Adding Up To A Fun Way Of Learning

The child at play learns at a rate rarely bettered in the more formal learning environment of classroom and lessons, so the challenge for the teacher is to devise a game that enables the young learner to enter so fully into the spirit of the game that they learn without realising it. Throw an element of healthy competition into the mix, and you can create a game that the child never wants to end.

The Chase Is On

When primary-school teacher Angela McCarthy (our Kickstart Your Business featured guest this week), took a career break to raise her own children, she found herself devising games to help them learn maths in a fun environment. One such game, Chase Across The Square, proved such a hit with her own children that she was prompted to bring this and other games to a wider market.

Less than a year after setting up her business KDM Games, Chase Across The Square, a board game for players from aged 7 upwards, is now available in toy shops across Ireland, and is receiving rave reviews from children and adults alike.

Making One Plus One Equal More Than Me-Too

Shane (Coleman, standing in for George) and Gerard admired Angela's devising of a game that's instantly appealing to players, including many who struggle more than most with numbers, and easy to set up and play. Many of the elements, including the colourful squares, the tokens and the tally sheets, really bring numbers to life and enable players to throw themselves wholeheartedly into the game itself.

However, Gerard suggested that with Angela setting her sights on playing the game of business beyond Ireland (she has a number of other board games in the pipeline), she needs to invest more in the branding of her new company - there's a generic look and feel to it - and introduce a more compelling narrative to her would-be customers and distributors, so that Chase Across The Square and her other board games really jump off the shelf.

Now It's Your Turn!

How do you suggest that Angela makes it all add up to a global success story for KDM Games and Chase Across The Square?

Listen back to Angela on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think; we'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business broadcasts at 6.20pm every Thursday on Newstalk's The Right Hook, and is available on playback immediately following the show.

When I'm not helping to Kickstart Your Business, I work with business-owners of all shapes and sizes to help them build a brand that stands up to the competition and stands out in the marketplace. You can find out more about my work at Islandbridge.