Some of the all-time creepiest films (hello The Exorcist) fall under the category of religious

Board games like Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders – which are based on numbers – could make young children better at maths, new research suggests. The games are already known to enhance learning and development, including reading and literacy. But the new study suggests that for three to nine-year-olds, the format of number-based board games helps to improve counting, addition, and the ability to recognise if a number is higher or lower than another. Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex maths skills Dr Jaime Balladares, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile Researchers say children benefit from programmes – or interventions – where they play board games a few times a week supervised by a teacher or another trained adult. Lead author Dr Jaime Balladares, from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, in Santiago, Chile, said: “Board games enhance mathematical abilities for young children. “Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex maths skills. “Board games can easily be adapted to include learning objectives related to mathematical skills or other domains.” The new study aimed to compile the available evidence on the effects of board games on children, and the researchers set out to investigate the scale of the effects of physical board games in promoting learning in young children. The findings are based on a review of 19 studies published from 2000 onwards involving children aged from three to nine years. All except one study focused on the relationship between board games and mathematical skills. All of the children in the studies received special board game sessions, which took place on average twice a week for 20 minutes over one-and-a-half months. The sessions were led by adults including teachers, therapists, and parents. In some of the 19 studies, children were grouped into either the number board game or to a board game that did not focus on numeracy skills. The children’s maths skills were assessed before and after the intervention sessions that were designed to encourage skills such as counting out loud. Success was rated according to four categories including basic numeric competency such as the ability to name numbers, and basic number comprehension. The other categories were deepened number comprehension – where a child can accurately add and subtract – and interest in mathematics. The findings, published in the journal Early Years, suggest that maths skills improved significantly after the sessions among children for more than half (52%) of the tasks looked at. In nearly a third (32%) of cases, children in the intervention groups gained better results than those who did not play the board games. Dr Balladares concluded: “Future studies should be designed to explore the effects that these games could have on other cognitive and developmental skills. “An interesting space for the development of intervention and assessment of board games should open up in the next few years, given the complexity of games and the need to design more and better games for educational purposes.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 6 of the best new running shoes for summer Skin cancer cases reach record high – how to spot the signs Why do I get sick when I go on holiday?

Natural and man-made disasters have caused $3.8 trillion in crop and livestock loses over 30 years, the UN's Food and...

The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $925 million after no one beat the immense odds and won the giant prize

If you haven’t heard, Crocs are making a comeback – and this time they’re headed West. From the spongy flat originals to the wedged heels reminiscent of Y2K style, the 2002 footwear brand has introduced a myriad of designs based on its famed foam material and multi-hole adornments. But now, the company is branching out, launching a new addition to its collection: cowboy boots. On 5 October, Crocs announced the new boot offering, which was said to be motivated by the brand’s fanbase. “For years, the buzz around a Crocs-inspired cowboy boot has been building, creating a genuine fan-fueled movement trending across social media,” the statement read. “Recognising this passion, Crocs is making fan dreams come true, turning the Crocs Classic Cowboy Boot into a reality.” The boots may be bendable, but with two spurs, a faux leather shaft, intricate stitching, and a scaly vamp, the only tell-tale sign these are Crocs is the trademark foam handle wrapped around the counter. Available starting 23 October for a limited time only, the new Class Cowboy Boot is priced at $120. The shoes will be sold online and in stores. On social media, people don’t know what to make of the new footwear, with some praising the design while others have been more critical. “Why...why do I not hate these?” one person asked, while another said: “Crocs came out with cowboy boots! Someone take my money!” Others were more skeptical, with someone else writing: “Crocs released cowboy boots. That’s enough internet for today.” Another person described the new shoes as “foul”. Crocs’ new release comes in conjunction with the brand’s known “Croctober” celebration, where the company offers a special style every year during October. Usually, the exclusive design is said to be inspired by their dedicated following. Among the company’s notable releases are a slew of collaborations with name brands and celebrities. The Palace x Crocs offering ditched the known structure and handle associated with the foam footwear for a slide with prints representative of the Skateboard brand. Unfortunately, the collaboration has since been sold out. Recently, Levi’s and Crocs partnered to reimagine the All-Terrain Clogs with a jean top and abstract design. And if you thought using garment material in the comfortable shoes was unimaginable, the company’s pairing with food chains will surprise you. With swatches of orange, green, and red slashed on the soles, platform options, and Slurpee-shaped jibbitz, the 7-Eleven x Crocs ushers in a whole new intersection between the convenience industry and footwear. Read More Paris Hilton struggles to remove $450 Crocs boots: ‘It’s a full-team effort’ Victoria Beckham shows off new $450 Crocs boots after claiming she would ‘rather die’ than wear brand Fans poke fun at Justin Bieber’s casual sweats while Hailey wears red dress to Rhode event Sarah Jessica Parker wears mismatched heels to New York City Ballet Gala Sarah Jessica Parker channels Carrie Bradshaw on the red carpet in mismatched shoes Does your pillowcase make a difference to your skin and hair health?

Nostalgia only goes so far with "The Super Models," a four-part Apple TV+ docuseries as glossy as a high-end fashion magazine of yore, and often as slim as one from the Internet age. Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington Burns lead this strut down memory lane, punctuated by occasional highlights but ultimately more celebratory than revelatory.

If you want all the features of the best VPN services, you're going to have

Production staff at Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation are moving to unionize, with workers

If it seems like Black Friday deals are coming in hotter than ever, that's because

His Airness once lectured McDonald’s employees on good customer service: “They expect to be treated as a guest in your home.”

UPDATE: Jul. 12, 2023, 1:30 p.m. EDT This post is constantly being updated to reflect

The 1985 Domino's Pizza delivery car looks more like it was designed to shoot down invading alien spacecraft than to bring you a hot delicious pepperoni pie. But back in the '80s, Domino's founder Tom Monaghan ordered 10 Tritan A2 cars and customized them with warming ovens in the back to deliver pizzas around Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Domino's is headquartered.