Game On!


It is becoming less common to see a child playing a board game in this day of technology, where video games, iPads and phones with game apps are everywhere. What children seem to desire and need more than anything is time spent together with the adults in their lives. Why not grab a board game and show a child that you have an hour or two to focus on having fun while teaching many lifelong skills?

Board games reinforce many social skills such as sharing, waiting, taking turns, self regulation, interacting with peers and winning and losing gracefully. Children benefit cognitively from board games as well, developing skills such as sorting, matching, classifying and problem solving. Executive function is vital to social emotional development and growth. Board games foster executive function skills such as flexible thinking, memory and self control. Children learn to predict the outcome of alternative moves. In a game as simple as Candyland, children are developing one-to-one correspondence while counting. Games such as Memory, Bingo, Checkers, and Dominoes get everyone involved in a hands-on activity as they are learning many important skills through play.

As educators, we know that children learn more when they attempt to explain their reasoning. Take the opportunity while playing a game to ask children open-ended questions such as, “Why did you choose to make that move?” or, “How did you decide which way to go?” These questions will allow them to grow intellectually by explaining their thought process. Preschoolers are capable of absorbing and memorizing facts much quicker than adults. Give them the chance to be successful and gain self confidence during a board game in the classroom.

Encourage families to play board games at home by sharing the many benefits for children. As a bonus, board games can help grandma and grandpa as well! Games and puzzles, along with other thought-provoking activities, keeps memory function performing at a higher level. Your preschooler can help grandparents avoid the risk of memory loss! Share this resource on the top preschool board games with families in your program.

As I reflect on my childhood, some of the most precious memories I have involve playing games with my dad. There was not a night that went by in my childhood when my dad wasn’t up for a game of Checkers, Connect Four, or a long competitive UNO championship. I can still remember my excitement when I used my last DRAW FOUR card just when my dad was just about to say UNO… Looking back, it was not just the game I enjoyed, but the undivided attention my dad gave me while taking the time to play with me. It was that joy of competition he instilled in me that makes me enjoy winning to this day. If this is still one of my favorite memories almost 40 years later, imagine what a gift we are giving to our children when we make time for them. No matter how you look at family game night, everyone wins!