Hack Education
idiomland.com
idiomland.com
Children have very good bullshit detectors. They know when you try to trick them into learning. They know when something looks like a game but it's actually a chore. Such thing is just not fun. So if you want to go with the path of gaming, make games with side-effect of education instead of education with side-effect of play.
One way you could approach it is by making the skills you want to teach an integral part of the game world, not something that looks like arbitrary limitation. Say, you want to teach kids that moss on trees can be used for navigation, and sun for telling time. Instead of doing stupid quizes about it, just mod Minecraft so that the northen side of tree trunk is green and put some hint in-game that you can use tree's shadow to tell the time. Kids will learn those things as useful in-game skills and transfer them to real-life.
Another example. You know what's the best MO(O)C for basic astrodynamics? Kerbal Space Program. It doesn't try to teach you math and physics, you just need to know some concepts to play effectively, and the more you know, the better you play. And people learn it, and find it fun.
My daughter is a fanatical Minecraft player, she made a few skins and easy changes. Perhaps she knows. I also used to show to her the moss in the trees IRL when she was smaller.
I think it could also be possible to extend this approach to less "direct" knowledge, like some maths and physics calculation. Imagine a game with reward structures that subtly encourages you to do calculations (and gives you some tools to help), while not in any way forcing you to do them. Say you're playing a platform game and need to shoot a cannon to hit something that is beyond visual range. You can shoot blind and try to hit it, but the game hints you how you can calculate parabolic throw and rewards you for hitting your target with your first shot. My guess is kids will soon stop asking "is this math ever useful in life?".
Just make sure you are teaching them things that are accurate and generalizable.
Moss does not only, or generally, grow on the north side of trees. When it does, it's a very local-environment specific phenomena that cannot be generalized.
> Remember animals which play with each other and learn how to fight or to hunt.
This is a great analogy, because it illustrates so clearly how "play to learn" is being misused. The play here is actually doing the things that are useful later while fighting or hunting. The games need to be the subject matter, not just surround them.