What game nights can teach your kids

With winter just around the corner, many of us will be spending those cold nights at home – and it’s the perfect opportunity for some quality family time.

There’s been a resurgence in families getting together to play old-school board games over the past couple of years, partly driven by parents wanting to break their kids away from their phones, tablets and laptops.

With that in mind, here are five device-free game night classics and what they can teach your kids.

Snakes and Ladders

Ages 3+

The most basic metaphor for life in a simple board game, Snakes and Ladders teaches kids how to deal with ups and downs. Most of us played this from an early age and it teaches that life can be random and sometimes does not go as you planned. Kids learn that there are wins and losses along the journey, but ultimately, you can bounce back and achieve your goals.

Guess Who?

Ages 6+

The simplicity of the rules of Guess Who? belies the importance of key skills it teaches. Players have to utilise their powers of deductive reasoning, observation and critical thinking – determining which questions to ask to get the greatest results. Through a process of elimination, kids deduce which quirky character their opponent has selected. All together now – Is it a woman? Is she wearing glasses?…

Cluedo

Ages 8+

Beneath the basic plot of a murder (a little grim, but kids love it), Cluedo is a straight up logic puzzle. By figuring out who killed whom, where, and with what, players exercise their core problem-solving skills. In addition, there’s a strong focus on deductive reasoning, giving your kids a chance to connect the dots and methodically reach a solution.

Monopoly

Ages 8+

Boosting their powers of strategic thinking, Monopoly is all about planning, money and deferring gratification. Ok, it’s a completely transparent lesson in capitalism. But it teaches the importance of putting in effort and investing now in order to reap the rewards in the future. And with most games stretching well past an hour’s play, it teaches patience. That is unless you buy the version including the new Speed Die Edition which can be played much faster.

Scrabble

Ages 10+

In a world where most of our communication takes place online, your child’s word power is crucial to almost every aspect of their lives. Classic Scrabble teaches spelling and boosts their all-important vocabulary, helping them become more capable and effective writers. There’s no better way to help your child communicate than boosting their language skills.

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Images source: Amazon