how do board games help with critical thinking

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5 Board Games to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

Do you know why board games are called that way? It’s because you only play them when you’re bored .

Lousy puns aside, board games have come a long way from being just lowly time passers. Board games can be as simple as token-and-dice races to as complex as world building, role-playing sessions. But did you know that board games can give more than just fun and entertainment? Did you know that they can make you smarter?

Brief Evolution of Board Games

Board games or tabletop games have been around since 3500 BC, and are as many as there are cultures in the world. Board games have been found buried with the ancient pharaohs of Egypt. There are ancient books in Iran and China that talk about in-depth rules and descriptions of board games. Chess, a game enjoyed by many all over the world, originally came from India. Backgammon, a game still enjoyed today, has been played since 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia.

People still enjoy these games even today, which proves the staying power of tabletop games. You might think that because technology has paved the way for more advanced and visually appealing games, casual tabletop games would’ve died out. But actually, board games have been gaining steady traction since 2010 . This is because the internet has actually made it easier to promote and sell board games. Unlike before, you’d need to walk through a toy shop to see board games. Now you can just search for them online. You can buy them with a click and have them delivered to your doorstep.

Not Just for the Bored

Tabletop games continue to be popular because of a number of reasons. For one thing, they’re mostly meant to be played with others on a face-to-face setting. This means board games naturally build camaraderie and friendly competition. In fact, chess is one of Armenia’s national sports , and Scrabble is a huge deal in Nigeria .

Aside from giving enjoyment, many board games can also enhance or train the brain. It’s true that some board games are simple and require pure luck or chance to win. However, many games will need some level of physical or mental skill.

This is where the “brain training” can actually happen. As you play the games over and over, your mind must learn the skills needed to win the game. Chess and Clue, for example, are great games for training logic and problem-solving. Boggle and Scrabble on the other hand can improve language and memory. And then, some board games improve critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking is the analyzation of information to make a decision or judgment. There are many skills associated with the critical thinking, but the six core ones are:

• Interpretation – This skill is the ability to recognize information and understanding them by putting them into categories and giving them meaning. An example is when you see a leaky faucet and recognize it as a problem.
• Analysis – This skill helps you examine the information or ideas and deciding which course or courses of action to make. An example of analytical thinking is deciding to fix the leaky faucet while also putting a basin to collect the dripping water while you get to work.
• Evaluation – This skill is useful when you need to weigh different options or approaches and decide on the best one. An example would be evaluating whether fixing the same leaky faucet or replacing it with a new one would be better.
• Inference – This skill is used when you draw patterns or connections from abstract elements so you can draw reasonable hypotheses or conclusions. An example would be deducing that the leak in the faucet is caused by a worn O ring after observing the source of the leak.
• Explanation – This skill involves communicating the justification behind the decision. An example would be explaining how you deduced the worn O ring because the leak stems from the handle and not the spout.
• Self-regulation – This critical thinking skill involves sensing your own lapse in judgment and taking steps to correcting yourself.

These six cores often work with each other in quick succession to display critical thinking as a whole.

Brain Games

But could board games really enhance your critical thinking skills? Yes, they can . In fact, some institutions encourage the use and play of certain board games rather than casual handheld games.

Now, if you’d like to get in on the action, you’ll be happy to know that it’s easy to get mind-enhancing board games. Here are 5 that you should check out:

Mancala has been around for thousands of years. There are several variations of Mancala found in Africa and Middle East and Southeast Asia. Players select a hole or pit, and then place a counter (known as “seed” but commonly uses beads) taken from the selected pit in to each of the pits they will pass as they make their move around the board. Players often attempt to capture the other’s seeds. The one with the most seeds in their storage at the end of the game wins.

Mancala develops mathematical skills, as well as the ability to think and plan ahead.

Also known as Settlers of Catan, is a multiplayer board game. Designed by Klaus Teuber, Catan trains players how to strategize.

Players begin with two settlements and two roads. The goal is to build the most successful and effective civilization of all. Players will roll dice to get the resources they need to build their empire—stone, brick, lumber, and the like.

Catan develops communication, strategy, and inference. Players can trade for resources they need, which needs communication. They will also learn to strategize and plan ahead based on their assumptions on what the others players’ immediate goals are, based on their actions.

Bonus: Catan has several spin-off board games, such as A Game of Thrones and Star Trek .

3. Quoridor

Quoridor is an abstract strategy game that can be played by 2-4 people. Mirko Marchesi designed the game and Gigamic Games published it.

The object of the game is simple: players must move their token from one end of the board to the other. However, here’s where the challenge and strategy come into play. Instead of moving your piece, you can opt to place a wall to block the path of your opponent’s instead.

Quoridor is a Mensa Mind Game awardee, and with good reason. It’s simple, but its trial-and-error playthrough can lead to hundreds of unique gameplays. This board game develops adaptability, inference, logic, and the ability to plan ahead.

4. Pandemic

Pandemic is a bit different from other board games. While most of tabletop games will have players compete against each other, Pandemic will have players cooperate with each other to achieve a common goal.

Designed by Matt Leacock and published by Z-Man Games, Pandemic can be played by 2-4 people. Players will be randomly given one of these roles: medic, dispatcher, operations expert, scientist, and researcher, and will have four actions per turn. Players must all work together to stop four diseases from spreading and becoming a pandemic.

This board game develops problem-solving skills, cooperation, and teamwork. Pandemic is a great way to enhance your evaluation and explanation skills.

Pandemic has several expansions and editions, including On the Brink , which includes a fifth player.

Lastly, no list about mind-enhancing board games will be complete without chess. This classic game from India has been around for centuries, and will be probably be around for centuries more. Chess has been ported into several digital platforms, and has even been modified into fantasy and fiction (such as wizard’s chess in Harry Potter ).

Chess is played by 2 people. The goal is to capture the opponent’s king. Each player has a set of pieces, either black or white. Each set has the same number and kind of piece, including knights, pawns, bishops, rooks, and a king and queen. Each piece has a unique way of moving and capture, and players must manipulate one per turn until they can checkmate the opponent’s king.

Chess develops focus, concentration, logic, inference, and evaluation. In competitions, moves are marked for time, so players will be trained to think fast. Chess has thousands of combinations of moves and playthroughs, which will also enhance players’ creativity and adaptability.

Chess has many variants. For example, a hexagonal chess board exists. The board has three cell colors, and each player has three sets of bishops. Another variant is the 3-player chess , which also uses a hexagonal board. However, the board and set pieces have the same standard colors and numbers. The board for the 3-player chess converges in the middle.

Learning While Having Fun

Who says board games are only for children? The wide varieties of board games available will assure you that you can find one that you can enjoy at any age. The best part? You also get to give your brain a workout while having fun with family and friends.

Today’s modern technology has paved the way for solo games and casual time-wasters. Much of the beauty of playing with a real person has been lost. It’s nice to try playing board games every once in a while to bring back the dying skill of interpersonal communication and socialization. Why not give these a try?

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Unlocking Fun: How Board Games Boost Your Brainpower and Creativity

• Post category: Board Games / Brain Games
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• Reading time: 24 mins read

Board games have been enjoyed by people  for centuries , with the earliest known examples dating back over 5,000 years to ancient civilizations like the Mesopotamians and Egyptians.

Board games have stood the test of time and continue to bring joy to millions of people around the world. Actually, they do much more than just provide entertainment. Board games have a remarkable effect on our mental well-being, cognitive abilities, and social interactions. 

The term board games usually refers to tabletop games that typically involve players moving game pieces or tokens on a board, following a set of rules. Board games come in various shapes , sizes, and themes, offering a wide range of experiences for players of all ages and interests.

While traditional board games like Chess * , Checkers * , Backgammon * , Mancala * , Mahjong * , Go * , and Senet * have been played for generations and are deeply rooted in various cultures, the introduction of modern games, in a few last decades, has taken the genre to new height.

Modern games brought a wave of fresh ideas, innovative mechanics, and a broader range of experiences. Thanks to accessible rules, diverse themes, and engaging gameplay board games can now be enjoyed by a much wider audience.

So what gives board games their brain boosting superpowers?

• Board Games May Enhance Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is essential in our daily lives. It guides us to make informed choices and successfully navigate through a variety of situations.

We use critical thinking to solve household problems, to plan trips, when choosing  to buy new gadgets, and in almost any other daily routine.

Critical thinking  is analyzing situations, it is considering multiple perspectives, and finally making informed decisions. 

Board games are fantastic tools for enhancing critical thinking skills.

• Board games challenge us to analyze multiple options and predict the possible outcomes of our decisions. 
• Evaluate the pros and cons of every move.
•  Consider how other players may react to our moves.

Critical thinking includes several aspects and playing different types of games can enhance each of these separately.

1. Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking is a cognitive skill that involves the ability to envision, plan for the future, and execute long-term goals. Playing strategic games is an excellent way to enhance strategic thinking skills. Those games provide opportunities to practice analyzing and making sense of complex situations.

Abstract games, such as Chess or Go, focus on pure strategy and logical thinking. They strip away unnecessary elements so you can dive deep into pattern recognition and planning your moves. When you play these games, you'll get better at thinking ahead, anticipating your opponent's future moves, and creating long-term plans.

Modern strategy games, such as Settlers of Catan * or Ticket to Ride * , balance between deep strategy and immersive gameplay. Players explore different themes and gameplay mechanics while adjusting strategies based on evolving game conditions.

2. Problem Solving

Many board games provide opportunities to exercise problem-solving skills. They challenge players to think critically and break down complex problems into little manageable parts.

There are wide range of problem solving games:

Collaborative games like Pandemic * or Forbidden Island * require effective team work and decision making to overcome challenges. Those games promote collaborative problem solving skill.

Games like Codenames * or Dixit * incorporate problem-solving through decoding clues and making associations. Which is solving problems by deductive and inductive reasoning.

3. Deductive Reasoning

Deductive reasoning , which is drawing conclusions based on known facts  is a type of logical thinking we use in everyday life. It is utilized in simple tasks like creating a grocery list  or deciding what to wear every morning. Later, if developed properly it can help us make important financial investments, prove scientific theorems or build logical arguments as lawyers.

