Admit it. We all play “Candy Crush” or “Angry Birds” whenever we get the chance. And there’s that little thrill get every time to you get to the next level. Now, you can put your love of gaming to work for you and your community.

“Games for Change” teaches players how to balance economic, social and environmental issues in the game “Energy City.” Or, make a profit laying natural gas pipelines while handling negative community responses in “Pipe Trouble.” Tackle the real issue of mitigating the impact of natural disasters in “Stop Disasters.” All of these games fall under the categories of environment, economics, and civics, important things for all local government leaders and citizens to know about.

These games are available online and cover a wide variety of topic areas, all while keeping education in mind. And, from personal experience, they’re pretty fun!

In the article, “The Games of Government,” John Kamensky explores some ideas by which local governments can “extend that spirit of fun to other, more serious arenas important to the vibrancy of local communities, such as clean streets, a carbon-neutral environment, healthy citizens or economic security.” Video games, contests (like waste collection), and incentives for healthy competition are all part of the potential answer.

Engaging and educating citizens are key to a successful local government and for pushing change on important issues through a community. Making that education and engagement fun only raises the potential effectiveness and retention factors. Team building exercises can bond a community, healthy competition can challenge citizens to consider other viewpoints and ideas, and online games can allow anyone, anywhere to explore those issues most interesting and “close to home” for them.

What ways has your community made learning, living, and educating fun?