Back To School: 5 Easy Ways to “Gamify” Your Classroom

Welcome back, teachers! The classroom is happy to see your return! The beginning of the school year brings optimism, excitement and eagerness to both teach and learn.

We all know that there are many ways to teach: direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, personalized learning and game-based learning to name a few. This article focuses on the last of these methods – game-based learning.

There are many ways to easily and functionally incorporate game-based learning into your classroom. Here are our top 5:

Offline learning games – Bring back old-school playtime. Keep a selection of board games and card games for early finishers and/or lesson support. Uno, Go Fish, Monopoly, MasterMind and Payday are all great options depending on your grade.

Core subject support for math – There are various games that support math practice and exploration. One of our favorites is Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks – dice games and manipulatives for math objectives.

Core subject support for writing – There are various games that support writing creativity and organization. One of our favorites is the Pass it on game – Write a story with your class by having each student write one line and pass it on to continue the story. Analyze the result. Did it make sense?

Learning enhancements – Enhance your students’ learning experience and prepare them for the real world with life skill games like MoneyPrep, teaching kids financial literacy with online learning games.

Roleplay games – A fun way to bring different perspectives alive. Acting out 2 sides of an issue is a fun way for students to learn and grow.

Try these 5 easy ways to gamify your classroom. Embrace learning through play as much as you can and have a wonderful, fun and successful year ahead!