tools for teachers, therapists, and parents
board Game reviews & Therapist-designed Resources
Are you a professional or a parent seeking a great game for your clients, your students, or your own child?
Are you a game master looking for resources for your friends, children, or clients?
I review board games and provide tips for how to use them to improve or maintain life skills. These tips can be used by therapists in the clinic or teachers in the classroom. My advice can also help parents increase their child’s independence with daily activities, manage big emotions, and improve problem solving. Learn more about my clinical background and how to use this website on my About page.
I also develop resources to use alongside games or with tabletop role-playing such as D&D. Download both free and paid resources including tutorials for D&D, maps, player handouts, game master tools, and more on my Resources page.
Children aged 7-10 years are learning to plan ahead, follow multi-step rules, manage frustration, and think flexibly when things don’t go their way.
Through turn-taking, strategy, problem solving, and playful competition, kids can build important executive functioning, social, and emotional skills while staying engaged.
Once children turn four, their impulse control has improved significantly and they can begin playing more interesting games.
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Good games for this age group challenge cognitive flexibility and problem solving. I’ve compiled a list that targets a variety of skills & subjects and are lots of fun.
It is never too early to introduce your little one to the fun that comes with board games! Even at age two, playing games can help children develop focused attention, frustration tolerance, and impulse control. Here is a list that targets a variety of skills & subjects.
Age: 10+
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Competitive / Semi-Cooperative
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Subjects: English / Language Arts
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Skills: Executive Functioning, Fine Motor, Social-Emotional, Visual-Spatial
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This word game challenges two teams to give single-word clues to help their teammates collect points – while avoiding the assassin!
Board games are powerful tools that offer a multitude of therapeutic benefits to help individuals develop essential skills for daily living.
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This post explores how board games can significantly enhance cognitive functions, specifically memory and problem-solving skills. If you’re looking for games that target cognitive skills, this is for you!
Age: 7+
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Cooperative
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Subjects: Math & Science, Natural World
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Skills: Executive Functioning, Social-Emotional, Visual-Spatial
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In this cooperative strategy game, players have survived a plane crash and scavenged supplies from the wreckage. Now, they must work together to survive until they are rescued!
Age: 2+
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Cooperative
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Subjects: Arts & Music, Math & Science, Natural World
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Skills: Executive Functioning, Fine Motor, Sensory Integration, Social-Emotional, Visual-Spatial
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Hurry and work together to help the owls get back to the nest before the sun rises!
Scientific research supports the variety of benefits that come from play.
This post explores 10 of those potential benefits with relevant clinical examples and associated game recommendations.
Age: 7+
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Competitive
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Subjects: Math & Science, Natural World
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Skills: Executive Functioning, Fine Motor, Sensory Integration, Social-Emotional, Visual-Spatial
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This surprisingly engaging French game is great for hooking children / clients / students who are motivated by visual input. Take turns laying tiles and matching colors and patterns.