We have gobs of board games. Too many if you ask me! But the Hubs is a fan…and he’s encouraging the development of little board game fans. The thing that’s tricky about board games though – is that it’s often really hard to include Trevy. A little Trevy backstory: He was diagnosed with catastrophic epilepsy at 7 months, lived with hundreds of uncountable seizures daily until he had almost his entire left hemisphere removed at 2 1/2 and is doing extraordinary now – but still struggles with developmental delays. He is chronologically 5 but functionally closer to 3. While it’s not realistic that he gets to do every.single.thing his siblings do - at the same time I like to have options that work for all of us. Many board game rules are too complicated. Also, those dang ants in his pants. If you think ADD is an imaginary disorder…I dare ya to keep Trevy for a day! He’ll convince ya!
:: wink ::
So I know this post would be great at Christmas time but I figured we’ve had lots of rainy days around here and maybe you have too. These games have been sanity savers while we’ve been stuck inside! Plus, we’ve used all three of these games during in home therapy sessions. I just know I’d love to stumble across a post like this…so I wrote one instead! Oh…and Trevy needs lots of supervision and help while playing these games. I usually don’t play myself but function as his helper…verbally coaching him and physically helping him participate. The great thing is – with help he totally can play these games!
Where is Sock Monkey
Uncle Nathan and Aunt Tiffany bought the sock monkey game (at Target, I think?) just for Trevy and it’s so great that I would totally spend the mulah myself! We all have fun with this one! One person hides the monkey and the rest of us draw cards with picture prompts. Example: Picture of a couch means you ask “is the monkey in a room with a couch?” There are yes (green) and no (red) spots to put the card to help you remember what is in the room where the monkey is hiding. If you draw a Go Look card you get to race the sand timer to find the monkey! Bonus goodie – no small pieces just beggin’ to be chewed! Trevy is addicted to chewing things and he has chewed the sock monkey! This is a great game for sibling bonding, problem solving, answering yes and no questions, remembering, following directions and just plain ol’ having fun!
Don’t Break the Ice
I snagged it at Target on Black Friday for, like, three bucks or something crazy like that. Don’t Break the Ice is a great turn taking, fine motor and problem solving game. If you’ve never played it before, the idea is pretty simple. Hammer out chunks of “ice” while trying NOT to knock down the skating bear. While Trevy does enjoy this game, he also needs hand over hand help to be gentle with his hammer. Otherwise he’s gonna crash the whole sha-bang in a blink! He doesn’t really get (or like) the idea of NOT making everything go boom…but he does enjoy the hammering and even the setting up. Bonus goodie – while these pieces do beg to be chewed they’re all plastic and non-choking hazard sized!
I Can Do That!
I get all sappy whenever we break this game out. That’s because a very sweet-special friend bought it for Trevy as a get well gift after his surgery. (If you’re curious about Trevy click here) This is a great game for sibling bonding, wiggle worms (lots of movement), turn taking, following directions, simple math, problem solving, fine and gross motor play! You have to pick three cards. Each card has a prompt (direction) to follow.
Example: Put the cake, behind your back and hop on one foot
It’s fun and silly and we love it!
Hint: could be a great gift for a speech therapist – especially if that speech therapist happens to practice therapy with your child!
If you have a Trevy in your house, I totally recommend adding these games to your toy closet!
…danielle
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