Games Part Two

Beyond the world of sports, children's games also help us develop the necessary life skills for future success. Playing Jacks helps children develop manual dexterity and counting skills. Hopscotch is both good exercise and a simple lesson in spacial relations. Playing with blocks prepares us for the complex world of civil engineering. And did you ever consider that your Hot Wheels collection might be the perfect learning tool to be a municipal traffic planner? And how about cards... what boy didn't learn that "bigger is better" in a friendly game of War; and what girl didn't play that helpful cautionary tale, Old Maid?

But my favorite were the boardgames. Milton Bradley was more than just a household name for me... he was my life coach. Without all the endless boring hours of Hasbro's Monopoly, I would be hard pressed to handle a career as a high-stakes real estate developer, wouldn't I? And how about the game Sorry... Ever wonder why so many people are adept at being insincerely apologetic when they've just screwed you over? Next time, just ask them what their favorite Parker Brothers game was! And perhaps the most useful was John Spinello's creation, Operation... teaching kids (since 1965!) how to avoid lethal electrocution when you just have to stick a fork in your toaster to fish out a broken piece of Pop Tart.