Summer is the season to hit the road with the family in tow. Road trips are a great way to bond together and visit grandparents in a different state, or to drive cross country to sight see. Traveling to new places is a great family experience, but sometimes staying occupied in a long car ride can be painful. Here are 5 games to keep kids and families unplugged and entertained for a happy road trip!
Read MoreTomorrow is the United Nation’s International Friendship Day, and while it’s not a widely known holiday, at ThinkFun, friendship is of the utmost importance to us. Friends are the family that you choose, supporting you when you’re feeling down and celebrating with you when things are going your way. One of the best feelings is hanging out with a group of friends who get you and love you. But, while you can never have too many friends, sometimes it’s fun to spend some one-on-one time with your close pals. Find some of our favorite picks for games for just you and your best bud below.
STEM Education / Play, Learning Through Play, Kids & Coding, Girls & STEM, STEM, STEAM
Learning to code without a computer may seem illogical, but it makes perfect sense. Unplugging the computer and teaching coding through more familiar mediums such as hands-on activities, can make the subject less intimidating and more interactive.
Working at a company named ThinkFun is exactly as one would imagine—we love playing games! This isn’t to say that all we do is play games all day but playing games is a huge part of our culture at work. We play games for research, we play games to test out challenges for our games that haven’t come out yet, and during lunch, we love playing games for fun. Toy companies aren’t the only companies that integrate games into the workplace. Companies are making a shift towards including games in the workplace as well as gamification, “the use of game, loyalty and economic concepts to engage consumers and employees,” and finding that there are many benefits that come with it.
Learning at Home, Learning Through Play, Girls & STEM, STEAM
Children have ever-expanding aspirations and as an adult, it can be challenging to be the voice of encouragement, reason and guidance for them. Their dream jobs now will likely change as they gain experience and it’s up to their guardians to help provide the resources and insight to formulate and revise decisions.
I used to work in a toy store, and I would hear it all the time. A parent or a grandparent would come in asking for a toy with a child of a certain age in mind – let’s say three. I would show them the toys that were aimed at a three-year-old kid, and time and time again I would hear the same thing: “My son is three, but he’s very bright.” Of which I had no doubt. There are loads of smart kids out there. But every kid isn’t a genius, and of the ones who are, very few are doing calculus at age eight. What I’m saying is, these people were wanting to buy toys that were too advanced for their kids.
This post is the fourth and final installment in a series covering life skills that are disappearing as our world technologically advances. As young adults find themselves struggling to learn self-care, social, and financial skills later in life, there is now a demand for such workshops and classes at the college-level. In some instances, technology has also created a need for new life skills that weren’t essential before. In this series, we will explore our top life skills and how your child can master them through fun activities. To follow this series, please subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media.
