Board Games: The Unsung Heroes of Therapy Goals
If your main association with Monopoly is that time you reluctantly played with your cousin on a rainy afternoon and discovered your first taste of 'no ethical consumption under capitalism,' this article is for you.
Board games pack an impressively efficient punch, working on a range of skills for kids, teens, and even adults.
Why Board Games Deserve More Love
They effectively support language and social development – whether it’s explaining a move, coping with setbacks (Exhibit A: that moment in Uno when someone drops a +4 on you and ruins your day), or reading instructions, kids are stretching their communication muscles while navigating interactions with others.
They introduce rich vocabulary – Just like books expose kids to words adults wouldn’t naturally use in conversation (think: "scampered," "command," "indignant"), board games present kids with new, enriching language. Whether it’s describing a strategy in Dixit or learning what "forage" means in a nature-themed game, they offer exposure to knowledge and skills that wouldn't normally come up in everyday chat.
They provide structure for play – making them a lifesaver for parents who don’t have the energy to dream up an elaborate pretend scenario
They’re engaging without being overwhelming – interactive without chaos, and, most importantly, packed with opportunities for learning—without feeling like learning.
They encourage turn-taking – a skill that, let’s face it, many adults could still work on.
They give parents an easy way to connect – no need to orchestrate elaborate play; just shuffle the deck or roll the dice and enjoy some quality time.
Kids love seeing adults follow the rules too – there’s something deeply satisfying (and democratic) about parents having to take unexpected penalties, follow strange challenges, or get stuck with a bad roll of the dice.
They provide a great opportunity for adults to scaffold learning – Board games allow adults to jump in and provide just the right level of support, making them far more flexible than many screen-based activities.
Adults can adapt the game to ensure success – Whether it’s doubling dice rolls to speed things up or making sure the last turn ends on a high, adults can tweak the experience to set kids up for success and keep them engaged from start to finish.
The Speech Pathologist’s Secret Weapon
For speech pathologists, board games aren’t just fun—they're our Trojan horse for sneaking in speech and language practice. Need a child to practice tricky sounds? Work on past tense verbs? Use more descriptive language? Slap a board game on the table, and suddenly, speech therapy feels like play.
And let’s be real: if your speech pathologist has not heard of Pop-Up Pirate, report them immediately because they are probably a fraud or an alien. This game is a staple in every clinic because it turns even the driest drill work into an edge-of-the-seat experience. Say your word, pop in a sword, and hope the pirate doesn’t explode—it’s simple, suspenseful, and weirdly thrilling.
Other go-to games that keep kids engaged while working on speech and language goals:
Pig Goes Pop – Great for turn-taking and reinforcing target words in a fun, physical way.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – A fast-paced card game that encourages attention, quick reactions, and vocabulary building.
Whatever Next! – A lovely storytelling game that sparks creativity and sequencing skills.
Bright Buttons – A trivia-style game perfect for building general knowledge and social interaction skills.
Dixit – A storytelling game that’s brilliant for flexible thinking, descriptive language, and perspective-taking.
Koala Wala Bing Bang – A goofy, movement-based game that helps with following directions and action words.
Zingo Bingo – A fast-paced matching game that works beautifully for early language learners.
Hedbanz – Perfect for practicing question formation and deductive reasoning.
That Penguin Ice Block One (a.k.a. Don’t Break the Ice) – Simple but effective for turn-taking and suspenseful fun.
Guess Who – A classic for working on question formulation, describing features, and logical reasoning.
Some Hidden Gem Board Games to Try
We all know the classics (Uno, Candy Land, and the surprisingly cutthroat world of Snakes and Ladders), but here are a few less obvious gems:
Outfoxed! – A cooperative deduction game where kids work together to solve a mystery. Great for problem-solving and language skills.
Rhino Hero – A simple yet intense stacking game with a superhero twist. Perfect for turn-taking and fine motor skills.
Dragonwood – A fun, dice-rolling adventure game that introduces strategy and basic probability (but in a sneaky, fun way).
Concept Kids: Animals – A guessing game using visual clues instead of words, fantastic for vocabulary and category skills.
So next time the iPad is calling or you’re out of energy for elaborate play, crack open a board game. It’s playtime, learning, and connection all in one. Plus, it might just save you from another round of ‘let’s pretend we’re dinosaurs for an hour’ (unless, of course, that’s your thing).
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What are your go-to board games for kids? Are there any hidden gems I’ve missed, or ones you’ve found surprisingly tricky to make work? Let’s swap ideas—drop your favourites (or your biggest board game fails).