Games like Clue * or Codenames require the player to reveal hidden information by eliminating different possibilities.

Playing those games helps sharpen deductive reasoning. 

4. Critical Analysis

Critical analysis refers specifically to the process of examining information. It is all about breaking down complex ideas and  forming well-reasoned judgments. While strategic thinking focuses on developing plans to achieve specific goals,  critical analysis  is about examining the assumptions for those choices.

Some board games, such as Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective * or Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game * , encourage critical analysis as players must carefully examine clues, piece together information, and draw logical conclusions to solve mysteries.

• Board Games are a Fun and Engaging Platform for Memory Improvement

Almost any board game will require the players to remember rules, strategies, and moves. That is a  great memory exercise.

Each time we play our memory is challenged. Regularly engaging in gameplay can boost memory retention and our recall abilities.

Most  board games are good for memory but games that are specifically designed to focus on memory are great for it. Flipping pairs of tiles is probably the most familiar type of memory game. There are plenty of those in different themes. 

However, game design has gone further than that. Modern games embraced the concept of memory challenges and transformed them into a much more engaging experience. Some memory games focus on remembering sequences.

Distraction

In this games players play cards one after other trying to remember the entire sequence. Once in a while a distraction card comes into the pile and the player who gets it needs to recall the entire sequence after answering an irrelevant question. If the player was not successful he takes the whole pile of cards. First player who runs out of cards is the winner. 

• Board Games Can Help Improve Focus, Attention Span, and Concentration

Board games require players to stay engaged and pay attention to details to not harm their chances of winning. Almost all board games require concentration.

Strategy games present players with different choices. Analyzing those choices and their potential consequences while adapting to constant changes requires sustained attention and focus. 

There are also games that their main objective is to exercise visual perception, quick thinking and attention to details:

• Playing Board Games May Reduce Stress

Playing board games offers a break from daily routine and a much needed escape from responsibilities and worries . Most board games offer a captivating gameplay that fully absorb the players into the game. That alone provides relaxation and often satisfaction. 

One of the many positive aspects of playing board games is the social interaction that comes with them. Social interactions stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone which is connected to feelings of bonding, trust, and stress reduction .

A board game is an opportunity to spend quality time with family, friends or people sharing the same hobby. Spending time in a supportive and enjoyable environment can reduce loneliness and have a mood boosting effect.

• Board Games May Stimulate Creativity and Imagination

Board games can have a big impact on on stimulating creativity and imagination. When playing a board game players are taken into a new exciting world where they are expected to solve imaginative challenges. 

Many of the modern board games feature beautiful artwork that contributes to inspiring players imagination. They force players to visualize worlds and often imagine situations beyond the game itself.

Playing board games often requires thinking outside the box since many games include different puzzles that may require innovative approach to solve them. 

Some board games integrate elements role-playing into the games. In those type of games players have the opportunity to take control over certain characters, make decisions for them and  actively affect the story line of the entire game. 

Some board games are all about story telling. In those games players get some kind of images or clues which they should incorporate into the story they create. 

• Board Games Have Learning and Educational Value

Board games are much more than just entertainment. As the time passes more and more individuals as well as educational facilities recognize the educational and learning benefits of board games.

Board games can promote learning in a unique and interactive way. Besides enhancing logical reasoning, analytical skills, and ability to think critically, board games promote learning in specific subject areas. There are games that focus on math, language, science, history, geography, astronomy and various other disciplines. 

Examples of board games with an extra learning values on different subjects:

 cashflow, teaches financial strategies and accounting principles.

Trekking Through History

Teaches  about historical events .

Point Salad

Teaches math.

Trekking the World

Teaches  geography.

Teaches  Vocabulary, Math, and Critical Thinking

Teaches  about Cell Biology

•  Board Games Provide a Screen-Free Alternative  

Screens and all sort of digital devices dominate most of our lives. Excessive screen time can lead to mental fatigue and overstimulation. Breaks from screens allow the brain to rest and recharge. That contributes to better cognitive functioning and over all well being. 

Board games provide a valuable screen free time with meaningful face to face interaction instead. Socialization, communication and sense of togetherness is what board games bring to the table besides the entertainment aspect that obviously comes with them. 

• Playing Board Games May Reduce the Risk of Age-related Cognitive Decline

Challenging our mind and keeping it active can slow down cognitive decline as we age. Playing board games is an enjoyable way to keep our brain active and stimulated. They stimulate various areas of the brain. Involve problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making and more. Engaging in these thinking processes contribute to maintaining cognitive function and memory.

Social interactions are part of any board game and are especially important for seniors. Engaging in social activities with family or friends can boost mood, and may reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Board games can have an extraordinary impact on our brains and overall well-being. Board games offer an enjoyable way to exercise our cognitive abilities, stimulate our creativity, and build meaningful connections with others.

The benefits from playing board games can vary depending on the game itself and the individuals playing it. It's important to choose games that align with the interests and the goals of the players to maximize the positive effects those can have on their brain. If a person enjoys playing a game he is more likely to engage in it and that game time will result in greater cognitive reward.

Next time you play a board game, remember that is it not just a fun activity but also a brain workout that is necessary for your overall health and happiness. Happy gaming!

If you liked our article, please share it and use the comment section below to tell us about your experiences or ask any questions. Thank You!

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Developing Thinking Skills Through Board Games

Despite the millions of apps and video games that invade our everyday lives, board games (also known as tabletop games) are making a comeback to the family table. If what comes to mind when you hear the phrase family board games is Monopoly or Scrabble , then think again, there are now a myriad of themes with enticing illustrations and complex mechanics to spice up your tabletop gaming experience. This new generation of games offers parents opportunities to bond with their children and reclaim time away from screens whilst building key 21 st century thinking skills in an entertaining way.

Board games offer multiple ways to develop a number of thinking skills . For example, problem solving , logical thinking and decision making are developed through:

• planning within a restrictive amount of choice
• management and prioritising of limited resources
• thinking ahead of the current turn
• predicting what others may do
• evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of different moves
• staying ahead while remembering and adhering to the rules of the game
• flexibility in playing the same game differently each time.

Another important benefit derived from playing board games is the unique opportunity that they offer to process sets of information simultaneously . This creates regular practice in working memory and information processing . These cognitive skills have been shown to play a crucial role in academic performance as well as in the everyday life of all adults. They involve being able to remember key facts about the issue at hand, while mentally comparing and contrasting options or propositions, then organising or prioritising these key facts to produce a response, which may be verbal or by means of a chosen behaviour or action. The more variables the child can manipulate at once, the higher the probability that they will choose an optimal resolution.

Some introductory games that could be used by your family to develop these skills, include:

• Alhambra – Create your own Alhambra complex, buying gardens, pavilions and other structures, while building the longest garden wall. The more of each structure you have compared to other players, the more points you get, and if you are efficient with the use of your money, you get rewarded with another turn.
• Azul – Compete to get tiles from suppliers for your Portuguese mosaic grid. The order in which you complete it will determine your points, but wasted supplies will cost you, and you can’t repeat a pattern within a column or row. For an added level of complexity see Azul: Summer Pavilion .
• Carcassonne, like Catan, has been around for a long time, but their simple rules make them good entry games for all ages. In Carcassonne, tiles are placed to create the board, and the player has to decide whether and which choice of worker to place; some will get you points for the tiles around it or the longest farm area. In Catan the player creates their own settlement, building houses and roads, for which resource cards (wood, grain, brick, sheep and stone) are needed.
• Sagrada – Each player builds a stained-glass window by building up a grid of dice on their player board. Each board has some restrictions on which colour and die value can be placed, with same colour or value not being allowed next to each other. Special cards allow a player to break a rule, and individual goal cards give additional points for those who achieve them.
• One Night Ultimate Werewolf – This is a fast-paced game of deceit, where the town people need to catch the werewolf. With each player having a hidden role, trying to discover who is the werewolf or trying to conceal that you are, takes wit and quick thinking.
• 7 Wonders – As the leader of one of the 7 great cities of the Ancient World, you need to gather basic resources to develop commercial routes and affirm military supremacy. A set of cards is dealt in each of the three rounds, the player takes one and passes the rest to an adjacent player. Then, players play their one card simultaneously, paying or taking resources to place them. This is repeated until all cards have been used. After each of the three rounds, players get points for their buildings and military strength as compared to immediate neighbours.
• Between Cities – You work with the player on your left to design the heart of one city (playing a factory, shop, park, landmark or house), and with the player on your right to design the heart of another city. On each turn you select two tiles from a hand, reveal them, then work with your partners separately to place one of those tiles into each of your two cities before passing the remaining hand of tiles around the table. The tricky bit is that the winner is the player whose lowest scoring city has the higher score!
• The Quacks of Quedlinburg – Be a quack doctor creating secret brews. Each player has a bag of ingredients chips and, during each round, they simultaneously draw chips to place in their pot. The higher the value of the chip, the further it can be placed and the more coins received for ingredients. However, if you push your luck and get too many cherry bombs, your pot will explode.

Other skills can also be developed through board games; for example, some games train social skills like theory of mind , as players learn to predict how others will react or have to consider another player’s interpretation of a given picture (e.g. Dixit, Mysterium or Codenames ). In other games, the whole family play as a team, developing team-working skills, effective communication and collaborative problem solving , as players present and discuss their ideas for best movement for the whole team (e.g. Forbidden Desert, Subterra, or Pandemic ). Yet other games are highly creative , they require players to imagine unique scenarios, characters or weapons and develop flexibility , as each game requires a novel way of thinking and making points (e.g. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D ; or Mice and Mystics ).

