What are the benefits of playing games with children who have ADHD and Dyslexia?
Board games bring families closer together, encourage friendships, teach life skills, lengthen children’s attention spans, and develop the brain.
These amazing side effects of having fun together work for anyone, but kids with a double diagnosis (both ADHD and Dyslexia) should spend extra time playing games because this is by far the most fun way to improve executive functioning skills and attention spans!
Games can be used to lengthen your child’s attention span even if your child doesn’t have a diagnosis. Maybe he/she just needs to work on the skills they will need to start school.
Games are a great tool for building skills even if you only suspect your child has ADHD or Dyslexia.
Don’t wait for a diagnosis to help your child build life skills.
There are endless benefits your whole family can enjoy from playing games, taking time to sit down together as a family, putting your phones and electronics away for some screen-free time, and playing board games that induce laughter are just a few.
We have several different diagnoses in our family.
My son Lage (13) has ADHD predominantly hyper and dyslexia.
My daughter Maria (10) has ADHD predominantly inattentive or what was called ADD and she has dyslexia.
My five-year-old is a bit too young to test for disorders, but she is starting school this fall and it will be interesting to see how that goes.
I (Annie) have dyslexia, and my husband David and I probably both have a touch of ADHD although we were born before it was commonly diagnosed in the ’70s and ’80s.
I am excited to share some of our family’s favorite games with you. These are games that one or possibly all of us really enjoy.
ADHD/dyslexia and ADD/dyslexia combinations caused us to take a different approach to game playing.
The games on our list are great games whether you have a diagnosis or not. They are fun to play even if you have only Dyslexia or just an ADHD/ADD diagnosis, but we found that these games ticked all the boxes for those who have ADHD or ADD combined with dyslexia.
Annie Eklöv
Often kids with ADHD/ADD also have dyslexia. I wish doctors and researchers would spend more time considering this ADHD/Dyslexia link and researching how it affects kids.
Games for 7-10 year olds
1) Settlers of Catan
(Catan in Swedish)
This is one of our family’s favorite games.
My five-year-old has not made her debut into the Settlers world yet, but we usually play with our older children when she has gone to bed.
Lage (13) has been playing this game since he was eight and Maria (10) started playing Settlers even earlier.
We paired the kids up with an older cousin or adult when they were younger and they were able to play just fine.
When Lage who has ADHD was younger he struggled to play to the end when the game dragged on without anyone winning.
Settlers of Catan takes a good hour to play the basic game and up to two hours to play with the seafarers expansion.
He was always paired up with someone older and at times he chose to leave the game after 45 minutes.
We let him go do something else at that point. He was not interrupting the game because his partner could continue playing, and he had already practiced patience for 45 minutes.
The suggested age on the game is 10+, but it works just fine for younger kids if you begin playing the basic game without the expansions.
You can later add the Seafarers expansions once they get the hang of the basic game.
Don’t start playing the Cities and Knights expansion with younger kids. It drags out the game time.
Wait until your kids are at least 10 years old if they have ADHD/ADD or Dyslexia.
Cities and Knights bring a lot of extra information and new things to remember to the game. This usually adds up to an unsatisfactory experience for young kids when they play this expansion too soon.
- The game teaches = Settlers teaches kids about money even though there is no actual money in the game. It’s a good lesson in the value of different items and what they are worth if you’re making a trade.
The worth of assets like sheep, wheat, or wood is different each time you play. Kids learn about how shortages can drive up the price or see firsthand how prices plummet if the market is oversaturated.
The game also lengthens attention spans, teaches kids how to cooperate with opponents in order to make trades, and increases patience (often turns take time).
- Game length = At least an hour for basic settlers often 1.5 hours. If you add an expansion you’re often playing for close to 2 hours.
- Reading required = A little reading is required when you get special cards.
In the basic game often it’s not a problem if another player reads the card for a child who wants to play on his own team.
- Number of players = Usually 4 players.
I don’t suggest more than 4 players or 4 teams (8 players) when kids who have ADHD/ADD are playing.
It takes too long between turns for kids with short attention spans when you are 6 players unless you play with a quick building rule we sometimes employ.
The Quick Building Rule allows players to build basically whenever they want, with a few exceptions.
