Today’s post is focusing on Monopoly which has been a family classic board game for many years. You might not realise that this game incorporates many communication skills which you can help your child develop.
Vocabulary
- Increase vocabulary by using Monopoly terminology (e.g. rent, house, hotel, names of properties, jail, etc)
Expressive language
- Encourage your child to explain the rules to you – your child will use long sentences with conjunctions (e.g. and, then, after), and conditional words (e.g. if)
- Provide modelling of expected language for the game (e.g. “I landed on Mayfair, I’m going to buy this property!” “I landed on Strand, I need to pay you $18).
- Encourage your child to use Monopoly terminology (e.g. “I want to buy this” “You want to buy Old Kent Road? You try saying it! “I want to buy Old Kent Road”)
Understanding language
- Your child will need to learn the rules of the game: break parts of the game to manageable steps
- You may want to write down some rules
- Remind the players the rules of the game
Literacy
- Recognise numbers and letters on property cards and on the board
Social skills
- Make sure that everyone is taking turns appropriately
- Show your child what inappropriate playing is like – e.g. cheating, having a tantrum over losing
- Remembering rules and following them
- If your child demonstrates inappropriate play skills, talk through the possible consequences of these behaviours (e.g. if you scream after losing, others won’t want to play with you again)
- Use emotional regulation strategies if emotions become heightened to help calm your child before talking through the possible consequences of these behaviours
- Discuss strategies your child can use to calm down when playing games
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