Card games often have easier instructions to follow and can be used to play when short of time, going on holiday (they are small and easy to pack) or when you want to start introducing these skills for the very first time. Some games include: Hanabi (a cooperative game where you can see everyone’s cards but yours!); For Sale (get into real estate by bidding for buildings to later sell at the best profit); Splendor (become a Renaissance merchant and collect gems to buy mines, factories and shops, if you get rich enough, a noble visitor will bring extra points); Love Letter (a game of deduction where you have to secretly deliver your letter to the princess while deflecting those of others); Bohnanza (earn money by planting fields of sets of beans and harvesting them. You will need to trade and make deals with your opponents to win the game, as you can’t rearrange your hand of cards and you only have a few fields); and Century: Spice Road (players are caravan leaders who travel the silk road to deliver spices to the far reaches of the continent for fame and glory).

Some games are highly thematic and immerse you in a theme of choice. These include Wingspan (create a beautifully illustrated bird wildlife reserve); Viticulture (wine making at its best); Photosynthesis (plant trees in the best spots to collect sunshine and create shadows to slow down your opponents); Takenoko (tend a bamboo garden for the royal panda by cultivating and irrigating a colourful garden); Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective (no board, this time a Victorian London map, newspaper cuttings, and interviews with suspects will have to be enough for you to solve the crime); and Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle (a cooperative game set on JK Rowling’s wizardry world).

Board games can also be used with a subject-centred approach to increase your child’s ability and knowledge of numeracy (e.g. Times Square , Prime Climb ); vocabulary ( Taboo Kids vs Parents , Scattergories ); creative writing ( It’s Just a Theory, Snake Oil ); science ( Cytosis, Evolution ); coding ( RoboRally, CodingFarmers ); and the humanities ( Planet, Ticket to Ride, Nippon Rails, Medici , Teotihuacan, The Downfall of Pompeii, History of the World, Wars of the Roses: Lancaster vs. York, Battle of Britain ); and art ( Bruxelles 1893 , Tokaido , Kanagawa, The Gallerist ). Because young people are having fun, they learn faster and are willing to engage in the many repetitions that will allow information to stick. However, testing your child or forcing them to play a game would be counterproductive. For more games in these areas here are some of our favourite lists about maths, coding, science or history games:

• https://thejohnfox.com/2017/01/15-boardgames-help-writers/
• https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/board-games-to-learn-english/
• https://blog.mindresearch.org/blog/big-list-mathematical-board-games
• https://www.codemom.ai/coding-board-games-for-kids/
• https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/206920/favourite-accurate-science-games .

If you are not used to playing board games as a family, start with card games or games that involve nonverbal skills , such as Tsuro, Ingenious, Set Game, Swish, Qwirkle, Patchwork, Doodle Quest, Blokus or Tangoes. Some of these (e.g. Set, Swish ) have junior versions to include a very young member of the family. You should be prepared to scaffold* young children, however, and they may need to first play the game with everyone’s hand open to view by all players. Parents and older siblings can help by verbalising their thinking process in order to model for the younger members of the family how to go about considering options and alternative moves. Another helpful tip to support younger children is to give older players a handicap. Depending on the game this could be, for example, getting fewer cards or actions, or allowing the younger player to take more actions. If the child is very young, three years old or so, there are games designed just for them. These are basic and won’t keep them entertained for long but could help them engage with the first steps of playing a board game (e.g. Little Orchard and Outfoxed , for a longer list see https://boardgamegeek.com/childrensgames/browse/boardgame ).

For those who have children who hate losing, cooperative games can ease the frustration of losing against another player while simultaneously providing opportunities for the adults in the house to model a good sports attitude when losing in a game. Be aware that some people can take over cooperative games, repeatedly deciding moves for the whole team. To avoid this, allow each player to propose an idea to the active player, but leave it to the player taking the turn to decide the move, even if this means losing the game!

An excellent resource to accompany your gaming experience is the website Board Game Geek ( https://boardgamegeek.com/ ), where you can find complete details about any game, such as recommended by age; by members and manufacturer; ranking among all members; best number of players to play a game; print outs of rules in case you lose or damage yours; gaming aids (like action options or round stages); alternative instructions (for example, a cooperative way to play Carcassonne ); written and video reviews, ‘how to play’ videos and even full playthroughs. You can also keep track of your own collection there and, for adults, there is a forum to connect with the board game community. You can also look up your local Board Game Café and Tabletop group online, many of which are open to families.

If after reading this you are now thinking of throwing your traditional board games away, don’t! To name just a few: Scrabble builds vocabulary and teaches about spelling, Monopoly is great to teach children how to count money if they are allowed to be the bank, Uno has very simple rules that young children can learn and still be enjoyed by the whole family, and Yahtzee teaches about addition and decision making. So, even if you only have these in the house, it is still well worth getting the board out!

*Scaffolding is an education technique which enhances, encourages, and enables learning by starting with specific instructions, then gradually reducing support and using more open-ended questioning as prompts.

About the author: Andrea Anguera is the Potential Plus UK Senior Assessor and holds an MSc in the Psychology of Education and Child Development.  She is the mother of two children with high learning potential.

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12 Board Games for Developing Thinking Abilities and Life Skills

Board games can build valuable life skills.

My sister works for—and is part owner of—a company that brings innovative teaching methods from around the world to Panama and licenses them to schools here. One of the programs that she promotes is called the Mind Lab Method. Here’s what the method is about :

“At the heart of the Mind Lab Method is the notion that the most effective way to learn is through an immediate and authentic experience that leaves one wanting more. Game-playing is the perfect example of such an experience – it is entertaining, engaging, and exciting, and therefore stimulates eager involvement. Game-playing also provides fertile ground for the training and application of thinking abilities and life skills.”

• Reflective Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Logical Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence
• Cooperation
• Competition
• How to Deal with Mistakes
• Deferring Gratification; and so on.

Of course, it’s not just children who can learn from playing board games, but adults as well.

In fact, in my blog post on becoming more resilient , I recommend playing board games as one of the strategies to follow in order to increase your resilience. After all, board games help to develop mental flexibility, and being mentally flexible will help you to bounce back quickly when adversity strikes.

I sat down and did some research in order to determine which board games would be helpful in developing thinking abilities and life skills, and here are the 12 that I came up with:

By playing Settler of Catan, you learn all of the following:

• Resource management — Players have to choose how to best allocate the resources that they acquire.
• Negotiation — Rarely can a player win a game of Settlers of Catan without negotiating with other players in order to trade for the resources that they need. Of course, many different aspects will impact the negotiations — the current value of each of the resources; you may not want to trade with someone if that ensures their victory, even if they have something you need; you may not want to trade with someone if they refused to trade with you when you needed a particular resource; and so on.
• Analysis of the current environment and how that impacts your chances of winning the game — How have the other players established their settlements?  What resources have lost value because they’re no longer needed? What resources have risen in demand? Given the current situation, are there certain resources you’ll want to hoard?

Playing chess promotes brain growth–specifically, it fuels dendrite growth–, and it exercises both sides of the brain. In addition, playing chess can increase IQ. A study conducted in Venezuela involving 4,000 students found that 4 months of chess instruction increased the students’ IQ scores.

In addition, chess teaches a plethora of valuable skills, including the following:

• It teaches focus and concentration – In order to play chess well you have to focus completely on the board that’s in front of you. As you constantly visualize the board, its pieces, your moves, and your opponent’s possible counter-moves, your power of concentration grows.
• It teaches planning and foresight – Chess teaches foresight by having to plan ahead.
• It improves logical thinking – When you’re playing chess, you have to keep saying the following to yourself: “If I do this, then my opponent is likely to do that.” That’s logical thinking in action.

Here’s a quote from Benjamin Franklin about learning from chess: “We learn from chess the greatest maxim in life – that even when everything seems to be going badly for us we should not lose heart, but always hoping for a change for the better, steadfastly continue searching for the solutions to our problems.”

This game teaches all of the following:

• It teaches you the difference between assets and liabilities.
• It teaches you how to maintain a basic Income Statement so that you can get a clear picture of your cash-flow situation.
• It teaches you how to create a balance sheet.
• It teaches you basic cash management — how to budget and allocate your cash.
• It teaches you how to evaluate financial opportunities to determine whether they’re good or bad deals.
• It teaches you how to make money by purchasing real estate, businesses, shares and mutual funds.

That’s when Andrew decided to create a game that would replicate the way we learn our first language. He wanted to make learning languages easier, and fun. And that’s how Kloo was born. When Andrew tested his game he discovered that both kids and adults learn an average of 20 to 30 words in their target foreign language per game. And without even realizing it!

Kloo games are available to learn Spanish, French, Italian, and English. Here’s their suite of products (they have card games and board games):

• KLOO’s Learn to Speak French Language Card Games Pack 1
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak French Language Card Games Pack 2
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak French Language Board Game – Race to Paris
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak Spanish Language Card Games Pack 1
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak Spanish Language Card Games Pack 2
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak Spanish Language Board Game – Race to Madrid
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak Italian Language Card Games Pack 1
• KLOO’s Learn to Speak Italian Language Card Games Pack 2
• KLOO’s Race to London – The Teach English as a Foreign Language Board Game

Here are some of the lessons in dealing with life’s challenges which you can learn from “Chutes and Ladders”:

• The fist lesson is that you need to accept that chutes are just a part of the game of life. Even if you plan everything out very carefully, sooner or later you’ll slide down a chute (the chute can be short, medium-sized, or really long). That’s just the way it is.
• The second lesson is that you can recover from sliding down a shoot. In fact, sliding down a chute may even be a good thing. After all, when you fall back to the beginning of the game, this gives you another chance to land on the longest ladder on the board, which shoots you right up to the top.
• The third lesson is that, just as there are chutes everywhere, there are also ladders everywhere. When you least expect it, a great opportunity can present itself. Keep your eyes open for opportunities.

Mancala has been played for thousands of years in Africa and different parts of the Middle East. There are also versions in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Mancala can teach all of the following:

• It teaches observation skills — Players need to distinguish good plays from bad ones.
• It teaches how to think analytically – Players must learn to plan and develop strategies.
• It teaches problem solving — Whenever there’s a gap between the way things are, and the way you want them to be, you have a problem. At the start of a game of Mancala, the Kahalas are empty, while the players want them to be full. Players have to move their pieces in a way that will allow them to get the greatest number of pieces into their Kahala, while trying to prevent the other player from doing the same.

