“Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health.”
I’m Katy, an Occupational Therapist (OT) specialized in mental health and pediatrics. Through my years as a clinician and parent, I’ve learned a variety of ways to make learning new skills fun for my clients, family, and friends. My favorite way to help build skills is through play.
A purposeful and structured approach to using play activities can help achieve specific therapeutic goals related to self-care, emotional regulation, or mobility. Play also facilitates achievement of educational targets and promotes holistic development in individuals.
Play is not just for kids, though! Adolescents and adults of all ages benefit mentally and physically from regular engagement in play. This is true for neurodivergent populations as well as individuals with typical developmental patterns.
Perhaps you are a clinician or caregiver working with adults with brain injury, stroke, or in long-term care. Or maybe you have a love of games and a growth mindset – these resources and recommendations can help you, too.
I am actively developing this website to provide you with a variety of services.
To help you find what you’re looking for, the informational posts and board game reviews are filed in blog posts and organized by age, target skill, educational topic, and play style. I’m regularly adding more game reviews and content – so if there is a game you’d like me to review, contact me with a request.
Both free and paid resources are found here. Additional free resources are available to subscribers on my mailing list.
Age
Target Skill
Subject Area
Game Style:
What are the benefits of play? If I want my child to be successful, isn’t it better for them to spend their free hours completing homework? Actually – probably not – although time spent on focused work is also important.
I explain all about the benefits of therapeutic play in this post. Here is a brief overview of how therapeutic play promotes growth and learning:
Role-playing games (RPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons combine storytelling, imagination, and collaborative problem solving. In these games, players create characters and work together to explore a story guided by a facilitator or game master.
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RPGs are often played just for fun, but they can also be powerful tools in therapeutic, educational, and social settings
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!
Do you have a game that you think I should review or questions about how to use a specific resource? Are you wondering about the applications of games for a specific diagnosis, skill deficit, or subject area? Fill out the form below and I’d love to connect!