Digital Didactic Games in Preschool Education

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Hello everyone,

As a preschool educator, I am excited to start a discussion on the use of digital didactic games in early childhood education. The integration of these games into our curriculum offers a unique opportunity to enhance learning experiences and engage young learners in new and exciting ways.

Why Digital Didactic Games?

Digital didactic games combine educational content with interactive and playful elements, making learning fun and engaging for children. These games can help develop various skills, including:

Cognitive Skills: Problem-solving, memory, and critical thinking.
Motor Skills: Hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills through interactive activities.
Social Skills: Cooperation and communication through multiplayer or group-based games.

My Experience:

In my classroom, I have noticed that digital games capture the children’s attention and keep them engaged for longer periods compared to traditional methods. For example, using a simple counting game on a tablet has significantly improved the numerical skills of my students. They are more motivated to learn and enjoy the process of discovering new concepts through play.

Challenges and Considerations

While the benefits are clear, there are challenges to consider:

Screen Time: Managing the amount of screen time to ensure it is beneficial and not excessive.
Content Appropriateness: Ensuring the games are age-appropriate and aligned with educational goals.
Teacher Training: Providing adequate training for educators to effectively integrate these games into their teaching strategies.

Discussion Points

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic. Here are a few questions to get the discussion started:

Have you used digital didactic games in your classroom? If so, what has been your experience?
What specific games or applications do you recommend for preschool-aged children?
How do you balance screen time with other educational activities?
What strategies do you use to ensure that the digital content is appropriate and effective for your students?

Please share your insights, experiences, and any resources that have been particularly useful. Let’s work together to explore the potential of digital didactic games in preschool education and how we can best utilize them to enhance our teaching practices.

Looking forward to your contributions!

Best regards,
Marija Krstic Radojkovic
marijakrstic016@hotmail.com![alt text]

@marijakrstic016 said in Digital Didactic Games in Preschool Education:

Screen Time: Managing the amount of screen time to ensure it is beneficial and not excessive.

Hi Marija,
Hope you are doing great.

Here are some of the top best screen time apps for Android:

1. AirDroid Parental Control & Screen Time App
2. Kidslox Screen Time Parental Control
3. FamilyTime Screen Time Control App
4. Qustodio Screen Time Control App

...and here are some of the top best screen time apps for iOS:

1. OurPact Parental Control Screen Time App
2. Bark Screen Time Limit App
3. Apple's Screen Time App
4. FamiSafe Screen Time Limit App

With my students with autism, I use visual clocks and visual schedules to control their time in screen. I promote technology, but also other skills that are important.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

Hello Marijak
Digital educational games play a crucial role in preschool education by capturing children's attention and making learning fun and motivating. They help develop cognitive skills and facilitate the acquisition of basic knowledge such as letters and numbers. Thanks to their adaptability, these games offer a personalized learning experience, following the pace of each child. They also encourage the development of digital and social skills, fine motor coordination, and allow real-time progress tracking. In summary, digital educational games are valuable tools for interactive, engaging, and individualized learning, suited to children's needs in an increasingly digital environment.
Bet regards from Tunisia
Chokri

Digital educational games can be highly beneficial for children in various subjects .Here are some digital educational games that could be suitable. Some programs like Scratch can create their own interactive stories, games, and animations. It teaches coding concepts in a creative and engaging way. The digital educational programs not only supplement traditional teaching methods but also encourage problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, which are essential skills for them.

@MYLOG47799627c6

Hi,
Hope everything is going well.

Digital educational games offer a fantastic way to enhance learning across various subjects, providing a great supplement to traditional teaching methods. Scratch is very famous worldwide and @MYLOG47799627c6 use it with her students to promote 21st century skills. Scratch is a high-level, block-based visual programming language and website aimed primarily at children as an educational tool, with a target audience of ages 8 to 16.

Here is the Link for Scratch: https://youtu.be/zOa5o9Yq_ZU?si=M750xHs2vCuMXp9l

Other examples include math-based games like Prodigy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xciL8LtFIiw), language arts programs like Reading Eggs (https://youtu.be/Ak_nwieH4A0?si=m04xgNJfohTMJ2Uu), and science apps like BrainPOP (https://youtu.be/NhNkHEQ11hg?si=46hhDfq1XtM_W4cJ), all of which make learning fun and interactive. These examples are digital tools into education, not only makes learning more enjoyable but also equips children with valuable skills for the future.

Best,
Mr. Bryan

@BRYANb8875625e5
Hello Bryan,
Hope you are fine. Thanks for the sharing these links. They are useful for both the teachers and students.

