I am not smarter than a fifth-grader. Really.
We’ve had a Wii since last February. One of the games we recently added to our collection is Big Brain Academy. You do not need “book” knowledge to play this game. It consists of puzzles, memorization exercises, simple computing, logic problems. During the actual tests, little reading is required. Our family took turns playing a few nights ago.
Everyone had different strengths and weaknesses. It was fun to watch each other go through the tests. Even Tommy, our kindergartner, understood how to do most of the puzzles and problems.
Aidan went last. She did very well, zipping through logic puzzles and memorization tests. When her score (the “weight” of her brain) was computed I watched the numbers tick up. Up. Up, faster. Past my score. Past my husband’s, which was a mere ten points above mine. Up.
When the numbers stopped flying ever-higher, her brain weighed a full 100 points more than ours. I was proud of her and humbled a bit.
But I can still beat her at Trivial Pursuit.
I got to A– and won’t touch that game again. I will never do better, and get mad when I do worse.
LOL, I’m going to have to get that game. (Not because I think I’m smarter than a 5th grader,) but my family likes a healthy dose of competition.
LOL!! Sounds like fun…
I had to lecture my kids the other day “You can learn these bible verses! If I can learn them, you can! There’s way more room in your head than mine!”
I hope that came out the way I meant it.
Ain’t it the truth 🙂
I think my 3-year-old could beat me at any video game. 😉
I found your site via your visit with Steph last summer! I’m a fellow Coloradoan and just started up a blog with The Denver Post, http://www.milehighmamas.com. We are currently “collecting” Mommy Bloggers in the state; please let me know if you’d like to be added to our blogroll to build our blogging community!
Those WI’s seem fun. My boys tried one at someones house and loved it. I am contemplating trying to get one for Christmas. Are they worth it?
Your blog spot is nice.
What a cool way to have a family game night. That Wii is a remarkable little invention. Sure, it may be humbling to get beat by your kid — okay, annihilated 🙂 — but how many games are out there where the kids and the parents can play on a relatively level playing field. Most video games are way too complicated for us grown-ups (what ever happened to Atari’s one button and joystick model?), and anyone who has ever wanted to poke their eyes out playing Candyland knows what I’m talking about…
mom2boys – let me tell you that the Wii is a great system that is specifically designed to appeal to all ages. And no worries about buttons – you want a single button and joystick like Atari? Well the Wii you play with a remote-control, not a complex controller with 12 buttons on it like XBox or something. It is motion activated, so you point and click, sort of like using a mouse on a computer (especially for the game Mopsy is talking about, called “Big Brain Academy”. Many of the games are fun family-type games, including “Wii Sports” which comes with the system, and features fun, motion-activated games like Bowling and Tennis. You actually swing the remote as if you were really rolling a bowling ball and see it reflected on the screen. Further, on Tennis, you swing the remote as a racket (sp?) and it hits the ball on the screen. The added benefit here is, you are playing a videogame, but you’re standing up and moving around while doing it, not sitting on the couch with a bag of chips next to you.
I know there are a lot of moms that read this blog — if your kids are begging for a gaming system for Christmas, I would recommend the Wii!
Ok – enough Wii sales pitches, and no, I don’t work for Nintendo :D.
But you wish you did, Bro.
Thanks for the great answer. I too recommend Wii—it is family-friendly, encourages movement, is simple to use. Fun!