It’s time to ditch the textbook and gamify your classroom! Of course, it sounds like a big scary goal to branch outside the teacher’s manual, but research shows that kids respond to competition, games, and engagement. Overall, here are some benefits of gamification in the classroom and how you can get started with the Cloaked in Fun course.
What are Some Benefits of Gamification?
First, before you start gamifying your classroom, I am sure you want to know if it’ll make a difference for your kids. The short answer is absolutely! Overall, using games like escape rooms, puzzles, and scavenger hunts to review and learn new materials is an absolute win for students and teachers.
1. Increases Student Engagement
As I mentioned, gamification increases engagement. Of course, lectures or following the day-by-day textbook guide leads to boredom. To teach kids about Leonardo da Vinci, for example, try a scavenger hunt that reinforces reading comprehension by having them re-read to look for clue words. This also keeps kids engaged, moving, and reading while they learn!
2. Boosts Motivation
Of course, there’s no doubt that kids like to compete. First, trying out an escape room in teams or pairs (or even solo) where kids race to find clues and “escape” is so motivating! Next, having your kids learn about content through a game motivates them to learn more. Finally, ask your kids what questions they have at the end of a gamified lesson. I bet they’ll want to learn more!
3. Enhances Learning Retention
Next, how often do you hear, “We didn’t talk about that” or “We didn’t learn that last year!” Honestly, your students might not remember because reading the standard textbook or lecture-based learning isn’t improving retention. However, gamification helps your kids remember. Overall, they’ll think about the puzzles and the reading passages they learn from the vocab games and escape rooms long after they forget about that PowerPoint presentation!
4. Builds Collaboration and Teamwork
Of course, games are so much more fun with a team. Escape rooms also work best when students work together to figure out the code words and solve problems.
5. Immediate Feedback
From self-checking digital games to scavenger hunts and escape rooms that lead students to the next task with code words, games provide instant feedback. In addition, kids don’t have to wait for you to check their worksheets or answer questions. Overall, gamified learning is set up to help them do it on their own!
6. Develops Problem-Solving Skills
Next, gamifying learning makes kids think! It’s all about critical thinking and problem-solving. Look, I know not everyone thinks of reading activities as games. However, your students will be reading passages repeatedly, looking for clues, and digging deeper in escape rooms and scavenger hunts. Of course, games improve those skills.
7. Personalizes Learning
Another benefit of gamification is highly personalized learning. Of course, you can create an escape room for any reading content area and any level. Also, gamifying your classroom is all about differentiation whether you’re creating a review for kids that need a little extra practice or building enrichment for advanced students. Finally, there is room for every level and skill with gamification.
8. Encourages Growth Mindset
Another thing to remember is that gamification can be challenging for some kids, and that’s OK! Solving puzzles and using those higher-level problem-solving and critical thinking skills go hand and hand with failure for many of your learners. Games also tell them it’s OK to mess up and try again. Finally, having that growth mindset is so important, and finding ways to say “I can’t yet, but I will” is a winning mindset to help your kids grow.
9. Increases Creativity
Next, games are all about imagination! First, get your kids thinking creatively, exploring, and having fun when gamifying your classroom. Next, escape rooms help your students explore content in an entirely new way while deciphering codes and reading fun stories that go with the mystery. Finally, you can also create color-by-number and comprehension pages for artistic creativity!
10. Improves Behavior
Finally, I’ve often found that the biggest key to classroom management is engagement. Of course, what’s better for engagement than gamification? When kids are engaged, there is less time to get in trouble. Also, gamification requires instruction-following and teamwork, important skills to help kids improve their behavior.
How Do You Start Gamifying Your Classroom?
Of course, you can create your own fun, educational games for your classroom without spending hours on creating a curriculum. What’s the secret? My Cloaked in Fun Course!
1. Sign up for Cloaked in Fun
First, my Cloaked in Fun Course helps teachers like yourself create fun and educational games for your 3rd-10th grade classroom! Of course, it just takes a click to join the waitlist.
2. Go Through the Modules
Overall, the course features plug-and-play templates that you can use for any content involving reading comprehension. Science, English, and Social Studies teachers love to gamify their classrooms with these amazing games! By working through the modules in the Cloaked in Fun Course you’ll also be able to create content that will gamify your classroom and engage your students all year long. Here’s what you will learn in each of the eight modules.
1. Vocab Activities
- Mystery Match Template
- Vocabulary Hunt Template
- Word Wall Template
- Vocabulary Gallery Walk Template
2. Escape Rooms
- Task Card Secret Code Template
- Escape Room Template
- Task Card Escape Template
3. Stations & Primary Sources
- Gallery Walk Stations Template
- Cause & Effect Stations Template
- Point of View Gallery Walk Template
4. Scavenger Hunts
- Scavenger Hunt Review Game Template
- Passage Scavenger Hunt Template
- Scavenger Hunt Mystery Trail Template
5. Color by Number & Comprehension
- Color by Number Template
- Comprehension Collection Template
- Question Maze Template
- Text Marking Template
6. Digital Activities
- Game Show Template
- Magic Word Search Template
- Mystery Maze Template
- Secret Code Template
- Interactive Google Slides
7. Add-Ons or Extensions
- Pick 6 Template
- Newspaper Template
- Pick a Prompt Template
- Anticipation Guide
8. Bonus Materials
- Seasonal Puzzle Pack Template
- Escape Room Clipart
- Color by Number Clipart
- PNG Foldables Clipart
- Page Borders Clipart
- Doodle Fonts
3. Share Your Creative Games with Your Students
Yes! You’ve created amazing content that engages and motivates your students while personalizing learning. Now, it’s time to share it with your kids.
First, try introducing your gamified lesson as a competition. Put your kids in teams for your new escape room or scavenger hunt. Next, add props. Make simple props with the escape room bonus materials or use items already in your classroom. Finally, vary the tasks. There are so many games you can make with the Cloaked in Fun Course. I LOVE escape rooms, but if it becomes a daily activity, kids can lose motivation. Add in a vocabulary hunt or color by number, and keep the games going strong!
4. Sell your Gamified Creations
Finally, anything you make from the Cloaked in Fun Course can be sold on TpT or other platforms. As a bonus, you have commercial rights to the materials here. Of course, if you’re going to spend the money and the time creating materials for your gamified classroom, why not make some money (and maybe even change your life) in the process?
Learn more about how the Cloaked in Fun Course can help you not only gamify your classroom but also start your own digital educational business! Overall, these benefits of gamification in the classroom start with the Cloaked in Fun Course!
