Learning for Life

Board games and supporting literacy and general development.

If you bring out board games on cozy Friday nights or over long weekends, know that your kids gain big benefits from this special family time. In addition to teaching them about teamwork, patience, and how to win and lose gracefully, board games can actually benefit kids' brains and language development. 

They get older kids' brains buzzing.

Board games are an easy way to encourage healthy brain development in older kids and teens. “Strategy games are useful in helping the frontal lobes of the brain develop,” says Beatrice Tauber Prior, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist, author, and owner of the private practice Harborside Wellbeing. “Those frontal lobes are responsible for executive function skills, which include planning, organising and making good decisions."

They boost their language skills. 

Board games can be a sneaky way of helping school-aged kids work on skills they’re struggling with. Have a reluctant reader? A round of the Scrabble or Boggle will help them expand their vocabulary and flex their spelling skills. Meanwhile, games in which players have to remember several pieces of information at once (who did what, and where) might help a child who’s having trouble with reading comprehension — all while still having fun.

They sharpen your child's focus.

“Board games, when played without interruptions, can help lengthen a child's attention span,” says Prior. But to reap the benefits, everyone needs to commit to seeing the game through to the end. “If your family sits down for a game of Chinese checkers, be sure to  

 complete a full game without everyone checking their phone, asking Alexa to play a song, or turning on the TV for the latest football scores,” adds Prior. “Finishing a board game without interruptions will help lengthen the declining attention span of kids in a world filled with digital distractions.”   

Board games are a great way to unplug.

The lack of technology required to play board games makes them special. They are a simple way to get quality, screen-free time with the kids — and you might be surprised by how much they love playing. "Families are struggling to find the balance between digital and real-life connections but board games provide a tool for that emotional connection to each other," says Prior. Order pizza and make it a way to celebrate the start of the weekend together!

Taken from the Scholastic

Fabiano Nigro

Literacy Learning Specialist