No doubt about it, board games are fun! We are entertained and challenged.
If a game is competitive, we can ride an emotional roller coaster. (Monopoly anyone?) There’s certainly a place for competitive games, but we need to learn to how to win and how to lose. Sometimes we need a break from competition.
Cooperative games give us the chance to work with others and work toward the same goal.
According to Vicki Stearns, “One of the most basic benefits of a cooperative game is how it advances the development of language.” Cooperative games also give adults the chance to model thinking, and children the opportunity to observe it.
Additional benefits of collaborative games include cognitive development, socio-emotional cooperation, turn taking and delayed gratification. With my small groups, I play Count Your Chickens (available through Target.com) and Stone Soup (available here, through Discount School Supply). It’s a fun, relaxed way to get to know each other and build community.
Read the PDF from Vicki Stearns: The Multiple Benefits of Cooperative Games