Live interaction verses video game on Skype

The other day while my Grandson from Arizona (5) was here, the Grandson in Kentucky (4) wanted to play Life with me over Skype.  Instead the two of them went at it.   They didn't really play "together" as much as watch each other move the pieces around, but they had a very good time.

Do you think this type of interactive play is healthier then the two of them playing an actual internet game together?

Have a great day!

Grandma

The Game of Life on Skype

A few days ago, Dee and I were Skyping when he, once again, wanted to play a game.  When I asked him what he wanted to play, he ran and got his Life game and started setting it up.


So, I got my Life game and set it up on my side.  His Mom also wanted to play with us.  We each picked out a car and got started.

Dee spun first.  He spun a four so he moved his car four spaces and I moved his car on my board four spaces, then his Mom read him what the space said.   He decided to go to college instead of getting a job so he went that direction, from there on, we played a modified, simplified version of the game that we made up as we went along.  It went something like this.

On a salary card, you got to pick or change your career.  We did not use money or the job cards but just picked whatever we wanted to be.  We added a person when we passed the Marriage space and each of us picked out a house when we passed the Buy a House space.  With a few exceptions, my board matched his board and in the cases where it didn't we went with his board.  It was fun to read about donating money to charities or attending different events.   When we landed on a baby boy or girl, we added these to our cars.

The first person to reach Retirement Mansion won the game.  Tiffany (Dee's Mom) rigged the spinning so that Dee won.  I was very surprised that a 4 year old would stay interested in this game until the end, but he did.  He also waited for his turn every time.

Not sure what is next on our game horizon, but I am sure it will be fun!

Four more ideas for Skyping with Preschoolers

Thought I'd share a few more ideas for Skyping with the younger crowd.

1. Play a game.  The other day while Skyping with Dee, he wanted to play "The Fishing Game".  He had a little game where the fish moved up and down and his task was to catch them with a little fishing rod.  His was a travel version of the game but he wanted to play with me.  At first I couldn't figure out how to do this, but then remembered that I also have a fishing game.  It is Trevor's favorite game when he comes to visit.  Mine was a full size one but that didn't seem to make a difference.  We set our cameras to show the fishing game and then we both started fishing.  It was so much fun!!  This kind of games is more fun if you can just relax and not worry about keeping score, but celebrate each other's catches.   Then Dee wanted to play Candyland.  I didn't have this game and we talked for a few minutes, finally deciding that I would fish on my side and call out the colors and he would move both of us on his board.  This worked well, although I didn't have any purple fish so had to occasionally just call out PURPLE!  We laughed and had a good time.
2. Play "Guess what I am holding".  This is pretty self explanatory, but I generally start by picking something "fun" at my house.  Usually something I can hold in my hand in front of the camera.  I'll ask Dee, what do you think I have in my hand?  He will guess, then I will give him clues until he gets it.  Then he will find something on his side and ask me to guess what he is holding. 
3. Play "Do you know what this is?"  This is a favorite of Ella, who is 2.  She loves to identify letters she knows.  I will pick up a letter from a game, like Scarbble or UpWords and she will tell what the letter is.  This can also be done with colors and shapes.
4. Sing a song together.  It is helpful if you know some of the songs the Grandkids are learning in preschool or nursery, but if you don't ask them to teach you one or ask one of their parents to help out.  

Happy Skyping!!

Let's Play A Game of Memory

As the family sat down to Skype with me, Dee (4) wanted to play a game.  It can be difficult to play games over Skype and to keep the attention of young children.  I got out my Sesame Street memory cards and began to lay them out.  Dee wasn't very enthusiastic about this idea, but I decided to give it a try anyway.

I picked 5 of his favorite characters and laid them out so he could see all the matches.  Like this.

Then I turned them over and mixed them up and put a letter on each of them.  I was careful to pick letter's that Dee knows since he is just learning these.

Then I had him pick two letters, for example, "F" and "S", then we turned them over and he had a match!  From that point on,  he was excited and involved in the game.  His little sister, who knows many, if not all. of the letters also watched with wide opened eyes the whole game.

After Dee's extra turn (which he got because he found a match) I took a turn and picked two letters myself. It was fun and interesting.  The game would work the other way also. Dee and his Mom or Dad could have picked out some cards for us to match and lay them out on their side.  The trick is to pick some way for us all to identify them from the back.

This activity has an educational component.  Is it important to you as a Grandmother, Mother, Aunt or other long distance relative to incorporate education into the activities you do with your young internet friends, or is the activity, by itself, enough?

PlayDoh Afternoon

It was a Saturday afternoon.

My Grandson Dee, age 4 and his sister Ella, age 2 and I were playing with Play Doh.  First I asked them what color the sheep's coat should be  Dee chose green, so I filled up my little sheep with green play dough and the little guy grew a long long green coat.  Ella watched, fascinated.  Then we gave the farmer long red hair, which I then cut with my little Play Doh scissors.
Then Dee showed me how he had learned to roll out dough and cut out stars.  He held each finished star for me to examine and then placed them carefully in a row.

"So", you say, "what is so amazing about an afternoon playing with my grandkids?"  Well, they live in Kentucky and I live 5,000 miles away in Utah and we were using Skype to connect.  They were playing with play doh on their end and I on my end.

It was surprising how long they kept interest in the activity.  Ella asked her Mom to help make a bracelet.  My daughter rolled out the dough like a snake and then made Ella blue bracelet.  Then Ella watched in as I made myself a yellow one to match.

It was so fun!!!  The only thing missing was a hug.  We will have to work on that one.
Over the next few weeks, I'd like for us to share ideas and suggestions of ways to use technology to stay connected to family.  Especially across generations.

What have you been doing to keep those family relationships strong?  How has technology helped?