Child clinicians are at the forefront of dealing with social and emotional competence. Social and emotional competence contributes to physical and mental health, academic achievement, and personal and social development. We contribute to the social and emotional development of our clients in a variety of ways. One tool that we can use in psychotherapy is board games. Spending time playing games helps children: identify new skills, role play new skills, learn how to problem solve, improve their attitude toward school, peers, and family, increase motivation for life tasks such as learning, and enhance creativity. Playing games teaches how to: identify and express feelings, identify their needs, and formulate requests and demands. Children learn to listen and communicate, be responsible, have a positive attitude, and think creatively. Children who play games can build self-esteem, learn appropriate assertiveness, develop self-confidence, a sense of self and a self-identify, and conflict resolution skills.
Below is a partial list of games by category. The list is meant be suggestive rather than all inclusive. Many games can fulfill multiple purposes. For example, The Social & Emotional Competence Game promotes insight, can be used to role play new skills, such as conflict resolution, and can be used to enhance self-esteem.
PARTIAL LIST OF GAMES BY CATEGORY
(All games available from childtherapytoys.com )
Games that promote social and emotional competence
The Social and Emotional Competence Game
The Social and Emotional Competence Card Game
My First Therapy Game
Helping, Sharing and Caring Board Game
The Helping, Sharing and Caring Card Game
The Self Control Card Game
The Self-Control Patrol
Emotional Bingo
Journey to Friendsville
Consequences “The ultimate behavior game”
Relationality (Educator’s Edition): The Amazingly Real-to-Life Game About Relationships
Rules and Reasons
Don’t Be Difficult
Mixed Emotions Game
The Feelings Wheel Game
Feelings Fair
Circle of Respect
Skill building games
The Social Skills Game
Let’s Get Rational
Talk it Out: Support Therapy with Teens
Use Your I’s
Too Much, Too Little, Just Right: A Social Communication Game
Clue Cards: 5 Card Packs to Improve Social Communication
The Ticket Store
The Conduct Management Game
The Understanding Faces Board Game
The What If Game
Boundaries Baseball
Bridge Over Worried Waters
Alcohol Prevention Bingo
Bully Prevention Bingo
Coping Skills Bingo
Drug Prevention Bingo
Social Skills Bingo
Stress Bingo for Teens
The Self-Control Board Game
Stop, Think, and Go Bears Self-Control Game
The Impulse Control Game
Stop, Relax, and Think Board Game
Don’t Be Difficult
Monster Stomp
Let’s Get Rational Board Game
Stare Jr. (develops attentional skills)
Smart and Angry
Life Stories
No More Teasing
No More Bullies
No More Arguments!
Traditional games
Original Candy Land Game
Uno
Checkers
Family therapy/counseling games
Family Quest: A Family Therapy Board Game
The Family Living Game
The Changing Family Game
Cooperative games
Mr. Troll
Teamwork
SHHH Mom’s Sleeping
Bus Depot Diner
Mountaineering
Nurturing Game
There’s a Growly in the Garden
Hugs and Tickles
Ungame Board Game
Kid’s, Teen, and Family Ungame card sets
Max
Old Spider and Fly
Oasis
Group games
Peace in Our Time
Ice Breaker Thumball
Who Are You? Thumball
Emotions Mania Thumball
Debriefing Thumball
Conflict Resolution Thumball
Choices
Games that promote self-esteem
Self-Esteem Bingo
Dinosaur’s Journey to High Self-Esteem
The Self-Esteem Game
Totika Game
Games that promote self-control
Angry Animals 2: A Board Game Teaching Healthy Expression of Anger
The Anger Solution Game
Stop Being so Mean
The Angry Monster Machine
Escape from Anger Island
Games that promote insight
My Two Homes
Positive Thinking
Dr. Gardner’s Pick and Tell Game
The Good Mourning Game
The Upside Down Divorce Game
The Big Top Game (Autism, Asperger’s, PDD NOS)
The Talking, Feeling and Doing Game
Games that promote conflict resolution skills
Peacetown: A Conflict Resolution Game
The Conflict Resolution Game
Furious Fred
Conflict Cruncher: Play-2-Learn Dominoes
Puzzled: How to Solve Problems by Picturing Solutions
Games that address school issues
The Classroom Behavior Game
Childtherapytoys.com also lists games by age on its website:
http://www.childtherapytoys.com/store/games5to12.html
http://www.childtherapytoys.com/store/games5andUnder.html
http://www.childtherapytoys.com/store/Games4teens.html