Phlip E. Orbanes, author of Monopoly, Money, and You: How to Profit from the Game’s Secrets of Success , explains that playing Monopoly teaches the following life lessons:

• “To ‘win’ in life, you need to think like a game player. Establish your goals and, before making any decision, ask the following question: Will it bring me closer to my goals, or will it cause me to veer off course?”
• “Monopoly teaches the necessity to invest in order to grow your savings. And also to wisely spread your investments (diversification) in the event one choice does not turn out as you anticipated.”
• “You must keep enough cash handy to pay for typical setbacks in the game, and in life.”

Set has won over 35 best game awards including MENSA Select.

Playing Set teaches pattern recognition. In turn, the ability to recognize patterns gives us the ability to predict what will happen next with some degree of accuracy. That is, predict what other people are likely to do, how circumstances are likely to play out, and what has a high probability of occurring next in your environment.

There are many people who think that the purpose of intelligence is prediction. After all, the better you are at predicting what will happen in the future, based on patterns that you’ve recognized in the past and in the present, the more likely it is that you’ll succeed in life.

By playing Prime Climb–which can be played by people who are “bad at math” and math whizzes alike–you’ll acquire deeper mathematical understanding. This game will turn everyone in your house into a lover of math.

Unlike most board games, Pandemic is cooperative, rather than competitive. The players, as a team, must coordinate their actions to stop a global pandemic. A game of Pandemic will have all the players discussing strategy and options together on almost every turn. If everyone does their part, the world is saved and all the players win.

As you can clearly see, Pandemic teaches teamwork and cooperation.

Mastermind can be used to teach, practice, and discuss scientific reasoning skills. Specifically, the game can be used to to teach topics such as sound experimental design, hypothesis-testing, careful interpretation of results, and the effective use of controls.

Playing Clue teaches deductive reasoning, which encourages critical thinking. As players move about the board making guesses as to where, who and what did the killing, they have to use deductive reasoning to narrow down the list of suspects, the possible murder locations, and the possible weapons.

Clue has been used to teach propositional logic and computer programming to college students.

Board games are fun, and they’re a great way to spend quality time with friends and family. However, board games can also teach us thinking skills, as well as life skills. Live your best life by playing board games–you can start by playing the 12 games described above.

What have you learned by playing board games? Please share on Twitter (I’m @Marelisa ).

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Board Games Build Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking strategies are some of the tools we teach students here at TFALC to improve executive function skills . These strategies help with problem-solving, organization, and self-reflection.

Playing board games gives children the opportunity to apply critical thinking strategies and see a direct benefit. You can make the most of family game nights by modeling some of your own thinking out loud and asking your kids about their decisions in the game . Here are some of the critical thinking strategies you might use playing board games!

Before Starting a Game

Brainstorm what board game to play. If you don’t have the time for everyone’s favorites, encourage flexibility and suggest saving some favorites for the next game night or trying out a new game instead. When learning a new game, help your kids read the directions and say them in their own words or demonstrate how to read and paraphrase directions.

Before Making a Move

As you start playing, consider which details are the most important and comment on paying attention to these details . If it’s a strategy game, remind your kids to stop and plan before making a decision. You can also say what you’re thinking as you stop and plan your own move. You might brainstorm potential consequences of your choice or talk about finding patterns in the game. For memory games, you can model how to form chunks by sorting objects into groups or splitting large items into smaller pieces. You can also suggest visualizing to remember key information.

After Making a Move

Reflect on your decision as you see the results begin to take shape. You can ask your kids why they made a move or what they think is going to happen next. Board games activate connections in players’ brains to help them learn, and reflection can help them learn how to problem-solve using critical thinking strategies.

There are many ways we can incorporate critical thinking strategies into daily routines. Click here to read a blog post with more ideas about how to reinforce strategies at home.

If your child would benefit from further developing his/her critical thinking skills, contact The Family & Learning Center today to learn how we can help!

The Family & Learning Center provides a unique type of tutorial intervention called Educational Coaching. All of our sessions are one-on-one and focus on teaching the student how to learn.

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3 Critical Thinking Board Games to Improve Your Brain Skills

Board games were and are a favorite form of family entertainment. They are a form of a platform that allows for positive interactions with social groups. Also, board games help develop interpersonal skills and confidence. There are many more surprising health benefits of board games , but those are just a few. Critical thinking board games, however, are beyond entertainment. Board games which are based on analytical thinking test and improve your brain skills.

The Best Board Games for Critical Thinking

Board games are more than just a form of entertainment. They provide us with an escape, push us to become more competitive, and allow us to use our brainpower. There are thousands of board games that exist with more and more being created each day. Although a lot of them are entertaining, here at Aurosi, we like to think that the classics will suffice. Here are just a few of the board games we find are great at improving your brain skill .

The first game that strikes us when discussing critical thinking board games is chess. An intelligently designed game, chess is about strategy, tactic, evaluation, calculation, and logical thinking. While playing chess, your brain is evaluating the infinite possibilities that can result if you move your knight from f6 to e4. All pieces are linked and moving them forms a pattern on the board that surfaces gradually. Our brains can identify these patterns and analyze the game accordingly, but we may not necessarily know how to practice that ability. If your opponent has allowed his or her rook to enter your territory, there is a plan in place that you have to identify. What move is expected from you? Where would it lead your army?

Backgammon is known to be the oldest board game, inspired by the ancient Egyptians. Despite its age, backgammon retains its status of being one of the most famous critical thinking board games. While backgammon has been subjected to luck vs. skill debate for long, the mental skills required to dominate the game cannot be undermined. The two most important skills for a successful backgammon strategy are the basic understanding of arithmetic and probability and identifying patterns. Backgammon is a game of numbers. You roll two dices, which means you are going to get several sums – 36 to be precise. While you don’t have any control over the numbers, you do have control over your moves. Which move will put you at an advantage in case your opponent gets lucky with the dices? Which move would be the least damaging? Which step could get your opponent nervous?

How would a real estate board game like Monopoly qualify to be in the category of critical thinking board games? Surprising as it may be, Monopoly can improve your math skills. Monetary transactions are the critical element in the game – you pay rent, buy properties, negotiate with other players, and deal with the banker. In short, you are the real-life investor who calculates to improve his finances without depending on luck. Monopoly not only requires the brain’s cognitive skills like planning and decision-making, but it also requires social skills like negotiating and trading. Do you come off as an arrogant buyer? When should you take the risk? When should you play safe? You may not have enough estates as your opponents. Does that mean you have lost while the game is still on?  

Critical thinking board games are not just for fun. Playing challenging board games infuses us with an enthusiasm to win, which isn’t possible without using brain skills like assessments, logic, evaluations, and decision-making. The fact that necessary arithmetic skills can be applicable make these board games remarkable.

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Colleges Decreasing Out-of-State Tuition

Traditionally, out-of-state tuition is much more expensive than in-state, and it is inevitable for students who are interested in out-of-state colleges.

However, some colleges are alleviating or decreasing out-of-state tuition charges, according to The U.S. News and World Report . High-ranking, popular colleges that already attract many intelligent prospective students are not decreasing out-of-state charges. These colleges have many students who are willing to pay the high fees.

Also, these schools have stricter restrictions for who can apply for in-state tuition. Most of these schools only allow students to receive in-state tuition if they graduated from an in-state high school or their parents live in that state, according to The U.S. News and World Report . However, some of these schools are making it easier for out-of-state students to attain in-state tuition.

The U.S. News and World Report stated that there are ways to avoid the higher out-of-state tuition charges by moving to the state to pay taxes and claim residency. However, most students must live in the state for about a year before they can qualify for in-state tuition. Traditionally, the restrictions are tougher in states that attract more students. California is one of the strictest states.

Some colleges are allowing students to register in-state tuition to students after living on campus for a certain amount of time, registering to vote in that state and paying local taxes, according. The restrictions and details are not firm, but if students make efforts toward the aforementioned details, then it will help their cause.

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Many colleges offer in-state tuition to students who live in neighboring states or close to the college, despite it being in a separate state.

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5 Great Board Games to Boost Critical Thinking - Eva Varga

Critical thinking is a very important skill to have for multiple different areas of your life. It will help you at your job, at school, and even in your personal relationships. While there are many different ways to build up your critical thinking skills. One of the most enjoyable and exciting is playing board games.

However, not all board games will boost up your critical thinking skills, despite how fun they might be. So which board games are good for developing critical thinking skills? Without any further ado, today I share 5 great board games to boost the critical thinking of everyone from teens to adults.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links through which I will earn a small commission. Reviews are done based on my own opinions of the quality of the products. All opinions are my own.

Dungeons and Dragons

While more of a tabletop game than a board game, Dungeons and Dragons definitely can help improve your critical thinking. It is a game all about crafting your character and working through your own adventure with your friends.

My daughter loves D&D! She explains, “I like being able to experience the fictional words I always dream about, creating unique characters, trying things out, and experiencing the repercussions of my decisions. It’s also fun!”

I think the role playing aspect is large part of the attraction. My daughter really gets into the game when she plays and even uses uniques voices for her characters. She has journals full of character sketches and notes on their abilities.

By rolling dice, the game throws numerous different problems and roadblocks at you, and you will need to decide upon the right action incredibly quickly. The game can help you make the right decision at high speeds, and also helps you think outside the box. It allows for a ton of creativity as well.

The game is easy to get started with as long as you have some friends and a set of dice. Dungeons and Dragons can be made even more exciting by purchasing fun accessories like game mats, dice trays, game master screens, and mini-figures. If you’re in the market for some colorful and unique dice for your Dungeons and Dragons journey, consider checking out D20 collective . I’m partial to the Druidic Dreams color scheme shown here.

• Settlers of Catan

Catan is a wildly popular game that is played by tens of millions of people regularly. The game starts you off with a couple of roads and settlements, and you need to build that up to a whole civilization. Using a roll of the dice, you will eventually get the materials required to build your settlement.

