Occupational Therapy (OT) focuses on more than just fine motor and visual motor skill development, it also works on improving motor planning and social skills! Even children as young as 2 years old benefit from structured games that give them the opportunity to work on social turn taking and following 2-3 step directions.
Motor planning is the ability to coordinate our brains and our bodies simultaneously to complete a task. This is often tested with obstacle courses and gross motor movements, however it is important to follow directions in school and to continue to learn new things into adulthood.
Social skills pertain to the ability to interact and adapt to different social environments such as a classroom, store, or office space. A person must learn how to communicate needs and act appropriately to thrive in a variety of environments in order to be independent in adulthood.
Occupational therapists use board games to simulate structured social interactions between peers. Board games are great because they work on following multi-step directions, reducing emotional turbulence, attending to tasks, and interacting appropriately with peers. Board games are easily modified to different age levels and time lengths to improve performance.
Below are games that are highly recommended for different age groups:
Age 2: Pop the Pig is my go to for structured games at this age! It works on numbers and color identification as well as following 3 step directions. It also includes a physical motion when pressing on the head and feeding the pig. It only takes 5 minutes to play and less than a minute to set up. Toddlers at this age truly enjoy playing this game and will want to play it over and over again. WARNING: This game contains small game pieces and should not be played without constant adult supervision due to the choking hazard.
Age 3: Sneaky Snacky Squirrel is a great game for preschoolers. It incorporates fine motor skills as well as understanding symbols and accepting poor outcomes in a fun way with animals. This game only takes 5-7 minutes to play and is easy to set up. Kids can work on their fine motor skills using tongs to pick up acorns to fill their tree stands. This game is a staple in our clinic.
Age 4: Surprise Slides is an amazing game that incorporates visual motor skills, social skills, and emotional regulation skills. Children will need to follow the map, cope with losing forward momentum, and learn to follow directions. This game takes a little longer, approximately 10 minutes to complete the game, but can be modified slightly. Children truly enjoy playing this game.
Age 5: Chutes and Ladders is another great game to work on accepting unfavorable outcomes and taking turns. It also incorporates simple adding and subtracting up to 100. This game takes longer than previous games listed, but is great for working on attention and social skills. Chutes and Ladders has a variety of versions such as super heroes and animals.
Board games are a great way to work on many skills without using worksheets. It helps to teach children social skills, improve attention, and develop coordination while having fun with the whole family!
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