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Board Games: Toys That Challenge

In this day of computer games, electronic games and other high-tech gizmos, often the humble board game is forgotten. That's too bad because board games are wonderful playthings.

Probably most of us have fond memories of playing Monopoly on cozy winter afternoons or learning to play chess or checkers with a favorite grandparent. Besides being fun and entertaining, board games have the added advantage of fostering all sorts of thinking skills. Depending on the game, children may practice strategy, problem-solving, decision-making, and anticipating opponents' moves. Children also may use counting, addition, subtraction, reading, and short-term memory skills, as well as social skills such as turn-taking.

Choosing appropriate games for your child's developmental level is important. It would be too bad to turn off a child's interest in games by introducing one that's too sophisticated. Here are some suggestions:

First Games

Lotto Available with many themes (animals, dinosaurs, opposites, etc.)

Match-A-Balloon Very simple color matching game.

Candyland Classic game of colors.

Memory Tests short-term memory. Available with different themes. Begin with a few cards to match, then add more cards to make the game more demanding.

Picture Dominoes Match pictures. Comes in many themes.

Games for Preschoolers

For 3 to 5-year-olds, just learning the rules and sticking to them is a real challenge. However, don't get too hung up on rules at this age. Children love making up their own, which encourages creativity. Also, don't be disturbed if your child displays an overwhelming need to win. If you discover her "cheating," it does not mean that this will be a lifetime habit. Winning gives children a sense of mastery and it is not uncommon for preschoolers to go to great lengths to achieve it. There should be little emphasis placed on winning. The process is much more important. Seeing who comes in "second", "third", and "fourth" diffuses the importance of "first" a bit.

Chutes and Ladders Simple game involves counting, penalties.

Hi-Ho Cherrio Excellent for counting and simple addition and subtraction.

Cootie Good first game for introducing the use of dice.

The House That Jack Built Same basic idea as Cootie, but uses colors on the die instead of number dots.

Uncle Wiggly Game Involves counting, following simple directions.

Dominoes Traditional game requires matching number dots.

Bingo Special sets available which use the traditional bingo format, but have pictures, alphabet letters, numerals or rhyming words as a theme.

Sound Lotto Children match the sounds of farm animals, the city, musical instruments, etc. to the pictures on the lotto cards. Also What's that Sound?

Go Fish Traditional card game but with special color cards. (Note that children have trouble holding several cards at once until age 5 or 6.)

Guess Who Introduces deductive reasoning. Parents won't get bored.

Gone Fishin' There are two little fishing rods with magnets to pick up little fish with metal rings. No reading necessary. Little kids can use a calculator to add up the points on each "catch," while bigger kids can add on their own.

Trouble (or Aggravation) Try to get all your pieces (marbles or pegs) to the center without anyone sending you home. Older children or adults can enjoy playing this with preschoolers.

Princess: A Cooperative Game Older preschoolers begin to work together to solve the princess' predicament.

Games for Elementary School Children

Elementary school children are interested in following rules, often to the letter. They gradually become more comfortable with the concept of losing. Now games become more challenging, relying less on luck and more on thinking skills. Games can be played over and over without becoming predictable.

Tortoise and Hare Interesting strategy game. Non-readers can play, but older children will still find it challenging. Good for siblings to play together.

Mastermind Players deduce the lo-cation of opponents pieces. Another game that a variety of ages can enjoy.

Battleship Deductive reasoning and strategy. Get the classic game. "Talking Battleship" is too complicated.

Solarquest Like Monopoly in space. Move from planet to planet. Many levels of complications. For readers.

Jr. Monopoly Monopoly at its simplest form. Older kids will soon be ready to move on to Monopoly.

Jr. Clue Ditto for Clue. Clue introduces deductive reasoning and memory skills (and doesn't last all night).

Sorry Players must choose which piece to move to set back opponents.

Klutz Book of Games A great collection of classic board games from around the world, complete with an interesting history and detailed instructions for each game. Compact for travelling.