Games For Your Family

Here’s a list of games I play most often with my clients that can unlock opportunities for connection with your child and family! And bonus tools to make it happen:

Ungame

Created by a woman who wasn’t allowed to speak for six months for health reasons. Tons of quality questions that people want to answer but are never asked. The key is that no one talks over anyone else and only one person answers each question. Play at dinner or a road trip or when you’re driving home from school pick-up.

Cooperative Games

Most games out there are competitive. They have their place, of course, but cooperative games offer an opportunity to work together (huge real world applications) And older players don’t have to play down since they’re on the same team as the younger players. Cauldron Quest is great for boys. Hoot Owl Hoot is great for as young as a 3-year-old, and honestly it’s one of my favorites. At this point, anything Peaceable Kingdom makes is excellent.

Happy Snappy Apples

I have a version of this game and it’s requested by even 16-year-old boys. It’s a perfect game to teach the importance of looking around at your options before choosing.

Jenga

I have probably played Jenga for hundreds of hours at this point. It’s the perfect game for talking while you’re playing. This version includes topics to share when you pull a piece. You can also use your regular set and share a thought, feeling, or behavior you had that day or week. And if you ever hear a crash coming from my office, I probably just beat a kid at Jenga.

Sand Garden

I use a version of this in therapy called Sandtray. There’s a lot of research around the decrease in anxiety when playing in sand. There’s a reason adults will put this on their work desk. Cheat Code: grab a plastic tub you already have and buy some sand. Otherwise, wait until your next visit to the coast and grab some for free. Just be sure to use the same rule I have in my office that the sand has to stay in the tray.

Bonus:

Phone Lock Box

Most researchers are recommending some amount of time unplugged for your phone. It’s really hard to turn phones completely off while you are playing or eating with someone. Something like this can be super helpful, it just means that parents have to put phones away, too. If you want the Cadillac of phone lock boxes you can buy Yondr. It also blocks phones from notifications. Just make sure the box is out of sight to make it most effective.

Free Option

Children talk by playing. If you want to save money, play with what you already have. It doesn’t even take any official game at all. Hangman is a great option, and you can make the category meaningful. Better yet, ask, “Do you want to create a game together?”

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