All Work and No Play May Not Help Your Bottom Line

It is no secret that children are attracted to video games like moths to light. From Minecraft to Roblox, children of today spend hours in front of screens both large and small, oftentimes much to the dismay of their parents and teachers.

Whether you have children of your own or not, you may believe these kids are using their time idly; however, it is actually quite the contrary. Believe it or not, they are likely learning while playing their favorite game, and furthermore, we as adults can learn a lot about these intuitive young individuals based on what they play.

This concept is part of a trend I first identified in the 1980s that I call gamification. Believe it or not, gamification is an increasing part of all of our lives in this new technological frontier, and is poised to educate adults just as much as video games educate children.

The Psychology of Play in Human Development

Many of the greatest technological advances in business and what motivates adults stem from the concept of open-ended play. Children have a boundless imagination and curiosity for the world around them, which they discover by playing.

To tie in gamification, whether it be a board game or a video game, play that involves working toward an end goal ties…