Board games...it's more than just fun

I have always loved board games and use them regularly in sessions and in my personal life. At home, board games provide an opportunity for everyone to get off their devices, sit together and make new memories. In sessions, I use board games to engage kids and teens, and voila, therapy isn't as scary for them. We are still talking and working on the same issues, but there is something about getting on the floor with a child and stepping into their world. On top of building engagement, board games help children use problem solving skills. Each game helps kids practice critical thinking and impulse control, some even have the added bonus of practicing math. 

I invite you during this pandemic to get on the floor with your children and step into their world. Play with them! Play can be way more than just a past time, it can be the avenue that opens up conversations, repairs/mends relationships and of course, builds new memories. 

Dr. Shayna's top 5 games during quarantine

1. Sequence :: 2-6 players :: Sequence is a strategy game, similar to connect 4, the object of the game is to earn a sequence (5 in a row). But unlike Connect 4, pieces can be only placed on cards you have in your hand and you have the opportunity to use 2 different jokers (one that removes a piece, one that acts like a while and you can place a piece wherever you want). 
2. Rummikub :: 2-4 players :: Rummikub is a tiled version of rummy and mahjong. The object of the game is to be the first to place all 14 of your tiles down. You can make sets of runs (same color) or same numbers (all different colors). Each player must open with at least 30 points, Once a player opens up, they can add to other plays tiles to get rid of their own.
3. Qwirkle :: 2-4 players :: Qwirkle, first off, it is a fun word to say. Qwirkle reminds me of a mix between Rummikub and banana grams, but instead of letters and spelling words, you create a sequence of same symbols or same color. Each player starts off with 6 tiles and at the end of the turn, replenishes their hand with as many tiles as they used. First person to use all their tiles (with none in the bank) wins. 
4. Blokus :: 2-4 players :: Blokus is a strategy game, a little similar to Tetris, but different as you have other players trying to use all the spaces on the board. How it differs from Tetris is that your pieces can not be next to each other, instead they will be connected by the corners. First person to place all their tiles down wins. 
5. Five crowns :: 2-7 players :: Five crowns is a 5 suited rummy style game, where every round there is a different joker. If the round starts off with 3 cards, 3 is the bonus joker. Once a player goes out, every other player has one additional turn to put down and decrease their points. This game has 11 rounds, but goes quickly. The winner is the player with the least amount of points after all 11 rounds. 

All 5 of these games help kids (...and adults) to improve think outside of the box (cognitive flexibility) and wait their turn, stop and think what their next move will be (impulse control). Trust me, invest in these games to make new memories with your family, keep them busy during this quarantine and support your child's problem solving skills. 

What other games do you and your family play together?