- You may not trade cards when it is not your turn unless the player whose turn it is specifically asked you to trade with him/her. (You may not trade with the bank 4:1 or 2:1 when it is not your turn)
- When the player who is taking his turn is finished he/she will tell everyone that the round is ending and everyone will need to quickly finish building.
- You may not build while a player is rolling the dice or immediately afterwards.
- When the dice is rolled you must first check if a 7 was rolled. (If it’s a seven players may have to discard cards)
- The player whose turn it is must first have a chance to ask others to trade cards before everyone starts building.
If you don’t have this game you should definitely buy it! The family edition of the game is a bit more affordable than other versions. The Game Nerdz has a great price on their website if you want to check it out. https://www.gamenerdz.com/catan-family-edition/?=78
Below is the link to the seafarer’s expansion if you would like to add it to your board game collection.
https://www.gamenerdz.com/catan-seafarers-scenario-legend-of-the-sea-robbers/?=78
2) Operation
(Operation in Swedish)
This is a classic game where you try to operate without touching/cutting the wrong part of the body.
It can be a good game to work on fine motor skills and your patience.
My almost six-year-old (Frida) can only get one or two of the game pieces out without it beeping at her.
My ten-year-old (Maria) will get the game out every once in a while and play it by herself. She has ADD, but she thinks it’s fun to try to get all the pieces out of the patient.
Some pieces she can get out without getting beeped and some she can’t.
- The game teaches = Fine motor skills, Patience.
- Game length = 10-15 min
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained.
- Number of players = usually 1-2, but You could have more players it just makes the game take longer.
- Number of players = usually 1-2, but You could have more players it just makes the game take longer.
3) Tenzi
(Tenzi in Swedish)
Tenzi is a dice game. You don’t need to buy the game if you have lots of different colored dice at home.
We play that you start with 1 and try to get all of your dice to roll a 1 by rolling the dice over and over again till you have only 1’s.
Then you move on to 2-9. The first person to get all the 9’s says tenzi and wins.
Not everyone plays this way.
We have friends who play that you can choose any number you want and the first person to get all of his dice in that number wins.
This is a much shorter way to play.
My cousin tweaked this game for her math class.
The kids start with one and say one while they are rolling the dice. When they have all 1’s they move on to 2.
That way they get to see the numbers on the dice and say them simultaneously, which gives them a better chance of remembering them.
My cousin who is a teacher started using this game in her math class to help small children recognize numbers.
They start with 1 and say one while they are rolling then move on to two.
That way they get to see the numbers on the dice and say them, which gives them a better chance of remembering them.
- The game teaches = Numbers recognition
- Game length = 5 mins for one round of the classic game (Make this a complete game for small kids) 15-20 to play the whole game, but it can go faster if you get lucky and roll lots of the same number.
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained.
- Number of players = You need at least 2 players. Your players are only limited by the amount of dice you own. Everyone needs their own set.
4) Dutch Blitz
(Dutch Blitz in Swedish)
I grew up playing this game in the USA, but I have never seen it for sale in Scandinavia.
A few years ago two of my nieces took a trip to Bali where they learned to play Dutch Blitz.
They thought it was fun and brought a couple of decks back home.
The game quickly caught on in Sweden and we were able to order Dutch Blitz from the USA and have it shipped over.
The point of the game is to be the first to get rid of your card stockpile by making piles starting with one and ending with 10. It’s a fast-paced game.
It’s fast-paced enough that most ADHD kids don’t get bored and give up.
- The game teaches = Numbers recognition and counting from 1 to 10. It will also help kids learn hand eye coordination.
- Game length = It takes about half an hour to play a whole game, but the games are broken up into shorter rounds which can be counted as a game for younger players.
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained.
- Number of players = 4 players if you have the original deck. You can buy an extension pack which allows you to play with 8 players.
5) Skip-bo
(Skip-bo in Swedish)
My kids had fun learning this game because their older cousins liked to play with one of their great Aunts.
Peer pressure can be used to your advantage when your kids look up to those who are a positive influence.
The point of the game is to get rid of your stock pile of cards by playing them 1-12. It’s similar to Dutch Blitz, but this game has a slower pace.
Games are a great way for kids to forget they are learning and just have fun!