The game is incredibly fun and rewarding, but can really test and improve your critical thinking. You need to always be aware of how many resources you have, the best ways to use them and whether there are any trades worth making. You need to come up with a strategy for how you’ll build the best civilization, while also making assumptions about the goals of others.

There are many versions available of Settlers of Catan including expansion sets, card games, and dice games (pictured above) .

Dating back hundreds of years, chess is one of the quintessential board games when you think of critical thinking. The game is played by two people, with the ultimate goal being to take out the opponent’s king piece. Each piece in chess can be moved a certain way and is unique from the other pieces on the board.

There are thousands of different moves that can be made and strategies that can be used. Chess relies a lot on using your mind, applying critical thinking skills. You need to think of the best and most optimal strategy for yourself. Using concentration, logical thinking, and focusing on the potential moves your opponent could make in response to what you do.

While there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to first playing the game, once you know the rules, it becomes easy. Chess is also great as it can be played by anyone, no matter your age or background.

With a name like Mastermind , you just know that this game will be able to help boost your critical thinking. It is a game about breaking a code where one person creates a code, and the other tries to eventually break it over time. This takes a lot of critical thinking, deductive reasoning and helps to utilize and build up these skills.

There are well over 1,000 different patterns of colored pegs that could be chosen by the code maker, and the codebreaker has to start from nothing and use their critical thinking and reasoning to eventually decipher it. You need to think about not only choosing the right colors, but also eliminating the wrong ones on your journey to breaking the code.

• Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is without a doubt, one of the most exciting games on the market and is also one that challenges you to think critically. The goal of the game is to connect train cars and fill railways across the map, trying to make links between specific places. The game is all about using logic and strategy to successfully build your connections, while also preventing others from doing the same.

Ticket to Ride is one of my family’s favorite games. We actually own three different versions – Asia , Nordic Countries , and Europe (including the expansion, 1912 ). In my post, Board Games & Fun , I share more of our favorites.

Ticket to Ride is a game with very simple rules, but can be played and won in several different ways. Some people might try to fill the largest railways possible to score points. Others will spend their game trying to stifle other people’s plans and focus on building smaller train connections. You have a lot of options and with numerous ways to connect different routes. You are free to play the game how you want.

In conclusion, these board games are great ways to not only have fun, but also boost critical thinking. What are your family’s favorite games?

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• Critical Thinking
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Board Games for Kids: Boosting Critical Thinking and Communication Skills

Families are always looking for fun and engaging way to spend quality time kids. Board games are a wonderful family activity. They provide so much more than just an activity to occupy some time. There are many skills which can be developed and strengthened through playing board games. Knowing the additional benefits of board games allow families, teachers and caregivers to optimize the time spent at the table.

Boost Critical Thinking Skills

There are a significant number of games that require a great amount of thought. Many games require decision making, strategic thinking, and problem solving. All these tasks develop critical thinking skills in children. One ways to support their critical thinking is to asking them questions about their strategy. This shows you are letting them take point on the strategy rather than telling them what to do, which can help foster creativity and encourage your kids to think outside the box. That said, if they are really stuck on what to do suggestions can be offered, and they can choose the strategy they think is best.

Some examples of games

• Sushi Go (decisions on cards to pick)
• Ticket to Ride (section of cards and planing routes)
• Planted (choices about which resources to take/use)

Improve Communication Skills

Board games whether they are cooperative or competitive provide lots of opportunities to develop communication skills. In competitive games, there can be communication about rules and turns. In those instances there needs to be active listening as well as clear communication.

With cooperative games the communication is even more critical since all players are working towards the same objective. It really encourages players to express themselves in effectively so their ideas are conveyed clearly. Ideas need to be shared and all players need to listen and respond to the ideas. This support the ability to understand others’ perspectives both around the table, and communicating outside the gaming setting.

The greatest communication skill cooperative game support is learning how to work together effectively. It is really easy for one player to take over the game a direct the other players on what they need to do on their turn. Working together, all players contribute to the strategy. Seeing more experienced gamers listening to their thoughts on the the strategy and being encouraged to collaborate, rather than just following the directions of the player that has taken the lead, will really support their development of communications skills.

Some examples of cooperative games that require communication include:

• Last Defense
• Forbidden Island
• Indiana Jones Sands of Adventure
• Zombie Kidz Evolution

Develop Sportsmanship and Resilience

Sportsmanship is so important in all different aspects of life. Board games offer a low investment way to learn how to loose graciously and bounce back from setbacks. If a child needs to develop their sportsmanship and/or resilience, games with a short playtime are the way to go. When the game is short then the time and mental investment in the game is lower and it is easier to reset and play again.

Throughout the game make sure to reinforce the importance of being a gracious winner and loser. Encourage your kids to congratulate the winner and offer encouragement to the losers. This can help them learn how to handle both success and failure with grace and humility.

For more suggestions check out my article Building Sportsmanship with Board Games

Some examples of games that Develop Sportsmanship and Resilience

• The Fuzzies
• Happy Salmon

Choosing the Right Game

Regardless of the purpose it is so important to choose the right game for the players. You need to consider the age recommendation on the game, the skill level involved, and the theme of the game. What is engaging and best for younger kids is different than older kids. Younger kids do best with simple games with only a few rules. Short playtime is best since their attention wains quickly. In contrast, older kids may enjoy more complex games that require more elaborate strategic thinking. That said, some older kids prefer shorter streamline games. Overall game play can take longer and have more rules than with their younger counterpoints.

Games for younger kids:

• Unicorn Glitterluck (3+)
• Count Your Chickens (3+)
• Hoot Owl Hoot (4+)
• Dragomino (5+)
• Ticket to Ride: First Journey (6+)

Games for Older Kids:

• Kingdomino (8+)
• Block Ness (8+)
• Abandon All Artichokes (10+)
• Forbidden Island (10+)

For more recommendations, check out my other articles:

Board Game Recommendations for Toddlers and Preschoolers Ages 2 to 4

Games for Beginning Readers: Board Games for Ages 5 to 7

EFG Essentials: Great Board Games for Kids

Final Thoughts

Board games and gathering together around the table creates many opportunities to develop critical thinking and communication skills. Like so many things, it is important to match the skill you are looking to develop with a game that supports that skill. Additionally, making sure the game matches the skills and interest of the child is key. Time spent at the table can be so beneficial to modeling, and practicing skills and strategies. Board games are a great way to spend time together, and supporting you child’s skill development is an additional benefit.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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Board Games Can Help Children Learn Critical Thinking And Problem-solving Skills

• Post author By Kay Woot
• Post date June 3, 2022
• No Comments on Board Games Can Help Children Learn Critical Thinking And Problem-solving Skills

Do you remember the hours you spent playing board games as a child? Not only were they a lot of fun, but they also helped to improve your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Believe it or not, these skills can still be sharpened by playing board games today! In this blog post, we will discuss some of the benefits of board games and how they can help children learn important life skills. Keep reading to find out more!

Table of contents

Do board games help children learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills?

The effects of playing board games on children’s cognitive development will vary depending on the game itself and the child’s individual learning style. However, research has shown that board games can indeed help children develop important thinking and problem-solving skills. One study found that kids who regularly played board games were better able to generate creative solutions to problems than those who didn’t play them as often. Furthermore, board games have been shown to improve kids’ executive function skills, which encompass abilities like planning, flexibility, and working memory . These skills are important not only in academic settings but in everyday life as well.

What are some popular board games that can help children learn these skills?

1. Clue: This mystery game requires players to use deductive reasoning to figure out who committed a crime, what weapon was used, and where the crime took place. As players make deductions, they must also keep track of clues that others have given in order to try and solve the case.

2. Monopoly: This classic game teaches players about financial decision-making and managing money. Players must buy, sell, and trade properties while trying to stay afloat financially. The game also teaches players about opportunity cost, as they must weigh the pros and cons of different investment decisions.

3. Scrabble: This word game helps children expand their vocabularies and learn new words. Players must use strategic thinking to form words that will score the most points. The game also teaches players about anagrams and how to rearrange letters to form new words.

4. The Settlers of Catan: This strategy game requires players to trade and barter with one another in order to obtain the resources they need to build settlements and roads. Players must also think ahead to plan the most efficient route for their settlements. The game teaches players about resource management and planning for future growth.

5. Ticket to Ride: This board game has players competing to see who can build the longest train route across the country. Players must plan their routes carefully in order to connect cities and earn points. The game also teaches players about geography and map reading skills.

How do board games help children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills?

When playing a board game, children are constantly presented with new challenges and obstacles that they must overcome in order to win the game. In order to do this, they must use their critical thinking skills to figure out the best way to overcome the challenge. This process can help children learn how to think creatively and solve problems in new and innovative ways. Additionally, board games can also help children develop important strategic thinking skills. By playing board games, children learn how to plan ahead, anticipate their opponents’ moves, and make decisions that will lead them to victory. These are all important skills that can help children succeed in school and in life.

What types of problems can children learn to solve by playing board games?

• Logical problems: Board games often require players to use logic and deduction in order to win. This can help children to develop their own problem-solving skills.
• Strategic problems: Many board games also require players to think strategically. This can help children learn how to plan ahead and make decisions that will lead to success.
• Social problems: Board games often involve interactions with other players. This can help children to develop social skills such as communication and cooperation.

What are some benefits of playing board games for children?

Problem solving is an important skill for children to learn, and board games can be a great way to help them practice. Games that require players to figure out how to move pieces around the board or solve puzzles can help kids learn to think critically and come up with creative solutions.

Fine motor skills are another important area that board games can help with. Games that require players to pick up and manipulate small pieces can help kids improve their dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

Board games also provide an opportunity for social interaction. Games that require players to take turns and work together can help kids learn cooperation and communication.

How can parents ensure that their children are getting the most out of playing board games?

