Games games and more games. There are so many out there these days, it’s hard to know where to start. I had one mom tell me recently, “Miss Kasey you bring the best games, the OLD ones. Now they make silly ones like toilet games”. This is true. Some of the best games I’ve found are the oldest games that they no longer make and sell in stores any longer. I am an avid garage sale shopper to find the best old games out there!
Playing games with your child is well worth the “hand holding” you may have to do to make it a successful interaction. Below are a couple of tips that I have found helpful when finding a game to play with your little one.
- Pick a game with the appropriate turn length. Many kids struggle with the waiting their turn portion of playing games. This struggle can be reduced when you pick a game that has a shorter turn length. Typically the younger the child, the shorter the turns should be.
- Play with the right number of people. This again relates back to how long the child will have to wait to take their turn.
- Play a game with the appropriate amount of strategy. While you might enjoy a hearty battle of the minds with a game such as Chess, choose a game that will be understood by your child. Typically I have found that games which allow each player to collect an item and a specific number of items is rewarding and easy to understand.
- Play the game first so you understand the rules. Nothing will squash your child’s ability to sustain their attention and motivation for a game quite like you pausing the game to re-read the rule book. Play once without your child to make sure you understand the game.
Here is a list of quick and easy games that would be good for game “beginners”
-Kasey-
