Three Research-Backed Reasons for Board Games in the Library and Classroom
The past few years have yielded an incredible amount of quality research in the field of board and card games and their impact on learning and skill development. Below are three research-backed reasons to use board and card games in the library or classroom!
1. Board and Card Games Improve Math and Reading Fluency
We often think of the social benefits of games and screen-free play, but high-quality research also reveals positive impacts on learning too. In a randomized control study of over 500 elementary students, the participants in the experimental group who played numeracy games, vocabulary games, and other board games showed higher scores on math and ready fluency assessments (Vita-Barrull et al, 2024).
Our upcoming vocabulary game, Fantasy Loot Brawl, shares qualities with the games in the study, helping students use key concepts they are learning in unique and playful ways. Implementing games that build language skills and develop persuasive techniques benefit their academic performance more effectively than only direct instruction.
2. Board and Card Games Improve Learning Motivation and Social Interaction
Beyond academic gains, games also provide a great boost in getting students excited about discovering new information and help them connect with their peers. In one study, 10 year olds played a variety of science board and card games, and post-tests revealed higher levels of learning motivation and social interaction than standard instruction (Othman & Ching, 2024).
Often, topics students are asked to explore do not jump off the page nor the screen. For instance, social media literacy discussions are often framed as telling students not to engage in online interactions at all. In our Doomscroll card game, students are challenged to see from the perspective of the social media company in their efforts to keep us on our screens, providing a much more engaging and motivating way to discuss social media literacy. Research backs up the power of games like Doomscroll as a social and interactive way to broach tough subjects.
3. Board and Card Games Positively Impact Speaking Competency
Speaking and listening skills are key aspects of English and Language Arts standards, and those traits also serve students well in all careers and pathways following their K-12 schooling. Games provide a rich opportunity to practice strategies such as persuasive speaking, interpersonal communication, and much more. In a systematic review of 35 studies around board games and speaking, results indicated speaking competencies increased with interventions using board and card games (Tiing & Yunus, 2021).
In our Gamestormers board game, players spend each round persuasively pitching their five-card narratives to the judge for the round, building those same speaking competency skills outlined in the systematic review. Players are able to practice strategies that resonate with each judge, getting feedback based on who they select as having the best narrative and rationale for why.
References
Othman, M., & Ching, S. (2024). Gamifying science education: How board games enhances engagement, motivate and develop social interaction, and learning. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 24525 – 24561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12818-5.
Tiing, C., & Yunus, M. (2021). Board Games in Improving Pupils’ Speaking Skills: A Systematic Review. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168772.
Vita-Barrull, N., Estrada-Plana, V., March-Llanes, J., Sotoca-Orgaz, P., Guzmán, N., Ayesa, R., & Moya-Higueras, J. (2024). Do you play in class? Board games to promote cognitive and educational development in primary school: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Learning and Instruction. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101946.