First, it is important to choose games that are appropriate for your child’s age and abilities. There are many great games on the market that are designed specifically for different age groups. If you’re not sure which games are best for your child, ask a salesperson at your local game store or check out online reviews. Secondly, make sure to set aside some time each week to play board games together as a family. This will not only be fun for everyone involved, but it will also give you a chance to teach your children important skills like strategic thinking and social interaction. Finally, don’t be afraid to let your children lose occasionally. Losing is a natural part of playing any game, and it can actually be a valuable learning experience for kids. By teaching them how to handle both winning and losing gracefully, you’ll help them develop important life skills that they’ll carry with them long after the game is over.

Are there any risks associated with playing board games?

One risk is that you could injure yourself while playing. For example, you could fall off your chair or table, or you could cut yourself with a sharp object. Another risk is that you could develop an addiction to board games. This means that you would spend excessive amounts of time and money on board games, and you would neglect your other obligations. Finally, you could develop social anxiety if you play board games excessively. This is because you would be spending less time interacting with other people, and you might become socially isolated.

What should parents do if they feel their child is not benefited from playing board games?

One option is to try a different game. Some children prefer more active games while others prefer quieter ones. There are many types of board games available, so it is worth taking the time to find one that your child enjoys and will benefit from.

Another option is to use the board game as a way to bond with your child. Play together and use it as an opportunity to teach important life skills, such as taking turns and being a good sport. This can be a valuable experience for both of you.

If your child still does not seem to be benefiting from board games, it is possible that they are just not ready for them yet. Games can be introduced at a later time when your child is more developmentally ready. In the meantime, there are plenty of other activities that can help your child learn and grow. Talk to their doctor or a child development specialist for guidance.

How can families make playing board games a fun and beneficial activity for all?

One way to make playing board games a fun and beneficial activity for all is to choose age-appropriate games. Not all games are suitable for all ages, so it is important to consider the age range of the players when selecting a game. Another way to make playing board games a fun and beneficial activity for all is to take turns choosing which game to play. This way, everyone gets a chance to play their favorite game and no one feels left out. Finally, it is important to remember that playing board games is supposed to be fun! If it starts to feel like a chore, take a break and come back to it later.

What are some tips for choosing the right board game for your child?

First, consider your child’s age and interests when selecting a game. Younger children may prefer simpler games with colorful pieces and clear instructions, while older children may enjoy more complex games with multiple rules and strategies. It is also important to choose a game that is appropriate for your child’s skill level; a game that is too easy will be boring, while a game that is too difficult will be frustrating.

Second, think about the number of players the game can accommodate. Some games are meant to be played by two people, while others can be played by four or more. If you have a large family, look for games that can accommodate everyone.

Third, take into account the amount of time you want to spend playing the game. Some games can be completed in just a few minutes, while others may take an hour or more. Consider how much time you have available and choose a game accordingly.

Finally, think about the price of the game. Some games can be quite expensive, while others are very affordable. Choose a game that fits within your budget.

How can you tell if a board game is helping your child develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills?

One way to tell if a board game is helping your child develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills is by observing how they play the game. Do they take turns, follow rules, and think strategically about their moves? Or do they just move pieces around randomly without any clear goal in mind?

Another way to tell if a board game is helping your child develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills is by asking them questions about the game after they’ve played it. What did they do during the game? What was their strategy? Why did they make the moves they made?

If you see that your child is playing board games in a way that shows they are thinking critically and solving problems, then you can be confident that the game is helping them develop those skills.

What are some signs that your child is not enjoying a particular board game?

If they seem bored, uninterested, or frustrated, it may be time to try something else. Additionally, if they are constantly losing or complaining about the game, it may not be their cup of tea. Lastly, if they never want to play it again, it’s probably not their favorite.

Is there a difference between educational board games and regular board games?

First, educational board games are designed to teach specific skills or knowledge, while regular board games are meant primarily for entertainment. This means that educational board games will often have more explicit instructions and rules, while regular board games may be more open-ended. Secondly, educational board games often require players to think strategically and use problem-solving skills, while regular board games may be more reliant on luck or chance. Finally, educational board games tend to be more replayable than regular board games, as they can be used to review material or learn new concepts.

What are some popular educational board games?

The Game of Life:

One of the most popular board games of all time, The Game of Life can teach players about important life lessons, such as the importance of education , career planning, and saving for retirement.

A classic game that has been around for generations, Monopoly can teach players about money management, such as how to save money, invest wisely, and avoid going into debt.

A popular word game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, Scrabble can help improve players’ vocabulary, spelling, and word recognition skills.

A dice game that is easy to learn and play, Yahtzee can teach players about probability and chance.

Chutes and Ladders:

A simple yet fun game that is popular with children, Chutes and Ladders can teach players about the consequences of their actions, both good and bad.

Are there any age restrictions on playing board games?

Some board games may have age recommendations or requirements listed on the box, so it’s always best to check that first. That said, many board games can be enjoyed by players of all ages and there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to age limits.

While it is important to keep technology in check and not overuse it, board games can be a great way to help children learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills. So the next time you are looking for something to do with your family or friends, pull out a board game instead of reaching for your phone. You may be surprised at how much fun you have and how much your children learn in the process.

Related posts:

• Playing Board Games Can Help You Make New Friends And Socialize
• Board Games Can Help Improve Your Hand-eye Coordination And Reflexes
• Board Games Can Be Used To Teach Important Life Lessons

5 Games for Building Critical Thinking Skills

• alfordabby's Blog

Games can be more than just a fun way to pass time; they can stimulate your brain and help you develop critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is the ability to examine information rationally and make a logical judgment based on your analysis. Critical thinking skills help us solve problems, make good decisions, and understand the consequences of our actions.

In this blog, we discuss five of our favorite games to improve critical thinking skills and sharpen the mind.

Chess is the most widely played board game of all time. Your goal in chess is to get a checkmate by getting your opponent’s king into a position where it can be captured and cannot be freed by your opponent’s next move. To win, you must use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to decide which pieces to move to yield the best results on the board.

Chess is all about thinking strategically, anticipating consequences, weighing options, and making strategic decisions. If you want to beat your opponent, you’ve got to get your mental muscles moving!

2. 4 in a Row

4 in a Row is a classic strategy game that encourages players to think strategically with every move to trick and beat their opponent. The objective of the game is to connect four pieces horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Like Chess, you’ll have to plan your moves in advance to stump your opponent.

Identifying patterns and thinking ahead are both key critical thinking skills and 4 in a Row teaches both.

3. Backgammon

Despite being one of the oldest known board games, Backgammon is still one of the most popular critical thinking games. The objective of the game is to move all your checker pieces off the board and into one of the boxes on the right side.

Playing Backgammon can help teach basic arithmetic as well as more complicated themes like probability and luck. The game teaches players to not rely on pure luck by using strategies and tactics to overcome a bad roll. Players must use critical thinking skills to think ahead and identify patterns to determine the least damaging move and what move will give them an advantage if their opponent has a good roll.

2048 is a single-player puzzle game that encourages players to plan ahead and think strategically. The objective of the game is to join the numbers to get a single tile to be 2048.

2048 requires you to use critical thinking skills to identify the best way to move a tile to generate the number 2048. The game also promotes strategic planning to maximize your time before you run out of moves.

To further improve your critical thinking skills and make the game more challenging, consider setting a time limit.

5. Minesweeper

This single-player puzzle game teaches pattern recognition and deductive reasoning. Minesweeper is a game rooted in logic, problem solving, and deduction. The objective of the game is to clear all the squares on the board that don’t have mines and flag all the mines in the shortest time possible.

Minesweeper teaches pattern recognition as you’ll learn how to look at a series of numbers and figure out what the numbers mean when they’re in a specific order. The more you play the more you’ll pick up on different patterns and the quicker you’ll be able to solve deduction-based problems.

This goes to show that games are not just a form of entertainment. The right games can also be intellectually stimulating and improve critical thinking skills. To further improve your critical thinking skills while having fun at the same time, check out our favorite thinking games to put your critical thinking skills to the test and train your brain.

Best Logic Board Games for Adults

By: Author Cheryl Kochenderfer

Categories Board Games , 2 Player Board Games , Round-Ups

Logic skills really do come in handy. Analyzing a situation and finding the best solution to problems is an essential skill. It can get you out of trouble or ahead in life. And on a lighter, fun note, it can also help you win some games. 

Board games are a great way to get you thinking outside the box. So how are your logic skills? Test them out with our top picks for the best logic board games for adults. 

Table of Contents

Chess & Go

Players: 2 Playing time: 10-60 minutes Ages: 6+ Complexity: 3.66

Chess has been around for over a millennium, making it the original logic game. 

In Chess, all the information is technically in front of you. Players take turns moving one piece at a time to trap the opposing King — with no possible escape. However, there are many paths to take, and your opponent’s countermoves can throw you off. 

Chess requires a good amount of focus, planning, and determining causation. You must analyze the board to decide the best course of action. If you moved your bishop across the board, how would it all play out? How might your opponent respond? What would your subsequent move be? 

Plan the perfect attack to take down that King. Once you have, there’s nothing more gratifying than that famous final word…“Checkmate.” 

Dominion (+ Any Expansion)

Players: 2-4 Playing time: 30 minutes Ages: 13+ Complexity: 2.35/5

Dominion is a deck-building game that tests your analytical thinking skills. The goal is to earn the most victory points through certain cards in the deck. Ultimately, you want to dominate the deck to build the best Dominion!

Hold 5 cards in your hand at a time. Select one more card from the table or play an action card each turn. Set aside the cards in your hand and grab 5 more from your deck every time. You’ll play through your own deck, recycling cards as you go. Analyze which will benefit you in future plays to gather the most Victory Points.

All the added expansions give Dominion high replayability and versatility.

Prosperity is a popular expansion and adds a wealth of fun to the original game. In this version, Provinces get a run for their money from Colonies which count as a whopping 10 Victory Points. You’ll also collect more cash than you ever dreamed to use in creative ways.

You may also enjoy:

• Best Dominion Expansions
• Best Deck-Building Board Games

Terra Mystica

Players: 2-5 Playing time: 60-150 minutes Ages: 12+ Complexity: 3.97/5

Terra Mystica is a perfect information game. It’s all about strategic thinking without any elements of luck. Winning or losing is entirely in your hands.

