Let the Games Begin
by Chris Byrne

"Melissa, you’re a slobber-faced pit bull!" So spake my four-year-old niece to her elder sister in a fit of pique, the likes of which can only be achieved by a preschooler. You’ve seen it: when the whole body gets involved. I don’t think I’ve ever really seen adults shaking with rage, but you see it all the time with kids, though fortunately it usually passes quickly.

It’s also a great teaching moment, once your (hopefully internal) laughter dies down. And come on, let’s be honest, when kids string together what they think is the most devastating invective they can muster it’s usually pretty darn cute–and a heck of a lot more creative than when, say, dad misplaces his keys and calls on all the dark forces to rain havoc on the world…at least, till he looks in his pocket.

The incident that caused Sara to rail like an avenging fury had to do with the tragic loss of a game of Chutes and Ladders. (Yes, they still make it–Milton Bradley $9.99). Setting aside the natural competitiveness of sisters for the moment, and Melissa’s gloating, which any sibling recognizes as an open declaration of war, Sara was actually on the way to learning an important lesson that will help her when she enters preschool: You can’t win ‘em all.

Board games are a wonderful platform for learning this lesson, particularly at the preschool age (and even adults, for that matter).. In the guise of fun, a child begins to learn such lessons as fair play, good sportsmanship and that fate plays a role in their lives–as in the roll of the dice.

Now, of course, kids are going to be disappointed when they lose, but how parents and caregivers channel that disappointment and provide a context for understanding it is important. Encouraged to try again, the child can learn to overcome disappointment and be prouder of a subsequent win. This is particularly true when a child graduates from games that are pure luck to games that combine luck and skill, where the child can learn how to play the game better and increase his or her chances of winning. And then there’s the social value of learning to get along and being a good winner–as well as a good loser.

There are literally hundreds of board games to choose from out there, and while many tout that they will help kids learn, the most important aspect is fun. Kids won’t play a game a second or third time if it isn’t entertaining, no matter how "good for them" you think it is. No wonder games like Sorry, Risk and Monopoly have stood the test of time.

For young ones, Briarpatch offers a variety of skill and luck games based on favorite books and provides a balance of play experiences–whether drawing and sequencing as in the Harold and the Purple Crayon Game, or easy skill games such as the Eloise Game, based on the classic book.

Older kids have made a hit out of Pressman’s Scooby Doo Games, and their newest Dexter’s Laboratory Games are sheer fun that really capture the essence of the Cartoon Network series.

And by the way, Sara eventually trounced her sister when Melissa hit that really long chute that sends you back almost to the beginning. This provoked a wild victory lap around the living room–and the merciless taunting of her older sister. So, they may have a way to go till they’re perfect children. But, hey, it comes with the territory.

Click here for a few Board Game suggestions.