Playing outside is always high on our list of recommendations for working on so many developmental skills. But when weather is not cooperating, we LOVE playing games! Getting the family together to play various board games is not only fun for your kids, but it is also a great time to target their language and pragmatic (social communication) skills. Below are three ways to target language and pragmatic skills while playing board games.
1. Practice turn-taking: Turn-taking is often hard for children due to difficulty waiting and paying attention to the game when it is not their turn. However, this is an important skill to learn through practice. Have your child ask when it's their turn and tell others when it’s their turn throughout the game.
2. Answering wh-questions: Throughout the game, you can ask your child various questions. For example:
“Where are you going to put your Sorry game piece?”
“Why did you move that one instead the other game piece?”
“Who else might like to play this game with us?”
“When is it Dad’s turn?”
3. Winning and Losing: This is often a hard skill for children to grasp but an important one to learn! Like all other skills, practice helps. A child who has never lost a game may not know the social rules behind losing and can react strongly when it happens. A child who always loses becomes discouraged and may refuse to try new things. As the adult, you can help balance these experiences with board games at home. (As a parent, you know there are games that you can easily affect the outcome!). Talk with your kids about the game rules and explain that there is only one winner before you begin playing the game. This can help prepare them for the possible outcome of losing and lead to fewer outbursts and tantrums. When the game ends, an adult can demonstrate how a winner can accept praise graciously. A parent can also model the art of losing with dignity! Show them how to shake hands with the winner, congratulate them, and ask for a rematch!
If your child is having difficulty with the skills mentioned, contact us to discuss these language and pragmatic communication development.