Your job is to gain Victory Points by gaining power across the Terra board. You have your own faction board to keep all your resources in place. Use workers , coins, and priests to complete actions. Expand your land with buildings, dwellings, strongholds, or temples. Compete for more landscapes to dominate the most regions on the board.    

Terra Mystica is a great strategy game with beautiful artwork to boot. Still, the gameplay is slightly more involved than most on this list.

Players: 2-4 Playing time: 30-45 minutes Ages: 8+ Complexity: 1.76/5

Azul is a logic game that involves spatial thinking and planning. The colorful tiles and personal boards add a nice touch. 

Azul is played over rounds with 3 phases each. Gather tiles in the factory offering phase. When all tiles are collected, stock them on your lines. Excess tiles will go to the floor row. 

Time to tile your wall! Place corresponding patterned tiles on your wall, scoring points for how you add tiles in relation to one another. Lose points for excess tiles remaining. Whoever scores the most points after 3 rounds wins. 

Deciding which tiles to collect and where to place them is critical in this game. Don’t get walled in with these tiles. Think outside the box!

Five Tribes

Players: 2-4 Playing time: 40-80 minutes Ages: 13+ Complexity: 2.85/5

Five Tribes plays a bit like Mancala, but with many more components to juggle. The rules are simple, but the strategies can be pretty complex. 

There are many ways to strategize, from bidding for turn order to worker placement. When it’s your turn, move your meeples across the board, leaving one in each space as you go — as you would in Mancala.

When you reach the last tile, clear the same colored meeples off that tile. If all the meeples are the same color, clear the tile and claim that tile’s points.  Special cards, as well as assassins, add additional rules to gameplay.

Utilizing all the different elements will require critical thinking , problem-solving , and a lot of concentration . Come up with the best route to clear tiles and collect those winning points on the board.

Players: 1-20 Playing time: 30 minutes Ages: 6+ Complexity: 1.67/5

This Mensa Select Winner is great for big groups and plays quickly, making it a fun party option.

SET is a card game requiring speed and pattern recognition. 12 cards are laid out on the table. Cards consist of various shapes in different colors, numbers, and shadings. Spot 3 cards that are either the same in one aspect or all different in one way. Your 3 cards might all be triangles but different in color, shading, and number. If you find it first, grab your SET.  Those cards are yours to keep for points.

The rules sound simple, but the varying shape features make it trickier than first meets the eye. You’ll need to scan the table quickly while your brain processes all the elements. But don’t take too long, or a player will beat you to the punch!

Players: 2 Playing time: 20 minutes Ages: 8+ Complexity: 1.79/5

How quickly can you crack this code ? Test your code-breaking skills in Mastermind, the quick-playing logic game for 2 players.  

In Mastermind, you’ll be the Codemaster or Codebreaker. The Codemaster comes up with a secret sequence of colored pegs. Take guesses to determine the order of colored pegs. The Codemaster tells you if those colors are present and in the correct or incorrect placement. 

Test your hypothesis and use those methods of deduction to decipher the key. But your guesses are limited, so use them wisely.  

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective

Players: 1-8 Playing time: 60-120 minutes Ages: 13+ Complexity: 2.68/5

 “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”   – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Keep this quote in mind as you solve crimes throughout Victorian-era London. Your cooperative team of investigators has all the clues needed to crack the case. You just need to piece together the puzzle . Who stole the famous painting? Who is behind the murders ? Interview witnesses, gather evidence, and use deductive reasoning to find the culprit. 

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is not technically a board game in the traditional sense but comes with materials one would naturally use in detective work of this time: newspapers, a directory, and a map to track suspect whereabouts. There are ten cases to crack, with expansions available if you crave more.

• Best Sherlock Holmes Board Games

Players: 3-4 Playing time: 60-120 minutes Ages: 10+ Complexity: 2.30/5

Catan is a tabletop fan favorite. It uses strategy, negotiation, and resource management all in one. 

Catan is played on a base with moveable hexagon tiles, making each time you play unique. The goal is to build up to ten points by having cities, settlements, the largest army, or the longest road. 

Exchange resources for roads, cities, or settlements. More resource cards are given based on the luck of the dice and wherever you have settlements. The more settlements, the higher your chances. However, resources are limited, so strategize accordingly. 

This game allows you to use expert negotiation skills to trade cards with other players. Can you get what you want without giving away too much? 

If you haven’t already, try this game night staple and find out what all the rage is about.

• Best Catan Expansions
• Board Games Like Catan
• Catan vs. Risk

We hope you enjoyed our list of the best logic board games for adults! These strategy games help to develop critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and problem-solving skills for board gamers of any age. Have you tried any of the games on this list? Which game is your favorite logical challenge?

Cheryl is a teacher, writer, and board game fan. She likes incorporating games into all areas of her life, from classrooms and family nights to lively parties with friends. While she’s played too many to count, her favorites have always been classics like Codenames and chess.

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Think Critically, Build Community: 7 New York Times Games to Play in the Classroom

Wordle? Spelling Bee? Flashback? Connections? Teachers across subject areas and levels say Times games have become part of their routines.

By Katherine Schulten and Natalie Proulx

Why do people love games?

Back in 2020, when we all were quarantining and playing more than ever , Sam Von Ehren, a New York Times game maker, posed this question and answered it, in part, by describing what game designers call “the magic circle.”

When we are inside it, we are “playing” the game, he writes: “We’ll only do what the rules of the game allow. We will try to win. When the game ends, we leave the circle and return to normal. The magic circle is what separates a game from reality.”

For teachers, one line in his article may stand out: “When we enter the magic circle, we give ourselves permission to explore, to fail, to lose.”

This kind of exploration — and the low-stakes practice in problem-solving and collaboration that come with it — is why many teachers say they play Times games in the classroom, whether the daily crossword in the print paper or recent digital hits like Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections.

The Games team carefully constructs its puzzles to “generate a satisfying friction between difficulty and delight” so players get an “aha” moment. Teachers tell us that when their students are in the magic circle, they are engaged and thinking critically, discussing strategy, focusing on details, testing logic, refining solutions and bonding with one another — all in the few minutes it takes to solve a puzzle before they move on to other work.

Though not all of the games below can be played without a Times subscription, many can, at least up to a certain level. Which ones are your students’ favorites? Why?

First, consider the role of games in students’ lives.

Games are a rich subject for discussion. After all, nearly everyone has played at least one in their lives, and many teenagers are passionate gamers. And, according to recent reporting, their generation is inspiring changes in even the most traditional games .

To get you started, we have posted a related Student Opinion forum that asks students to think about games of all kinds, when and with whom they play them, and what benefits they bring to their lives.

Invite your students to answer the questions in their journals, or discuss them in small groups or as a whole class. They might then post some of their responses to our site to join the public conversation.

When they’re done, they may play the Puzzle Personality Quiz , which tries to match players with the kind of fun they will find both engaging and satisfying. As the Games team writes, “Human beings solve puzzles and play games for all sorts of reasons, but it can be intimidating to know where to get started on your solver journey. Let us help.”

Next, borrow these teacher-suggested strategies for play.

Over the years, teachers at all levels and across multiple subject areas have told us that New York Times games are a much-anticipated part of their classroom routines.

Here is some of the advice we’ve heard over and over:

Project or draw games on the board for a whole class activity. Or, have students team up in small groups to play against one another — or against the teacher.

Work one or more games into your classroom routines. They can be a daily warm-up or cool down activity, or a special treat each week. (Wordle Wednesdays? Mini Mondays?)

Let students lead the solving. Stand in the back of the classroom and allow the class to figure out tips and tricks on their own, without any “hints.”

Offer extra games as an enrichment option for students who finish their work early.

After you’ve played a game several times, create your own version that relates to your curriculum — or challenge your students to do so!

As students work, or after they finish, process the experience by having them share their thinking and strategies. What worked? What didn’t? What will they try next time? Is the game helping them sharpen skills they can use in their lives in general? How?

Finally, choose your game — or play them all!

What it is: A viral sensation first released in 2021, the game gives you six chances to guess a five-letter word.

Why play? As one student told us , “ It is a perfect combination of strategy, vocabulary, risk and guessing all in one package.” Another said, “By playing Wordle, I feel connected to millions of people across the world.” Teachers tell us that it fosters a love for words and language, and also helps develop their students’ reasoning skills.

Many educators seem to use it. For instance, in 2022, Lara Hunt, from Baytown, Texas, wrote:

I use Wordle with my newcomer emergent bilingual students everyday! I challenge them to figure out the words using an ESL dictionary. Sometimes they use the dictionary, and sometimes they don’t. The excitement is contagious when they figure out the word, especially if they used fewer tries than me!

Students also enjoy it on their own. In 2023, Jack Cole, a 16-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., was a winner of our Summer Reading Contest with these reflections on the game, which he titled “Until Tomorrow, Wordle!”

When I first accepted your challenge, I thought you were a refreshing way to start my brain for the day. Well, 648 days later our relationship has, shall we say, evolved. There are days that you and I are as one. When this happens, I enjoy a challenging but solvable puzzle, smile, and move on with my day. Other mornings, you are exceptionally easy, leading me to believe that I am obviously an expert Wordler. Then there are the other days. Wordle, although you vehemently deny it, I know you are getting sneakier over time. When you used the triple vowel for the unbelievably random word “CACAO,” I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Despite this courtesy, there are the days that you slide in the double consonant words when you know full well people aren’t thinking of two “N’s in “ENNUI.” I mean, that’s not even English! Then, you get downright subversive. For example, “PARER” is a word that may be used outside of a professional kitchen once a year. I fully admit that I threw my (encased) phone at the couch when you told me on guess four that “PAPER” was incorrect. You knew that would ruin people’s days, right? And the worst part, Wordle, is that I can’t clean out my phone’s history because I’m terrified of losing my 232-day winning streak. Until tomorrow, Wordle!

