We’ve played a lot of Yahtzee this past week. After introducing our nephew to the game on an 8 hour road trip, we played almost non-stop for the better part of 24 hours. We played several rounds in the car and in the hotel room before another several rounds in the airport, playing right up to his name being called for unaccompanied minor boarding.
The ever elusive large straight!
After relaying the details of our trip with Elisha to our son (and Elisha’s fondness for Yahtzee) Caden naturally queried, “Mom, can we play Yahtzee?” Caden and I played Yahtzee last night and this morning again. I think it’s safe to bet that I’ll be playing many more rounds while Franklin and Emma are away at camp this week. While I have much I could (and should) be working on, I’ll play Yahtzee when Caden asks because board games Really Do Matter.
It’s been almost a decade since I wrote and received a PNM classroom innovation grant for board games. I argued in my application that board games do much to foster both number literacy and social skills for young children. I used the $500 I received to purchase board games for my students and spent the first month of 1st grade teaching and playing board games during our math block.
Many of my students had never played Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Trouble, Tic-Tac-Toe, or Dominoes. They did not know how to take turns (working clockwise or counter-clockwise around the board) or negotiation techniques for who goes first. They were sore losers and had to be explicitly taught that playing with integrity is more important than winning. They also came to understand that nobody is guaranteed a win.
Playing board games in my classroom, as a part of my instructional day, came to an abrupt end with the adoption of Curriculum Maps, Pacing Guides, and Common Core lesson plans that tied my hands regarding instructional methods and materials. Until the pendulum swings again (or you decide to home school your children) I doubt your child will benefit from the powerful opportunities board games present for your young children in the classroom. Institute game night once a week or play a board game in the evenings before your bedtime routine rather than turning on the television and enjoy one of the following games (and their benefits). These have been or are some of my children’s favorites!
CandyLand – following rules, taking turns, color-coded for pre-readers, directionality and vocabulary development (“forward” and “backward”)
Chutes and Ladders –basic sequence and pattern of numbers, counting skills, basic addition skills, social language skills, and preparation for life’s little reversals
Qwirkle – patience, strategy, visual-spatial skills, and working memory
Yahtzee –probability and strategy, math facts, advanced single and double digit addition and subtraction skills
What about some of your family favorites? Have you found others that offer exceptional academic and social foundations? Share by commenting above!
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For more from Marea, check out Me and Thee Studios’ faith based leveled readers for 1st-2nd graders at http://www.meandtheestudios.com/early-reader-collection.html
