Summer is filled with so many fun activities that we can do with our kids. Swimming, hiking, going to the beach, play dates, the list goes on. There is one more activity that I highly encourage you to engage in with your children. Playing games!!!
Kids benefit from playing games. Playing games is such a great way to teach our kids so many useful and needed skills. While a child is having a great time playing a game with their family they are also working on social skills, answering and asking questions, formulating sentences, turn-taking, understanding directions, and so much more! Here are a few of my favorite games to play…
Candyland is an all-time classic! While playing Candyland, children are working on turn-taking, social skills, counting, handling disappointment (when they get a card that sends them back a few steps), understanding directions and following rules.
This is by far my favorite game for elementary age kids. It works on so many skills at once! The object of the game is to figure out what card you have on your headband by asking your playmates questions. To do this, children must ask and answer questions, practice patience, use deductive reasoning skills, take-turns, and practice appropriate social skills.
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game
I first learned about this game when it was given to my son for his birthday. I quickly realized the amazing benefits of playing this game and bought one for my speech therapy office. This game is great for kids ages 3 and up. It works on learning colors, understanding directions, taking turns, handling disappointment, and is great if your child is learning their /s/ sound!
Another classic, Chutes and Ladders is fun for the whole family. When playing this game, your child is working on counting, prepositions, turn-taking, social skills, and following directions.
Whether you call it Matching or Memory, this is a great game for young ones (a lot of older kids really love it too!). First off, you can purchase matching cards with pictures of whatever characters are your child’s current favorites. They have Disney characters, Paw Patrol, Princesses, Curious George and many more. This game is fantastic for addressing focus, turn-taking, memory, vocabulary building and sentence building (e.g. “I found a _____.” Or “ It’s your turn.”).
I hope this list gives you some new game ideas and you have a fabulous summer with your kids. If you are concerned about their speech, contact me for a free 15 minute phone consultation to see if working together we can make some progress before the start of the next school year.