance to unplug from screens

Here are six reasons we’ve made games a top priority in our kits:

1. Social-Emotional Intelligence

Strong friendships grow from shared experiences and navigating challenges together. Games teach kids how to win graciously and lose humbly—two skills that will serve them in every area of life. A simple “Good game!” is a great start, but the true goal is to nurture humility—avoiding frustration in defeat and boasting in victory. These lessons stick long after the game ends.

2. Strategic Thinking

Critical thinking is a must-have skill, and games make learning it fun. Every game in our kits is selected to challenge kids with age-appropriate logic and strategy. Games naturally build this ability, whether it’s planning a move, predicting an outcome, or solving a problem.

3. Connection

As your child grows more independent, it’s easy to feel like quality time together is harder to find. Games are the perfect solution. They allow your family to laugh, bond, and create shared memories. Whether it’s a quick game after lunch or a family tournament, games build relationships in a way nothing else can.

4. Executive Functioning

Executive functioning is the ability to organize and prioritize information. Simply put, it’s like having a superpower for solving problems. Games constantly push kids to track opponents’ moves, follow the rules, manage their strategies, and make decisions based on logic. Games are a fun way to build these critical skills, from guessing the correct number to planning the perfect move.

5. Emotional Regulation

Games provide a natural way to practice controlling emotions. Think about it—how often do you experience a rollercoaster of emotions during a game? Excitement, frustration, suspense, or even disappointment are all part of the experience.

By playing games, kids learn to stay calm and problem-solve under pressure. This skill isn’t just for kids—it’s essential for adults, too. After all, you wouldn’t want a surgeon to panic in the middle of a complicated operation. Games help kids practice staying calm, even in challenging situations.

6. Growth Mindset

Some kids (and even adults!) believe they’re either naturally good at something or naturally bad at it. Phrases like “I’m just not a math person” or “I’ve never liked reading” reflect this fixed mindset.

Games show kids that practice makes progress. That game they struggled with at the start of the year might become their favorite by the end. Games teach kids they can improve, learn, and grow—a lesson they’ll carry into every part of life.

So, What Are You Waiting For?

Games aren’t just fun—they’re powerful tools for learning, connection, and growth. So grab a game, gather your family, and watch your kids thrive in ways you never imagined!