Games As Tools For Learning
There are a number of ways that parents can help their children to learn how to regulate their emotions in a more effective manner. Playing games with your child is a wonderful way to teach them about good sportsmanship, as well as a number of other important skills. Making time for family game night is also a wonderful way to connect and build a strong relationship with your children.
Tips While Playing Games:
1. Teach your child how to decide who goes first in a fair way (for example, roll a die, rock, paper, scissors, etc.)
2. Also teach your child a fair way to decide who gts to choose their playing piece first
3. Don't always allow your child to win. It's important that children how to learn how to lose appropriately.
4. If you catch your child cheating, give him or her a warning, and if they continue to cheat, give them a consequence (such as losing a turn, ending the game).
5. Emphasize that the most important part of playing a game is having fun and spending time with family/friends
.
1. Teach your child how to decide who goes first in a fair way (for example, roll a die, rock, paper, scissors, etc.)
2. Also teach your child a fair way to decide who gts to choose their playing piece first
3. Don't always allow your child to win. It's important that children how to learn how to lose appropriately.
4. If you catch your child cheating, give him or her a warning, and if they continue to cheat, give them a consequence (such as losing a turn, ending the game).
5. Emphasize that the most important part of playing a game is having fun and spending time with family/friends
.
Game Suggestions
Connect Four: a great game to help with impulse control
Sorry: this is a wonderful game to help children to work on dealing with frustration
Jenga: this is an enjoyable game to help children who have impulse control and fine motor weaknesses. I actually write questions on my Jenga blocks to increase the therapeutic value of the game. This is one of my most requested games!
Uno: children learn about fairness through this fun family game and also learn how to control their frustration when things don't go their way
Whoonu: this is a "Cranium" brand game and it helps children to learn about others and to understand that we all have unique likes and dislikes
Trouble: this game is similar in style to Sorry and helps children to work on building their frustration tolerance
Chutes and Ladders: through recognizing the behaviors that cause characters to move up the ladders and down the chutes, parents can engage children in conversations regarding the consequences of their actions. I often ask children to provide examples of positive choices when they move up the ladder and examples of negative choices when they slide down the chutes. We then discuss the consequences of these choices.
Hands Down: this fun card game helps children to work on their focusing skills
Sorry: this is a wonderful game to help children to work on dealing with frustration
Jenga: this is an enjoyable game to help children who have impulse control and fine motor weaknesses. I actually write questions on my Jenga blocks to increase the therapeutic value of the game. This is one of my most requested games!
Uno: children learn about fairness through this fun family game and also learn how to control their frustration when things don't go their way
Whoonu: this is a "Cranium" brand game and it helps children to learn about others and to understand that we all have unique likes and dislikes
Trouble: this game is similar in style to Sorry and helps children to work on building their frustration tolerance
Chutes and Ladders: through recognizing the behaviors that cause characters to move up the ladders and down the chutes, parents can engage children in conversations regarding the consequences of their actions. I often ask children to provide examples of positive choices when they move up the ladder and examples of negative choices when they slide down the chutes. We then discuss the consequences of these choices.
Hands Down: this fun card game helps children to work on their focusing skills