History and Play.

"Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it." --Edmund Burke

We don’t play a lot of computer games. In fact we only play one, and that’s rare. But since we are home a lot lately… we’ve picked up Age of Kings again.

I find it hilarious that the boys BEG their daddy to play so they can watch and all discuss strategy and explore all the weaponry together. (Sometimes the boys even have helpful ideas for conquest!) It’s amazing how much the boys comprehend about battle tactics and strategy.

There are also historical battle options, that might lend a whole new level of interest when we get to specific historical events--I'm excited to try them out when we start studying ancient history next year!

When discussing something so very far removed from their personal experience, I’ve found resources like this--a game or a show that effortlessly introduces things like trebuchets or tribal warfare, for example--helpful for when we read history, they comprehend battles and watershed events of history (like inventions of war machines) much more comprehensively than if I just try to explain it! They really get the idea that archers can do a lot of damage from a walled city against foot soldiers. But if I just say, "the invention of the longbow was a huge game-changer in warfare," it means very little to a five-to-seven year old boy.

Even Izzy, the cat, enjoys these little masculine interludes.

It's amazing what can be utilized to (effortlessly) enrich education!