S1.E12: Get Your Game On - Raising Thinkers Podcast

It's time to talk about card games and board games! Now, your child may call board games "bored" games... because they think they're boring. I can name a few I think are a bit on that boring side too, but the majority of games are fun! Just like with reading a book... all games are not the same for everyone. Sometimes you just have to find the right fit.

To begin, let’s examine why board games actually help promote thinking. What skills are used? Honestly, it depends on the the game, but most will involve communication with others (verbally or nonverbally); strategy… which ties into evaluation, comparison, making judgements and decisions; recall, basically remembering key bits of information; and on top of all this it taps into organization and self-management skills… knowing when it is your turn, paying attention, and even being patient. These are just a few of the skills… there are many more.

Now, not all children develop these skill sets instantaneously. I wouldn’t start my four year old with something like Clue or Ticket to Ride. Instead I would start with something like Sneaky Snacky Squirrel, charades, Spot It, or even concentration, also known as memory, or what my little sister called it: the Matching Game. Yes, many of these don’t even have a board, but they are steps in that direction.

Here are a few tips to help you pick good games for your children based upon their developmental stages and what you know about them.

1. Consider Attention Span

Can your child listen attentively for 3 to 5 minutes? If not, make sure you choose a game that is quick and easy to explain. Additionally, if your child has to wait too long for their turn, they will lose interest. A faster-paced game is often better for younger children. Similarly, is this the game that would take 2 hours to complete or 15 minutes? Depending on your child's age, 2 hours may be perfect… or perhaps that 15-minute game is a much better fit.

2. Consider the Length of Directions

Look at the length of the directions for the game. If you get overwhelmed just looking at the number of steps, your child probably will even more so. Wait until they're a little bit older. Keep it simple at the start.

3. Consider the Skills Needed

Are there cards that would need to be read? Can your child read even a little yet? What fine motor skills are necessary? Do they need to check boxes or draw something? Can they pick up and use those tweezers to really play Operation successfully?

Hopefully those three tips will help you filter through the games to determine what is appropriate for your child. If you have children with a wide variety of ages, try letting the older ones demonstrate patience to teach the younger ones, or you can always have them pair up and play in teams.

Different games will also push the players to utilize different skills. I recommend starting with games that require some skills that your child already has and enjoys using. You want them to be successful or they will begin to have a negative association with playing games. When there is a particular skill you want to develop in your child, you can choose a game that emphasizes that skill. However, consider, if you think it may push them a bit too far out of their comfort zone, perhaps you can start by playing on teams, to help them develop their confidence.

Family games were something I grew up with around the home and therefore, I have quite a few in my own home now as well. Some of you might not have as many around. You don’t need to go out and buy more. Use what you have and I also highly suggest making your own games! Even when kids are younger, they can do this, it just takes more time from you to help them. As they get older you can challenge them to create the directions, the board, the cards, the game pieces, even to reuse materials to create the game. Then, once it’s done, they get to explain how it works and have the family try it out.

Personally, I recommend you try to have a family game night on a regular basis if you don’t have it yet. You could start with once a week or once a month and then see how it goes from there. One of my favorite parts about family game nights is how I get to interact with my family members. I start to see their different playing styles and get to know their personalities even more. Hopefully it will allow you to do the same.

One final note, please remember not to play the game for your child… I can be guilty of taking over a game at times, but then I’m the one doing more thinking. Your goal is to let each player do the thinking for themselves… especially your child.