- The game teaches = Teaches kids to recognize numbers and count.
- Game length = 15-20 min
- Reading required = None, after the rules are explained
- Number of players = 2-6 players
6) Livingstone
(Livingstone in Swedish)
This game is fun for the whole family. We started playing this game when our oldest kids were seven and ten. They still like this game although they are now ten and thirteen.
This game doesn’t require much reading. We help our younger kids read although we are usually on different teams.
When we were first learning how to play Livingstone we had our noses in the instruction manual the entire game. We could play with the kids and figure it out as we went so it’s really not that complicated.
My kids have never tried to play Livingstone by themselves.
When I suggested they try they said it was too complicated.
This is probably a great game for kids without diagnoses to play by themselves.
My children really like this game, they just prefer to play it as a family with an adult organizing the game.
The Livingstone board game is rare
We bought this game in Sweden, but it seems that Game stores in Sweden now have problems getting a hold of the game.
Practically the only place I can find this game for sale is on Amazon.
You can buy it on Amazon USA and have it shipped to Sweden, but unfortunately it’s way over priced at 65.99$. That is more than double what I paid for the game and it doesn’t include shipping.
If you are one of my readers from America you should have no trouble getting ahold of the game.
It’s a fun game if you can get ahold of a copy.
- The game teaches = Strategic thinking.
- Game length = This game can take about an hour if you have many players and play the whole game. You can decide to stop the game at a certain point or a certain time.
It’s not completely obvious who wins until the game is over and you see how many points and assets different players have.
- Reading required = Some reading is required, but not much.
- Number of players = 2-4 players
7) Chess
(Schack in Swedish)
In Sweden kids start playing Chess in math class in the fourth grade.
Chess tournaments are organized between different schools. Many kids in Sweden are motivated to learn Chess and think it’s a fun game.
My kids started playing Chess quite young with their grandpa.
Classic games that both older and younger generations know how to play are a great way to bridge the generational gap and encourage spending time together without screens.
Chess can take forever if you have two advanced players, but kids who haven’t worked out an advanced strategy yet usually don’t take long to play.
Most kids learn how to play by playing with an adult who explains the rules as they play. If you have a child who likes to read they can read the rules.
- The game teaches = Strategy
- Game length = Game length depends on how advanced the players are and if they are evenly matched. For beginners it takes approximately 20 min, but for advanced players it can take hours.
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained and everyone understands how all the pieces move.
- Number of players = 2
8) Sjörövarön
Is a classic board game in Sweden which has been around for 30 years.
Unfortunately, I can not find this exact game for sale outside of Sweden.
The Pirate’s Flag game will give you a similar game experience. This game does have game cards that have a little bit of text at the bottom.
If you have dyslexia in your family you may need to pair up for this game.
Captain Kidd is a Pirate board game for younger kids. It claims to be from 3 years old. This game doesn’t require reading.
The older Swedish version of this game does not require reading.
You look for all the pieces of a map, fight other pirates, and look for the X that marks the spot.
An adult may be needed to direct the game at least the first few times you play.
The older Swedish version of this game was fun for my kids. We were able to play the whole game without the kids running off and losing focus.
- The game teaches = Strategy
- Game length = approximately 30 min
- Reading required = You don’t need to read to play Sjörövarön once you understand the instructions, but the Pirate’s Flag game does require a little reading.
- Number of players = 2-6 players
9) Ker Plunk
(KerPlunk in Swedish)
The game looks a bit different when you buy it in Sweden. The picture is the USA version.
This game is easy for kids to play without any help from adults. It’s short and requires no reading, so it’s great for kids with ADHD, ADD, or Dyslexia.
I got this game out when my daughter was struggling with friends and needed something structured to do when she had friends over.
- The game teaches = Helps kids improve logical thinking skills. (If I remove this stick will it cause a ball to fall?)
- Game length = 10 minutes
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained.
- Number of players = 2 – 4 players
10) Carcassonne
(Carcassonne in Swedish)
We play this game often.
My middle daughter (Maria) could play this game from the age of six with help from an adult, but she quickly caught on and could play with her older cousins without adult help.
My youngest is five. She started playing Carcassonne this year.
