Lumosity Brain Games

 

I have never done a post like this before, where I blogged about a game site that requires a subscription. However, this has been helpful to me in remote sessions, so I will talk about it here.

Some people feel that it is good to play "brain games" to keep mentally sharp,  especially as you get older. Lumosity offers online games for memory, attention, problem solving, flexibility, speed, language, and math. They offer a few for free, and they offer more with a subscription. I got my subscription when it was on sale during a holiday and it cost about $35 for a year, and you can sign up 5 people for that price. They also offer a higher monthly fee if you don't want to commit. 

I will just say one thing about older individuals before I jump to kids. Many people feel that working puzzles, like crossword and sudoku puzzles, will keep you sharp over time. While that is good, recent research is showing that to keep improving your brain over time, especially as you get older, you need to learn new things. Learning new things will require new neurons to make new pathways in your brain, helping to expand your brain. This can be anything you desire. Take up photography and learn all the ins and outs of that. Or learn to make a decent loaf of homemade bread (I am still struggling with this one!). Pick up a new hobby, learn to knit or sew. The sky is the limit. And don't just stop with one. Keep learning and practicing new things. Might also add some enjoyment to your life!

Now for kids and remote therapy. Let me say this right up front: The games are scored and based on speed. The faster you go, the more you will need to do and the higher your score. Not everyone is wired for speed and this is fine. I just don't use this with those kids. 

During remote therapy you are not able to show up at the door and play a physical game with the kids, and my kids have missed this. Or you may have a problem with kids getting distracted during remote therapy, depending on where they are sitting in their home. Sometimes I will use a game I have made myself like Spot it, in PowerPoint form, and sometimes we will play a game or two from Lumosity, to get the attention focused on the screen. The kids have liked it and caught onto the games quickly. Just make sure you set a timer so that time does not get away from you! I personally do not use the games under language and math in therapy. 

To play the games, call up the Lumosity website and then give remote control to the individual. If your platform does not offer that option, you won't be able to use this. Some games are played with the mouse, some are played with the arrow keys. I have found that you cannot give an individual remote control if they are using a Chrome Book. My suggestion would be to try one of the free games first, to see if an individual can play from their end.