Plato Games - Home

Learning That's Fun, Not Hard

2007-09-16T08:11:00Z

At Plato Games, we encourage the use of play as an effective learning tool. This approach is the result of company owner and game developer, Gail Nelson’s, own experience in helping her daughter absorb her education. Gail knew that her daughter was bright and intelligent, though she was struggling to grasp some early mathematical concepts. Gail spent time listening to her daughter, watching her play, and observing how she learned, then processed the information and began developing more effective ways of sharing information with her daughter. What worked best, what helped her daughter firmly understand her education, were the games Gail developed.

Gail had managed to find a way to make learning fun, not hard, for her daughter and it vastly improved her daughter’s abilities in school. In fact, her daughter’s teacher was so impressed, she asked Gail to create other math games to engage the rest of her class that year, and for years to come.

Now, with the launch of her own educational game company, Gail Nelson continues to devote herself to unlocking the potential of each child. Each game presents information through interest-based themes, and offers several ways for children to absorb their education. Gail takes time playing with children at their level, finding out what really excites them, and applies it to her games so that she can create positive early learning experiences, leading the way for positive learning experiences throughout the future.

Children are brilliant, extraordinary people, with enormous capacity for learning. What most children have in common is that they absorb information about their world through variations of sight, sound, and touch. What is unique to each child, is how they interpret the information they receive. Some process and comprehend their education quickly and easily, while others, equally bright and brilliant, may struggle to come to the same conclusions.

When children are young, they just want to fit in and be like everyone else; their self-esteem is delicate. If they are unable to learn the same way as their peers, they may feel inadequate or inferior. What they don’t know is that what makes them different is what makes them exceptional. They’re ability to perceive information differently, to come to different conclusions when presented with the same information, is a tremendous gift. It’s what will help them excel as adults, overcome obstacles, and allow them to shine above their competition. So, rather than try to force the round peg through a square hole, we at Plato Games, are dedicated to embracing the unique, the different, the individual.

“Learning should be fun, not hard,” says Gail Nelson, Plato Games president and owner, “Kids go further when they can play to learn.”

Nurture Their Future

2007-09-16T06:23:00Z

Plato Games Inc., created by Gail Nelson (AKA “the Game Lady”), sees games as a way of engaging young minds so that they can enhance their basic math skills during their early education.

“Curriculum and pedagogy should provide opportunities for deep and passionate engagement with ideas and experiences that matter to young people and their teachers… We value creative or alternative approaches to education that bring life to the subject disciplines deemed essential to education.” – Canadian Education Association.

When developing her unique educational games, Gail spent time with children – both inside of classroom settings and out – interacting with them at their level so that she could more accurately assess how they learned and what sparked their interest. Gail paid particular attention to the children who were more reluctant to participate in their learning and seemed uninterested in classroom activities. What she learned was that the children were most responsive to advanced graphic design and sport themes, knowledge that became the foundation on which all her games are built.

Gail quickly discovered that her games were able to successfully engage students of all interest and skill levels, including those who generally lack enthusiasm and tend to struggle. By introducing early math concepts in manageable pieces, children are able to progress gradually and at their own pace, which allows them to grow their confidence and associate positive experiences with education. This is crucial in reducing frustration in children, and the frequently encountered “I hate math” attitude.

All of the games Gail introduces to the public, through her company Plato Games Inc., are pre-tested with age appropriate students for a minimum of two years prior to production. You are invited to please review some of the testimonials from our “game experts” and their teachers on the Testimonials section of this website.

“It is so gratifying to see a child light up with enthusiasm for learning, or to see the excitement of a teacher who is able to reach the children that are prone to struggle,” says Gail. “Kids go further when they can play to learn.”

Education Links

2007-06-22T22:06:00Z

BC School Districts & School Websites

From this clickable map and list of School Districts, find the link for your school of interest.
www.bced.gov.bc.ca/schools/bcmap

Canadian Council on Learning:

Acatalyst for lifelong learning, promoting and supporting evidence-based decisions about learning throughout all stages of life, from early childhood through to the senior years.
www.ccl-cca.ca

Canadian Education Association:

A national, charitable organization committed to improving education through research and dialogue
www.cea-ace.ca

Community Learning Network:

Asite designed to help K-12 teachers integrate technology into the classroom. Here you’ll find over 5,800 annotated links to educational sites with free resources, all organized by theme pages and keyword search.
www.cln.org

Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC):

An intergovernmental body founded in 1967 by ministers of education to serve as a forum to discuss policy issues, a means by which to consult and cooperate with national education organizations and the federal government, an instrument to represent the education interests of the provinces and territories internationally, and a mechanism through which to undertake activities, projects, and initiatives in areas of mutual interest. All 13 provinces and territories are members.
www.cmec.ca

Learning Disability Association of Canada:

Since 1963, we have provided understanding and support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals. Working with our network of provincial/territorial and local partners, we provide cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and tools you can use.
www.ldac-taac.ca

Lifesong School:

A non-profit school that provides Kindergarten to grade 8 children with a holistic, child-centred, BC core curriculum education.
www.lifesong.bc.ca

Ministry of Education, British Columbia:

The ministry is committed to providing a high quality education for K-12 students.
www.gov.bc.ca

Open School BC:

Designing, developing and providing quality educational resources and services for the public sector, including K-12, adult education and other public sector agencies.
www.pss.gov.bc.ca/osbc/

Vancouver Elementary School Teachers Association (VESTA):

www.bctf.ca/local391/

Testimonials

2007-05-04T19:25:00Z

teachers and students praise games

I’ve been teaching basic math facts to primary students for 18 years. Today’s child is just not interested in memorizing facts like we used to. So it’s always an ongoing challenge to find math activities that engage students and help commit the facts to memory.

