Board games are a really great way to take time away from electronic devices, have a break from homework or to play on a rainy day.

 

Board games:

  • Allow families to spend time together
  • Help children to build learning skills i.e. respect rules, analyse options
  • Teach good sportsmanship (yes, adults too!)

 

As a family, enjoy these board games which take less than 15 minutes:

Play Kerplunk in the traditional way or play it with different language expectations and rules. Someone can suggest pulling out all the green sticks, or maybe use a visual card to show what colour to not take out. Why doesn’t the family work together to make all the marbles fall? Or guess how many sticks you need to hold all the marbles.

The game comes with instructions on five different ways to play, so families have a variety of rules to follow. The general idea is for players to call out the same item they see on all cards and see who is the quickest. The family can also make up their own rules. Through this process, players can learn to negotiate and problem-solve.

Hoot Owl Hoot allows players to work cooperatively and move the owls back home before sunrise. Adults can model asking and offering help, as this game will give children plenty of opportunities to practise these skills. Don’t leave anyone behind!

Silly moves, hold the eggs in funny places, and run! Get ready to move around after rolling the dice. There is a great combination of skills and fun in this little carton of eggs.

How will you stack your animals on the crocodile? The roll of the dice will determine your animals’ fate. This can be a quick game to play while waiting for food at a restaurant or while travelling. Challenge each other to pile the most animals on top of the crocodile!

Happy “family game night!” Don’t miss out on the board game fun!

Interesting facts from the CDC team about board games: