Brain Games, More Than Just Fun?

Brain games won’t make you a genius, but we all knew that anyway. They have however, been shown to improve working memory and increase fluid intelligence. That’s awesome, considering most of us are just playing them for something to do! I never thought I might be increasing my intelligence while playing Sudoku; I play mind games because they’re fun, challenging and more interactive than watching TV.

If you think about it, throughout our whole lives we’ve been increasing our knowledge and using our minds in games. In schools for example, teachers are always trying to find new ways to teach through play. 

Professors, Murali Doraiswamy and Marc Agronin say, “we agree there’s huge potential for tapping into your own neuroplasticity (that is, the brain’s ability to change itself by remodeling nerve cell connections after experience) to enhance mental fitness and prevent age-related memory decline.”

That sounds pretty beneficial to me. Today, there are numerous apps dedicated to ‘Brain Training’ such as, ‘Fit Brains Trainer’ and ‘Lumosity’. However, everything we do these days revolves around apps and technology; I prefer to play something a bit more real and get away from my phone and iPad for a bit. There are loads of games we’ve been playing throughout our life that have been helping us learn, increasing our knowledge and keeping our minds fresh. Here are some real games that help society keep their brains working at different stages throughout life:

Kids Games

There are hundreds of great kid games, which sort of makes you want to be one again. What you don’t realise when you’re a kid is that these games help you learn how to; follow rules, focus, take turns, self-regulate, problem-solve and think creatively. All things you don’t have much experience of when you’re a child. One game in particular that I used to love is Uno. Uno is helpful for learning in young and older kids for a few reasons.

For younger kids playing Uno, it helps to reinforce colours, numbers and patterns. For older children playing, it’s a lesson in reasoning and strategy. By deciding what cards to put down and which cards to save for the next turn, the child is strategically planning their game and thinking ahead.

Adult Games

If you haven’t already played Articulate, you must try it! Articulate is one of my ultimate favourite adult games, even though it is labelled as 12+. Players work in teams and one member describes words from different categories to their team as quickly as possible. The team then has to guess what their team mate is describing. When you’re playing with a group of friends, it’s really fun, but the pressure is on.

You have 30 seconds to describe to your team mates what is written on your card and for them to guess it. This game really helps you to think on your feet. It also causes you to tap into your memory, find your knowledge on a subject and articulate it to your team, it is a lot easier than it sounds. The other way you’re using your mind is by listening to your team mate, putting the information they give you together and using your own memory to discover what they are trying to describe. What a fun way to exercise your brain!

Games For The Elderly

I hope you don’t think I’m stereotyping when I say this, but bingo is good for the elderly! Not only does it get you out of the house socialising, many researchers believe it can keep your mind trim. A range of tests that measured mental speed, memory and the ability to pick up information from the environment showed, those who play bingo are faster and more accurate than non-bingo players. Bingo requires speedy identification within time constraints, rather than specific knowledge or skill. That’s why it’s good for you in your old age, it stimulates hand-eye coordination and allows you to flex your concentration muscles.  

So, no matter what age you are, playing games is good for your brain. With loads of free Bingo games online, I think I might even give it ago. Dare I say it sounds fun? Maybe I’ll make a night of it and take the guys there on Friday, or maybe I’ll just stick to Articulate for now. 

Did I miss anything or do you have any better ideas to share? Let me know by commenting. Don't forget to check out the rest of my work on The Spoon Drawer and follow me on twitter for all the latest - @EdwardPhelan1