Game or knowledge? Both can be combined with educational and interactive games. They are a great choice for developing children, as they spend quality time playing while also developing skills and acquiring new knowledge. It is a way to keep them engaged throughout the day, while such games spark their interest and keep them alert.

What, then, are the benefits of engaging with this type of games?

1. Expand Horizons

Educational games stimulate children's minds, encouraging problem-solving and critical thinking. Whether it's puzzles, creation and learning sets or science-related games, they can engage children in thinking out of the box. This way, children become more creative and gain knowledge on their own. Beyond knowledge and skills, these games help them gain self-confidence, take initiative, and feel that they can achieve significant things on their own.

Some examples of games and how they can help a child are:

• Abacuses and games with letters & numbers, which help children develop perception and enhance their logic as they begin to understand how to construct structures.
• Robotics and science experiment games, which promote understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on activities.
• Meanwhile, knowledge games develop concentration and improve memory skills.

Interesting Fact: Children who engage in activities that require them to think and keep their minds alert acquire essential components of intellectual development.       Strategic ability, decision-making, and problem-solving.

2. Enhance Motor Skills

Interactive games, on the other hand, can contribute to the development of motor skills - especially those that require physical interaction. There are games like yo-yos, slingshots, and spinning tops that give children the opportunity to practice hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. Additionally, there are sports games that engage both the mind and body, such as hoops, balance games, and hopscotch, which combine kinematics and critical thinking.

3. They Contribute to Emotional & Social Development

You will find educational games that primarily aim to teach children empathy, teamwork, and collaboration. Board games and role-playing and imitation games are some of those that encourage interaction with other kids, helping them among other things to learn how to communicate and share. Additionally, engaging with such games brings children, perhaps for the first time, into contact with different emotions, helping them understand both their own and those of others. Thus, they acquire emotional intelligence, essential for forming healthy relationships in the future.

4. They Encourage Creativity & Imagination

Interactive games related to the arts, such as musical instruments or paintings, are an opportunity for children to express themselves and unleash their creativity. Such games highlight the creative side of a child while encouraging them to think with imagination and inventiveness.

Examples of such games include:

• The paintings, which allow children to draw, create, and express their emotions through their artistic skills. 
• The musical games, through which they come into contact with rhythms and melodies. At the same time, they become familiar with the concept of music as a form of expression and gradually understand the role it plays in psychology.

5. Introducing Children to the World of Technology 

In recent years, technology has increasingly entered the realm of interactive games. We now encounter "smart toys" that respond to a child's voice, as well as augmented reality (AR) games, where the child experiences an interactive learning experience. They play while simultaneously engaging with digital elements, which give them the opportunity to understand and perceive the concept of technology.

Useful tips for parents:

1. It is good to participate in the process together with your children.
2. Avoid making suggestions and providing solutions on your own.
3. Play with them, guide them where you think they need it, providing useful and constructive feedback about the progress of the game.
4. Connect with the children, their reactions, emotions, and their entire experience.
5. Make sure that the children absorb the full educational value of the game.
6. Discuss with the children about their experience after they finish playing, addressing their questions and giving guidance for next time.

Remember that: Educational and interactive games between parents and children encourage language development and understanding, while also promoting teamwork and communication within the family.