EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
Early Years (2-6)
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Toys and games make different demands. Parents, who buy them, or smile and nod as they are gifted to our kids, go out to buy batteries, then, at home, locate our reading glasses and tiny screwdriver to open the battery compartment, fiddle with the bent springs and delicate connections. We set up the shiny machine, and turn it on, and sometimes it works. We supervise as necessary, from a position of quiet skepticism and quiet annoyance. But, to be fair, once the gizmo is up and running, we can often step away. And we do. We're busy parents, after all, so that this variety of mechanized toy and game helps us too, in a vicarious, remote-control parenting way, to show kids a path to their own autonomy, however reliant we may be on the batteries. Board games take families to a different time and require more from parents than struggling with battery packs and joy sticks. They require us to play and share and engage, which means that they give a lot more. And that's good - for our children and for us. For us, because we recall the wonder, magic and discovery of puzzles and games that we likely experienced ourselves escorting an anthropomorphized baked good down a path or learning to think about words with beige little wooden tiles, so pleasing to touch and hold. And because it's still fun, not just teaching but also playing. Board games are good for children for the same reasons. Cognitive development, yes, but also social development, the part of autonomy that acknowledges and recognizes other people and their own independence. Board games require cooperation and patience, the social interaction part of learning. Over the gameboard we all await our turn, watch the roll of the dice, wait to spin the arrow. Elated or disappointed, we learn. We accept setbacks, loss and victory, and the process teaches us politeness and respect. Parents might worry about their ability to entertain children with a fold-out cardboard and tokens. Or fear that, compared to a PlayStation, they will come up lacking. But the environment of boardgame play involves creating a little theater. Setting up in the living room or the kitchen, the ordinary is transformed into a place of drama, like dress-up and storytime and role-playing. My own favorite part of board games, of checkers and caroms, was leaving them there overnight, and waking up the next morning to see the story, the little dramatic play, frozen but alive, waiting for the next roll of the die or picking up a card. Game boards are mobile, easily transportable. You can take Monopoly or Sorry to the mountains for the weekend, set up CANDY LAND on a picnic table for a birthday party or locate car-friendly travel versions of many classic games. Worried that the old school games can't compare to the bells and whistles most children are used to? Just wait until the first roll or spin. Ultimately, the suspense of a board game is similar to its computerized counterparts, minus, perhaps, the level of stress and heightened tension that the high-tech version can create. Five great picks: THE FIRST GAMES: - CANDY LAND, created in the 1940s, is often the first game children play. The race to the Candy Castle requires no decision-making skills, unless you count choosing the color of your gingerbread man token. Instead, this game introduces children to taking turns, counting, following directions, recognizing colors and developing patience. (Parents too.) Our young gingerbread man is still challenged when he finds himself in the Molasses Swamp (changed to Chocolate Swamp in 2002 to accommodate modern palates) - but he's learning. (For ages 3-6) - CHUTES AND LADDERS teaches counting, number recognition and patience, especially when one player goes sliding down a chute while others climbs ahead or are rewarded for good deeds done. This popular early childhood game (for ages 3 and up) has its roots in ancient India. - CRANIUM CARIBOO (for ages 3 and up) is relatively new on the game scene but its concept is classic: a treasure hunt. In order to unlock the treasure chest, players must work together and explore Cariboo Island. This game includes two levels (beginner and advanced) and teaches counting and memory skills as well as shape, number, color and letter recognition. GAMES FOR LATER ON: - CLUE: The years have been kind to CLUE, which now comes in many different versions, including a less homicidal one for young dectectives. Instead of discovering whodunnit, the players of CLUE Jr. (ages 5-8) focus on who-ate-it, as in the missing piece of chocolate cake. The classic CLUE has spawned many spinoffs, including a version featuring America's favorite dysfunctional cartoon family, The Simpsons (Who Killed Mr. Burns?). - SCRABBLE: Those 100 wooden tiles, each with a letter, are irresistible. The tiles spill out and you start spelling, composing - you can't stop - and that's what you want in a game, one that inspires your mind even before the actual play begins. SCRABBLE Jr. (for ages 5 and up) offers pictures on one side - and letters on the other. Still, families who want to resist the junior version can make their own heirloom SCRABBLE board kid-friendly to the youngest by simply adapting the rules and allowing the kids to consult their own dictionaries for help. Lisa Alvarez is a regular contributor. Do you have a favorite family board game? |
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