“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 with a background in 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 and patients.
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:
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.
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!