Board games add another layer to organised play, providing the opportunity for children to learn vital skills that they will carry through the rest of their lives.
Below are six reasons to play board games with pre-schoolers.
- When sitting in a group, family bonds strengthen, and the proximity to one another allows for conversations to happen and take shape around playing.
Image provided by Solarpop - Learning happens organically without anyone realising it, and this is one of the best ways to discover and assimilate new things. The skills of sharing, negotiating, solving problems, anticipating another person’s next move, are all tools that kids learn through board game playing.
- There are rules and instructions, which means that kids need to listen and apply what they’ve heard, which helps develop their auditory skills, and also teaches them how to figure out how to play and win within boundaries and restrictions. Furthermore, understanding instructions is an essential skill that a child will keep developing through school and life.
Image provided by Solarpop - Games such as Dixit and Rory’s Story Cubes encourage linguistic mastery and imagination. They help develop language as children articulate their thoughts and expand vocabulary, which they learn from other players. Common sense is another core skill that is shaped.
- Another benefit is that games help to train the higher cognitive functions of the brain, including spatial awareness and visual skills. Spot it!, a game where the aim is to match a symbol on two cards requires a sharp eye and quick reflexes, making it an ideal activity for brain training. And it’s fun!
Image provided by Solarpop - It is fun for children to see their parents play, especially a game like Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. Parent-child interactions are usually functional or transactional, with parents getting caught up in the daily to do tasks. As a parent, playing with your children shows them other sides of your personality – the fun, humorous, light parts. It also models how playing should be a normal part of life: for everyone.
Games for preschoolers include: Cobra Paw, Rory’s Story Cubes, Dixit, Spot It!, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Bananagrams.
For more board game inspiration go to www.solarpop.co.za
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