She usually wants to be her own team, but she asks for help when she needs it. We usually keep an eye out and make suggestions if we see that she needs help.
The basic game is like putting a puzzle together, but there are endless combinations and you get points for making roads and cities among other things.
There are many expansions you can add to this game if you get tired of the original version.
Carcassonne is awesome if you have kids in a wide range of ages.
Our oldest is 13 and our youngest is five. This game is one that we can all play together and we all think it’s fun!
- The Game teaches = The game lets kids practice finishing what they start.
In order to get points you need to finish your city or road.
If the game ends and you have not finished, you may get half of your points or none at all. It depends on whether you have pieces that disqualify you from receiving points if the city isn’t finished.
Kids practice taking turns, and understanding strategies as well.
- Game length = This game can be as short or as long as you like just limit the number of pieces in the game.
My kids with ADHD/ADD can play this game without losing focus, but if you have kids who have trouble focusing I wouldn’t have more than 4 players. The fewer the players the faster the game goes.
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained, but often my kids ask me to come and help them count the points when the game is over.
Counting points is a big job if you have lots of players.
You may need to check the game manual if you don’t remember how many points things are worth. The game takes long enough to play that I am not called on to check points that often.
- Number of players = On the basic game I would say probably not more than 5 players. We have several extensions which give you extra pieces, so we have played with 8 people, but it does take longer to play.
Interested in buying the game?
If you are thinking about buying this game I suggest buying all the expansions in the Big Box, it’ll save you money in the long run.
You can check out the link to the Carcassonne Big Box at the GameNerdz below.
https://www.gamenerdz.com/carcassonne-big-box-2017/?aff=78
They also sell My FIRST Carcassonne
https://www.gamenerdz.com/carcassonne-my-first-carcassonne/?aff=78
My daughter recently discovered a Carcassonne spin off game at a friends house called Carcassonne South Seas that she thought was fun. Check that out below.
https://www.gamenerdz.com/carcassonne-south-seas
11) Mouse Trap
(Fånga Musen in Swedish)
My kids liked building the mouse trap and playing with it, more than actually playing the game. This game was more like an activity in a box for my kids.
We do enjoy actually playing the game from time to time.
This game takes quite a while to play if you play the recommended way and put the mouse trap together as part of the game.
Sometimes we play the game after the kids put it together. This speeds up the game a bit.
- The game teaches = Understanding and following building instructions.
- Game length = 30 min
- Reading required = Most of the building instructions can be understood by the pictures.
- Number of players = 2-4 players
12) Blokus
(Blokus in Swedish)
Board game from Mattel seems to be for sale in most countries.
This game is one that my daughter who is dyslexic caught on to really quickly.
She was given this for Christmas one year. This game is a great gift.
My husband played it with her one time explaining the rules, and after that, she was able to play with friends or siblings without any help.
- The game teaches = Helps develop Spatial Awareness, and kids practice turn taking.
- Game length = 10-20 min
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained
- Number of players = 2-4
13) Mini Taurus a Lego Game
(Mini Taurus in Swedish)
We have the smaller version or possibly the travel version of the bigger lego game Minotaurus. The bigger version is fun too.
My kids figured this out rather quickly. I read the instructions to them the first few times.
The point of the game is to get through the ever changing maze, past the minotaur and pick up the sword of Aegeus.
- The game teaches = This game teaches kids to be strategic. They can decide to hinder their opponent or make it easier for their hero to make it to the sword.
- Game length =10-20 min
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained, and the colors on the dice are understood.
- Number of players = 2-4
14) Pirate Plank a Lego game
(Pirate Plank in Swedish)
This game is recommended for kids 7 and over but we found that our kids could play it at 5 years if an adult explained the rules and played with them, or if they played with an older sibling.
The game itself is not hard, but small kids may need help building up the ‘lego board’ the game is played on the first few times.
The point of the game is not to let your pirate fall off his plank!
My kids often play with two players, but they use all the lego men.
In other words they are each playing two men who have to walk their own plank.
I found that when my kids were little, having two chances to win helped them play the game without giving up each time their lego man got close to the end of the plank.
When my kids were small they would at times throw themselves on the rug and give up when the game didn’t go their way.
They have had to work harder on being a good sport because of their ADHD.
