Teapots and Tractors: 5 Reasons to Play a Board Game Today!

Did you ever play board games as a family as a child. I did and loved it. We would all sit up the kitchen table and play games such as Monopoly. Sometimes just?the three?older?kids would play in the lounge room on the floor. Though my brother would try many ways to swing the game in his favour (A.K.A. Cheat!)

Over the last year we have been playing lots of games to help develop skills and language with Hayden. So today I am putting my teacher hat on recommending you play a board game with your child today.

Playing board games with your children?gives you plenty of opportunities to learn from each other and to develop children's language skills.

My 5 top reasons for playing a board game with your child today are:

1. Learning to Win and to Lose - being gracious in both defeat and when you win are important personality aspects we would like many adults to have as well as our children. Your child shouldn't win every game but they should have a good time trying.

2.?Developing Language - the language involved in a board game is just like a conversation. If your playing a board game such as Guess Who?you are?describing features of a persons face, what colour hair they have and size comparisons. Many opportunities for language practise are provided by games that ask you to go shopping, build houses or match pictures. Building vocabulary while having fun!

3. Social Skills Development - Waiting your turn and observing how the other person plays the game are skills that are essential in most parts of communicating with one another. We play many board games in our house because we are focused on Taking turns and developing the language that goes with that.

4. Fine Motor Skills - Board games often require children to pick up small pieces and move them. Games like Kerplunk involve them pulling out a small stick carefully. Games like Pictionary involve them drawing a picture. All great fine motor activities.

5. Counting - Young children love counting and many board games involve rolling a dice and moving forwards or around. Transferring their knowledge of numbers to actually counting on and moving their game piece is an important part of developing their number sense.

I know I have already given you 5 reasons to spend some time playing a board game with your child today but the most important point would be to have fun. Show your child that?you can?smile, laugh and enjoy yourself all while developing lifelong skills.

What was your favourite board game as a child?

What games do you play as a family now?

Source: http://www.teapotsandtractors.com/2012/09/5-reasons-to-play-board-game-today.html

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