Tejasvi Bongirwar Musale is the CEO at Luma World, an award winning educational games startup based out of India that makes products for families around the world. After over 10 years of success leading teams and as top level management in telecom and healthcare, she felt the urge to follow her passion in education to create something that added value to young learners across the globe. Through Luma World she works closely with educators and families to help develop innovative play-based resources that help develop life skills and moral values in young learners that go beyond their academic curricula. As a mother to a young daughter, her goal is to leave behind a better planet by educating and inspiring a new generation of responsible, compassionate and innovative thinkers.
Why offine Educational Games and Toys work well in India
Emphasis on new age skills such as Critical Thinking and Creativity:
Offline educational board games and toys have long been recognized for their ability to promote critical thinking, creativity, and social skills in children. During the pandemic, there has been a renewed emphasis on the importance of these skills as parents seek to support their children’s holistic development at home. Games that encourage strategic thinking, imagination, and collaboration have seen a surge in popularity, reflecting a growing awareness of the need to nurture well-rounded learners in the digital age.
Challenges of Remote Assessment:
Conducting assessments and examinations in a remote setting posed challenges for educators,
particularly ensuring academic integrity and preventing cheating. Educational institutions
experimented with various online proctoring tools and assessment methods to address these concerns. Traditional methods of assessment like simple examinations also may not help to assess the abilities and attributes of each child. Games or activities help educators or parents understand individual learner abilities and challenges better while also providing focused and real-time remedial action. As play encourages participation and collaborative action, it also helps better peer learning and emotional intelligence.
Parental Involvement:
With children learning from home, parents became more involved in their education, taking on roles such as facilitators, tutors, and tech support. This increased collaboration between parents and teachers, fostering a deeper understanding of the learning process. Parents realized first-hand the challenges in providing personalized learning paths to learners and how their supporting role at home can amplify the efforts of educators in classrooms.
Integration of STEM Education:
The pandemic has underscored the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) education in preparing children for future success. Offline educational board games and toys have played a crucial role in promoting STEM learning outside the classroom, providing children with opportunities to explore concepts such as logic, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning in a fun and engaging way. Manufacturers have responded to this demand by developing a wide range of STEM-focused games and toys that cater to different age groups and learning objectives.
Family Bonding and Social Interaction:
One of the key benefits of offline educational board games and toys is their ability to facilitate family bonding and social interaction. With many families spending more time together at home during the pandemic, these games have provided a welcome opportunity for parents and children to connect, communicate, and learn together. Whether it’s a cooperative puzzle-solving activity or a competitive strategy game, offline educational toys have proven to be a valuable tool for strengthening family relationships and fostering positive social interactions.
Adaptation to the New Normal
The pandemic has presented numerous challenges for the offline educational board games and toys market, including supply chain disruptions, fluctuating consumer demand, and economic uncertainty. However, manufacturers and retailers have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of these challenges, finding innovative ways to meet the evolving needs of consumers. From online sales platforms to doorstep delivery services, the industry has embraced new technologies and business models to ensure continued access to educational toys and games for families across India.
The main reason for this has been the evolution of the term new normal itself. First, was the all-out adoption of digital learning and everything tech. However, within a few months it was evident that this poses more problems than it was intended to solve. While aspects like gamification and personalization benefitted learners, the other issues were too grave to ignore. Hence, educators and parents, for once in unison, agree that play-based learning is a great tool for engagement and interaction, however replacing a traditional instructor or mentor is not just futile but also rather detrimental to growth and development. Hence, in India the adoption of offline game-based learning with board games, cards, toys and activities has become the progressive resource to blend traditional methods with new-age innovation whether in the classroom or at home.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a profound transformation in the way children learn and play, driving a renewed interest in offline educational board games and toys in India. As families continue to navigate the challenges of remote learning and home-based education, the demand for high-quality educational toys that promote critical thinking, creativity, and social interaction is expected to remain strong. By fostering a love of learning and encouraging meaningful engagement with educational concepts outside the classroom, offline educational board games and toys are playing a vital role in shaping the future of education for generations to come.