In the past several years my class has been lucky enough to try out various games produced by Plato Games Inc. to help develop basic skills such as addition, subtraction and multiplication. To say that these games are a hit is to put it mildly. The kids absolutely loved these games and use them on a regular basis. Not only are the games totally engaging and captivate the kids attention, but they are constantly using and reinforcing their math facts throughout the game. The kids are memorizing their facts without knowing it!

One of the most popular games of choice is the dual-sided Countin’ Mountain. My students love the themes of mountain biking and snowboarding and they think the graphics are totally cool! They also love how the game is played vertically which is a very unique playing format. Two sides can be played at once in the classroom – so four students can play at a time. They also have the choice between easier or more challenging facts – thus meeting all the learning needs. I can’t say enough about the game and would recommend it for both classrooms and homes.

~ Grade 2 teacher, Maple Ridge, BC

As a support teacher working with small groups of students that have learning challenges, I’m always on the lookout to find new and exciting ways of creating student enthusiasm in learning and practising sight words, phonemic principles, math facts, or review for tests in socials or science. Often this learning can be mundane because these students need more repetition than their average peers. Games are great motivators because students become so excited about playing the game that they don’t realize that they are also practising and learning a variety of skills or facts. I like to use games that are active, appealing to kids’ interests, and are quick to play in a short period of time. When I was introduced to the game “Countin Mountain” I thought this would be a great addition to my collection of games. Although “Countin Mountain” is a math game, I do not use it as such. What I do with all of my games is I determine what skill or information needs to be reviewed and I have many sets of flashcards that cover anything from letters, sight words, math facts, and/ or facts related to a specific unit in socials or science. When I play the game, the students need to answer a skill testing question from the set of flashcards before they are able to complete their turn. This way I can personalize the review for each of the groups I work with. The students have fun playing the game and at the same time get practise or review. As you can see I do not follow the game directions as instructed. I use the game to meet the needs of my students. “Countin Mountain” is great for this for many reasons. The students love the graphics and the topics of mountain biking and snowboarding. They love the fact that it stands like a “mountain” and the game pieces are magnetic. I love the game because I get two games in one, it is portable with very few game pieces that could get lost, and it only takes a few minutes to complete a game. I know my students can hardly wait to play the game. It is a fun way to either open or conclude a lesson. I know I can hardly wait for the “game time” because my students are engaged and learning at the same time.

~ Aboriginal Support Teacher, Maple Ridge, BC

I had the game standing up on the library check-out counter as I was waiting for a small group of grade two’s to come in so I could teach them to play the game. While I was waiting, a group of grade six students arrived with an assignment from their teacher. They saw the game on the counter and said, “Cool! When we’re finished our work can we play?”

When the grade two group came in, they spotted them the game and couldn’t wait to get started. The instructions were straight forward so the game started almost immediately. The kids loved it, especially the boys, and had a great time. They found it exciting. It was great to be with a group who were obviously having such a good time doing math. Comments like, “This is cool” were interspersed by sounds of laughter and ooh’s and ahh’s as they rode up the lifts or slid down the slopes. They tried the games both ways, for addition and subtraction, and they loved it either way. As the teacher, I smiled knowing that the kids were doing math without even realizing it.

~ Teacher-librarian and Learning Assistance Teacher, Vancouver, BC

My favourite game is the new Countin’ Mountain because it is two-sided and the graphics are very cool. I also like Sk88 a lot. Please come back soon.

~ Age 8, Grade 2 Student

I like Countin’ Mountain because I like biking and snowboarding, and the board is magnetic.

~ Age 9, Grade 3 Student

I like Countin’ Mountain because you can do jumps and the snowboarders are cool – especially the guy on top. It’s really cool.

~ Age 8, Grade 3 Student

Frequently Asked Questions

2007-05-04T18:48:00Z

Frequently Asked Questions

What Age Groups Are Recommended for Playing Plato Games?

Countin’ Mountain is designed to help children who know how to count take the next step by learning how to add and subtract small numbers, developing a stronger grasp on concepts being learned in educational settings. Generally, that applies to children aged 6 and up.

Sk88 is designed to take children’s addition and subtraction skills to the next level. The children learn to add and subtract larger numbers, strengthening their grasp of these mathematic concepts. Therefore, Sk88 is recommended for children aged 8 and up.

Where Can I Buy Countin’ Mountain, and How Much Does It Cost?

Countain Mountain retails for $29.99, (inquire for wholesale rates), plus all applicable taxes. It is available for purchase at several stores throughout the Lower Mainland, Squamish, Whistler, and Prince Rupert. To find the store nearest to you, please view our Where to Shop page on this website. You can also purchase Countin’ Mountain direct through this website, simply send us an email from our Contact Us page and we’ll arrange to have it shipped to your door.

Sk88 is will be available for purchase in the fall of 2007, and will also retail for $29.99. Please Contact Us to add your name to our pre-production order list.

How Are Plato Games Inc.’s Mathematical Games Different From Other Educational Games on the Market?

Games developed and produced by Plato Games Inc. were designed after spending time playing with children at their level, observing how they play and what really interests them. We use big kid sport and interest based themes to grab their attention, (no birds, baby frogs, or barnyard animals here!), and keep it by playing up to them, not down. When children feel respected, learning becomes truly fun, exciting, and engaging for even the most reluctant students. Our games have achievable goals, so that children’s self esteem and confidence in learning is strengthened and are able to experience learning as fun, not hard.

Have a Question?

Please send us an email and we will post it here for others to see too! Thanks for visiting Plato Games here at PlatoLearn.com