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Schools information
An open letter to teachers and principals - A letter to all school principals - Games in schools links
An open letter to teachers and principals:
The games people play ... can be so good for kids
As teachers, you know that play is important to a healthy society and it is getting left behind in today's world. You probably realise that games are not just fun - they're a recognized teaching tool and (according to research for the Chicago Toy & Games Fair), can raise a child's IQ by up to 16 points!
In 2008, the Australian Games Expo will be in its third year and you are invited to be our guest. Why not bring a group of students from your school to experience over 150 different board and card games, meet game designers, find out about games clubs in the area - and there won't be a digital game in sight! You can try or buy all manner of games at this family-friendly event on the Queen's Birthday weekend.
You can sit down at the gaming tables and learn how to play games thanks to members of Eurogamesfest, a group of volunteers from Canberra, Melbourne and Albury, who love to show people how to play these fascinating games - whether they are new releases or your old favourites. What's more, Mind Games Albury can help you identify appropriate games for your class.
Children as young as 10 can learn such valuable life skills as negotiation, decision making, probability, competitive problem solving, value and risk assessment from playing games like The Settlers of Catan
At the Australian Games Expo you can witness the Australian championship tournament for The Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. The winners of these tournaments will represent Australia at the World Championships of these games, later this year.
A letter to all school principals
Dear Principal,
We would like to invite you and your school to attend the Australian Games Expo at the Albury Performing Arts and Convention Centre on the Queen's Birthday weekend.
This annual event is a great opportunity to introduce students to Euro-style board games. They are a major pastime in Europe with games like Carcassonne and The Settlers of Catan teaching invaluable life skills such as negotiation, decision making, problem solving and value and risk assessment to children as young as eight or ten.
In fact, research conducted by leading US event the Chicago Toy and Games Fair shows that playing these games can raise a child's IQ by up to 16 points.
The Expo will host national championships in Carcassonne and The Settlers of Catan with the winners representing Australia at their respective world titles.
Not only will students get the chance to watch game masters at work but from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday they will be able to try more than 150 different board and card games with friendly, encouraging instructors on hand to help
Games are available to buy at the venue but the main purpose of the Expo is to educate and promote social interaction. To encourage this, school groups of 5 - 10 children accompanied by a teacher will pay only half-price.
Students in these groups will pay $5 per day.
Teachers (with ID) and children under eight are admitted free.
Would you please mention the Expo in your school newsletter and circulate or display the attached poster to the school community? Please call if we can help in any way.
Phil Davies
Australian Games Expo Organiser
Games in Schools links
- Boardgames Australia - Games to Promote Literacy and Games to Promote Numeracy
- BoardGameGeek Forum on Games in the Classroom
- Gone Gaming - a regular blog on gaming (link points to articles tagged as 'education' related)
- Mind Games Albury - 'Schools & Teachers' section
- Teachers' Corner - Boardgame News - articles on using games in the classroom, at all levels of the school system.
- Mayfair Games - Teacher Zone has resources for teachers