A fun, somewhat nostalgic post to take our minds off the dismal Washington marriage ruling.
If you’re in the U. K., you can now buy a version of Monopoly with a Visa debit card reader instead of cash. (Thanks to Boing Boing for the tip.) The electronic version is priced around twice as much as the paper one.
I don’t know about this. I played a lot of Monopoly as a kid. For me, part of the fun of the game was the ritual of counting out the cash and passing it back and forth during the game. It was nice to gain something tangible when someone landed on my railroads. I learned about money and counting, and used the game to help teach my younger brother the same.
I understand the need to keep up with the times. My son has seen me use my credit card more than cash. By the time he’s grown, paper money may be something only for collectors. Still, I hope Monopoly continues to offer paper versions, at least for younger players. A card reader can teach about modern finance, but won’t provide the same chance for arithmetic practice. Games should be fun—but why not throw in a little education when you can?
Scrabble is another game that comes to mind in this regard. What games do you play with your kids to slip in learning among the cards and dice?