@Housna

You are welcome @Housna

@Housna

Hi Housna
This is other link ;
https://youtu.be/-WPDCm9E2Qg?si=JxE1JPW4oguHXLbH
Best regards from Tunisia
Chokri

@BRYANb8875625e5

Hi Mr. Bryan

Thank you for sharing these useful recommendations for screen time management apps. These apps will definitely help in managing the amount of time children spend on digital didactic games.

I also appreciate you sharing your experience with using visual clocks and schedules for students with autism. It's a great strategy to help children better understand and manage their activities. Finding a balance between using technology and developing other important skills is crucial, as you mentioned.

Could you perhaps share some specific examples of how you implement visual schedules in your work? Additionally, what are your favorite digital didactic tools that you use with the children?

Thank you again for your valuable contribution to this discussion.

Best regards,
Marija Krstic Radojkovic
marijakrstic016@hotmail.com

@Bousl2336873cb4

Hello Chokri,
Thanks for the link. It is useful as it focusing on different types of games which can be used to promote student centered approach such as groupwork puzzles and others. The hedbanz game is new way of conducting the class. Thanks for sharing. Will surely integrate them.

Hello Housna
Thank you very much for all your compliments and encouragement
Best Regards from Tunisia
Chokri

@marijakrstic016

Visual timers for our students with autism is a must in our classrooms. They are visual thinkers and having this kind of clack help them to structured themselves. I will post a link for you to find it. Every morning my students has a specific time with their laptops, and I show them the time with my visual timer. It is fair for all of them, all have the same time and the same conditions.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Secura-60-Minute-Classroom-Countdown-Management/dp/B0895HTGNZ

Live worksheets is very useful for them, it has dynamic worksheets to practice some skills and lessons are atractive for them.
Link: https://www.liveworksheets.com/

Best,
Mr. Bryan

Hello everyone,
When I was teaching in Preschool Education, I actively used the ClassDojo system for classroom management.

ClassDojo is a popular classroom management and communication platform used by teachers worldwide. While it's adaptable across ages, its features are particularly valuable in preschool settings. Here are the main functions and preschool-specific features:

Main Functions:

• Classroom Management: ClassDojo provides a visual and engaging way to track student behavior.
• Points System: Teachers can award points for positive behaviors (e.g., listening, sharing, helping others).
• Customizable Positive and Negative Behaviors: Teachers can set up specific behaviors relevant to their preschool curriculum, such as "clean up toys," "uses kind words," or "uses the bathroom independently."
• Real-Time Feedback: Teachers can give instant feedback to students using points, emojis, and messages.
• Progress Tracking: Teachers can track individual student progress over time, identifying areas for improvement and celebrating successes.
  
  Communication:
• Parent-Teacher Communication: ClassDojo facilitates seamless communication between teachers and parents.
• Sharing Updates and Activities: Teachers can share photos, videos, and updates about classroom activities, field trips, and special events.
• Direct Messaging: Teachers can send private messages to individual parents or groups.
  
  Engagement and Learning:
• Games and Activities: ClassDojo offers a variety of engaging games and activities that reinforce learning objectives and promote social-emotional development.
• Customizable Content: Teachers can create their own games, activities, and assignments tailored to their specific preschool curriculum.
• Interactive Storytelling: ClassDojo has tools for creating interactive stories, which can be used for language development and literacy.
  

Second resource - Reading eggs.

Reading Eggs is a comprehensive online program designed to teach children aged 2-13 how to read. It utilizes a gamified approach to make learning fun and engaging. Here are its main features and functions:

• Interactive Games: Reading Eggs uses a variety of interactive games, activities, and animations to keep kids motivated and engaged in the learning process.
• Reward System: The program features a reward system with virtual rewards and points that kids earn for completing activities. This gamified approach encourages continued participation.
• Personalized Learning: Reading Eggs adapts to each child's individual learning pace and needs, providing personalized lessons and activities.

Link: https://readingeggs.com/

Moorning Marijakrstic

Digital didactic games are valuable in preschool education for enhancing engagement, cognitive and social development, and personalized learning. They motivate children through interactive and fun gameplay while fostering skills like problem-solving, memory, and fine motor abilities. Despite their benefits, challenges like managing screen time, ensuring content quality, and accessibility must be addressed. Effective integration requires teacher training and parental involvement, ensuring these games complement traditional learning methods.
Best regards from Tunisia
Chokri

Hello, Marija!

I haven't been teaching teaching pre-school learners for quite a while so I don't feel competent enough in the issue balanced use of digital didactic games. Still, personally, I used them as fillers at the lessson between the activities or as coolers in the end of the lesson (in which case I chose only quiet reading activities).
https://www.starfall.com/h/index-kindergarten.php?mg= - this resource was always a hit among the kids I taught.