Children are not always motivated to play complex board games. Rules and turn-taking can be difficult enough. Add language demands to that, and you may be setting the child up for an anxiety-filled and unsuccessful activity. Take a few steps back and think about what is of primary importance. If language skills alone are the goal, introduce board games by making your own. This reduces the stress of having to understand rules while attending to so many parts of the game.

 

Here are some ideas on how to make your own boards fun and interesting:

*Use preferred characters from TV shows and movies. This includes anything from Elmo to Batman.

*Incorporate digital images of family members or friends. Think about the people in the child’s life who always bring on a smile.

*Throw in some physical activity every so many spaces to maintain attention, and motivate them to continue playing. Examples include five jumping jacks, clapping hands for a count of 10, or reciting the alphabet.