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CRITICAL THINKING
Board games can also foster critical thinking skills.
More advanced games such as Risk and Clue have
greater opportunity for this type of thinking. In
these more complicated games, children must use
advance planning to decide how they will make
their moves to have the best chance of winning.
Games such as Battleship and Stratego require
deductive reasoning as players attempt to analyze
each other's strategy.
LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
Some games, such as Scrabble or Balderdash, are obvious choices for
building vocabulary. In Scrabble, children practice dictionary skills when
they challenge an opponent. But even board games with less of a lan-
guage focus can teach new words. Not only are children gaining language
skills negotiating with fellow players, but even the very playing pieces
and boards can offer chances to expand vocabulary. Clue, for example,
hosts a lounge, a conservatory and a billiard room, rooms that probably
aren't present in a child's day-to-day life experience. Board games may
also encourage literacy skills, as children read the rules of the game or
read off a card they have drawn on their turn.
SPATIAL SKILLS
Certain games, such as Blokus, Kaboom and Jenga, expand children's spa-
tial skills as they build, balance and explore how game pieces fit together.
If board games are already a part of your family night, you can count on
the fact that these are hours well spent. If you are not yet playing games
as a family, you may want to consider it, especially as the topic of how
and when to safely open public schools remains steeped in confusion.
The advantages are many and are all accomplished while having fun and
connecting as a family.