Make it your own: In 2022 we asked teachers to tell us how they use Wordle and to offer advice for others. Here is some of what they said:

Dean Schmeltz, from Denver:

By the end of last school year, I was starting my classes with a quick game of Wordle most days. I’d load the site on a big screen in front of the room, and students would call out word suggestions, trying to convince one another what the next guess should be. Wordle was a language-related way to bring more collaboration into the classroom, and ensure that my students experienced a collective win within the first few minutes of class. Engagement was voluntary — it was more of a free-for-all than a typical “Do Now” activity, which would be expected of everyone and aligned to the lesson. It was often an opportunity to observe how participatory individual students were feeling that day.

Traci Fontana, from Fort Collins, Colo.:

I use Wordle as a way to discuss word strategies. Top strategies include: 1. Start with a word with at least two vowels (and many need a refresher in what vowels are) and high frequency consonants. We discuss what these might be. 2. Think of sounds that commonly blend together — such as sh, sl, st, tr, ch, etc. when faced with a single consonant and you have established it is not followed by a vowel. 3. When an A is in the third letter position, it is a long A when the last letter is E. The e is silent. For English language learners, this helps as they add unfamiliar words to their personal word bank. 4. There are familiar ways that words end, more than simply -ing. We discuss those and take note of them too as we encounter them in various texts.

Catherine Murray, from Wayne, N.J.:

As a high school French Teacher, I create my own Wordle in French. The first student who gets it receives a small prize — a no homework pass, or something comparable. They love it!

Liz Mendoza, from Phoenix:

We use the D.I.Y. Wordle knockoffs more. We will use these as anticipatory sets for new content area and as very low stakes formative assessments. We choose words related to topics we will be studying in class.

Sean Flanagan, from New York City:

In my fourth grade homeroom, we do an “offline” version using five blank squares and X’s and O’s and check marks to represent gray, yellow and green. The kids love it! After I choose a word, I let a student pick the next one.

What else to know: There is a new Wordle every day. Though your students will quickly develop their own strategies for winning, here is a collection of the best tips and tricks from solvers all over the world, and an article on how people choose a starting word. There is also a Wordle bot that analyzes your play, as well as a daily Wordle review . And because so many classrooms have adopted a Wordle habit, you can find many more ideas online, as in this piece from Education Week . You can also find variations through pieces like “ Wordle Inspired Games for the Classroom ” or this collection called “ LikeWordle .”

Finally, if your students don’t know Wordle’s origin story , they are sure to be charmed by it.

Spelling Bee

What it is: A word game that challenges players to make as many words as they can from a set of seven different letters. Since its print debut in 2014 and the introduction of the digital game in 2018, Spelling Bee has spawned a mascot named Beeatrice, an ardent online #HiveMind and daily forums for solvers .

Why play? Spelling Bee is excellent for building vocabulary and practicing spelling, of course. Plus, it’s a naturally differentiated activity. There are always some easier words and some more difficult ones.

How to adapt it for your classroom: In this post , we teamed up with Sam Ezersky, the editor of Spelling Bee, to create five puzzles appropriate for middle and high schoolers that can be played without a subscription.

In the post, we quote Miah Daughtery, a former English teacher and the literacy director of content advocacy and design at NWEA, a research and student assessment organization. She suggests placing students in pairs to find words in the puzzle, and then giving them a set of follow-up questions to relate them to their reading:

What word on your list could be used to describe any character from the book we’re reading and why?

If a character were to say one of the words on your list, which one would they say and why?

Consider the setting of the text we’re reading. What words from the puzzle would you use to describe it?

Choose two words from your list. Now, think about the text we’re reading. How would you use the two words you chose to describe the text to someone who has not read it?

What else to know: You can play a new Spelling Bee online each day. Spelling Bee also appears in the print paper on Sundays, in the Magazine section. The Times offers a suite of helpful resources, including a library of tips and tricks , a bot that gives you personalized hints , a daily discussion forum and a collection of past puzzles . To learn more about its community of solvers, read “ The Genius of Spelling Bee .”

Connections

What it is: A logic game where you group words that share a common thread.

Why play? This game challenges players to look closely, identify patterns and use logic to find the connection among words. It builds vocabulary and subject-specific background knowledge and encourages wordplay with idioms and homonyms. More than some other games on this list, your success will be informed by your unique knowledge and personality.

Make it your own: Try creating your own Connections game — or challenge your students to create one — related to a topic you are studying in class, perhaps as a review or formative assessment. Or, make one about your school and its local community. This post, from Minds in Bloom , explains how one teacher uses the game and adapts it.

For tips on how to build a game and vary the difficulty, read “ How Our New Game, Connections, Is Put Together ,” by Wyna Liu, the game’s editor. You can use this site to create a custom puzzle or, for a more tactile version, write or print words on individual pieces of paper that students can move into categories by hand.

What else to know: There is a new game online each day, as well as a daily discussion forum, Connections Companion . You can find an unofficial archive of puzzles here . (And you can see the answer to the Connections puzzle above here .) For tips and tricks, consult How to Line Up a Great Connections Solve .

What it is: A weekly history quiz that asks you to sort eight events in chronological order.

Why play? A great tool for the history classroom, Flashback not only tests students’ general knowledge, but also helps them to build historical context and make connections to what’s happening in the world. Times editors choose the events, and many are related to news from the previous week. If you want to go deeper on any one event, you’ll find links to Times reporting.

Make it your own: As a review or assessment, create a Flashback quiz for your students — or have them create their own — using events related to something you are studying, such as a particular historical period, the plot of a novel or the discovery of scientific concepts you are teaching.

Or, create a hands-on version by writing each event on a piece of paper and inviting students to arrange them by hand.

What else to know: You can find a new quiz every Sunday in the Upshot section or via The Morning newsletter. And if your students love current events, don’t forget that The Learning Network has a free weekly News Quiz , as well as annual summer and end-of-year quizzes.

The Mini Crossword

What it is: A mini version of the classic New York Times Crossword that can typically be solved within minutes.

Why play? This little 5-by-5 grid can do a lot. Educators have long known that crosswords help build cultural knowledge, not to mention strategy, vocabulary, spelling and reasoning skills. Many of the words in this Times game are also connected to the news of the day. Plus, the mini version may be more manageable for students.

Make it your own: Create your own mini crossword or challenge students to make one related to a theme or topic you are studying in class as a formative assessment. The Times has a whole series that walks readers through how to build a crossword , including how to develop a theme , how to build and fill the grid, and how to write clues . Plus, it’s put together a collection of digital tools to help you make your own puzzle.

For inspiration or for fun, you can also check out our old Student Crossword Archive , which contains more than 150 puzzles on topics inspired by subjects across the curriculum.

What else to know: A new puzzle arrives each day and you can play without a Times subscription. For tips and tricks for solving the Mini see this tutorial . You can find an archive of puzzles here . And if tackling this mini puzzle inspires your students to take on the full Times Crossword, here is a guide to solving it.

Letter Boxed

What it is: A word game where players must spell words by connecting letters around a square.

Why play? This is a spelling and vocabulary game that also requires a bit of logic and spatial reasoning. Like Spelling Bee, it is naturally differentiated — players can spell short, simple words or look for more complex letter combinations. You can up the ante by challenging students to solve in the least number of words possible. Can they use all the letters with fewer than six words? Four? The elusive two?

Make it your own: Like all the games we’ve featured here, this one is excellent for building community and prompting a little friendly competition between classes. For an extra challenge, you might ask your students to create sentences with each of the words they make, or ask if they can connect any of the words they came up with to something they’ve learned in class — and explain those connections.

What else to know: Read “ How to Beat Letter Boxed at Its Own Game ” for some helpful tips.

What it is: A logic puzzle that is a numbers game minus the math.

The Times didn’t invent Sudoku, of course, though its origins are murky . A regular game, like the one pictured above, has nine boxes, each divided into nine cells for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box.

Why play? This game can improve students’ reasoning, enhance their ability to focus, help them recognize patterns and spur them to think critically. Though it is a logic game rather than a math game, teachers tell us having students explain their reasoning as they make moves can help them practice the kind of “math talk” they need for solving math problems. And, because you can play at different levels, it is an easy activity to differentiate.

Make it your own: Sudoku is a logic puzzle, which can be solved through deductive reasoning. While Sudoku puzzles are generally created using computers (such as an online Sudoku generator), students can actually create their own custom logic puzzles about anything they like. The Alachua County Library District provides step-by-step instructions for creating a logic grid puzzle , with an example that uses book titles, genres, due dates and students.

What else to know: You can play this puzzle daily on “easy,” “medium” or “hard,” and Sudoku Tips for Beginners , from the Games team, can help you level up. If you become really good, you might like to know what it takes to wear the Sudoku crown so you can enter the World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships. To become as agile as possible, you might also want to try these Sudoku variants .

But wait! There’s more …

Because all links to Times articles from The Learning Network are free, we’ve rounded up and categorized some pieces that can invite the gamers in your classroom to go further. Enjoy!

Not satisfied with the seven New York Times games we’ve listed above? Here are three more:

Tiles Vertex Strands

Want some tips for winning a few classics? The Games team has thoughts:

Solitaire UNO Catan Scrabble Monopoly Jenga Logic Puzzles

Looking to learn new games or host a game night? These articles can help:

Running Out of Games? Remember These Old-School Favorites

New York Times Video Game Reviews of 2024

Keeping the Peace With Road Trip Games

The Perfect Game Night Doesn’t Have to Be a Puzzle

Interested in the role games play in our lives? Here are some interesting recent articles:

The Dungeons & Dragons Players of Death Row

Video Games Let Them Choose a Role. Their Transgender Identities Flourished.

My Children Helped Me Remember How to Fly

The Treasure Hunters of Block Island

How Gen Z Made the Crossword Their Own

Curious about the New York Times Games team? Learn more:

How Joy Grows in the Space Between a Game’s Rules

The Nicest Place on the Internet

And from Vanity Fair: Inside The New York Times’ Big Bet on Games

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

Natalie Proulx joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2017 after working as an English language arts teacher and curriculum writer. More about Natalie Proulx