- The game teaches = This game teaches kids strategy and how to look at a game with Big Picture perspective.
Kids make many decisions. They decide between moving their man backwards 2 steps on their plank or their opponent forward one step.
They can also decide to look at the game in a long term or short term perspective.
Many decisions get them either a smaller immediate win or a bigger better result later in the game.
- Game length = 10-20 minutes
- Reading required = None, once the rules and the colors on the dice are understood.
- Number of players = 2-4
15) Kokoriko a Lego game
(Same name in Swedish)
This game is recommended from 6 years, but our five year old can play it with a little help from mom, dad or her older sister.
I have only played this game once.
My kids received this game for christmas several years ago, and they had already figured out how to play before they asked me to play with them.
If they can figure it out on their own, the game can’t be hard to understand.
My daughter is 10 and still thinks this is a fun game. She was 7 when we were given the game.
My ten year old can play this game with her sister who is almost six without my help.
My five year old can’t play it by herself yet with friends her own age.
The point of the game is to get chickens to lay eggs for you.
When you roll the special lego dice you land on grey, brown, blue, pink, or white. Most of these colors have 2 or 3 options your child can pick from. The game helps kids make best decisions for their farmer.
- The game teaches = Helps kids practice making decisions. Each decision will affect the outcome of the game differently. This is a good game to practice on, before trying harder strategy games.
- Game length = 10-20 minutes
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained and the colors on the dice are understood.
- Number of players = 2-4
16) Barn Finans
(The direct translation of this would be Kids Finances)
I can’t find this exact game for sale. It’s an older game but Robert Kiyosaki’s Board game Cashflow for kids is similar. Robert Kiyosaki’s the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad.
If you live in Sweden you may be able to find Barn Finans on Tradera.
My son was interested in making money at an early age and I bought this game because it showed kids that investing money can make you more money.
The length of the game has a lot to do with how well your investments do.
- The game teaches = The game teaches kids to invest money in order to make more money.
- Game length = 30 min
- Reading required = None, after the instructions are explained.
- Number of players = 2-6
17) Yahtzee
(Yatzy in Swedish)
This game helps kids recognize numbers on a dice which is thought to help kids understand how many items make up a number.
My older kids always play this game with an adult or older cousin because even though they are ten and thirteen their ADHD/ADD and Dyslexia make keeping score in Yatzy overwhelming.
You need to read and do the math to keep score in Yahtzee.
The need to do math problems or try to read while others are waiting on you makes my kids stress out.
My thirteen year old with ADHD predominantly hyper usually doesn’t have enough patience to finish the game.
He needs some encouragement to finish or we need to call him back when it’s his turn.
My daughter who is ten and has ADHD predominantly inattentive really likes this game and can play several times in a row.
This game is great for kids with ADHD, ADD, and Dyslexia as long as there is a designated scorekeeper who doesn’t struggle with reading and math.
We take this game on outings to the beach.
- The game teaches = Numbers recognition, taking turns, as well as adding and subtracting if you can get your kids to help keep score.
- Game length = 15 mins with only a few players
- Reading required = Someone needs to write down what everyone rolls and keep score. It’s best if this person can read unless you have the kids version of this game.
- Number of players = As many as you like
18) Telestrations
(Ryktet Går in Swedish)
This game is similar to playing telephone where you whisper a sentence to the next person.
At the end of the line, the sentence is misunderstood and becomes something completely different.
It’s the same concept. It’s just on paper.
My 13 year old started playing this game when he was nine.
He thought it was super fun to see how crazy the stories turned out in the end, so he purposely misunderstood sometimes to get a laugh out of everyone.
The best part of this game is that kids think it’s so fun they forget they are forced to read!
- The game teaches = This game gets kids excited about reading.
- Game length = If everyone writes and draws fast 15-20min
- Reading required = Children will need to have mastered basic reading to play this game.
We made sure that Lage understood what he was reading before we started playing.
We did not look at the words on his card. We simply asked him if he understood and if he thought it was ok we started the game.
- Number of players = The game comes with 8 notebooks and markers (so 8 players), but you can buy the party pack and get 12 notebooks and markers which would allow you to play with 12 players.
We often play with 6 players.
This seems to work fine for ADHD/ADD kids. Because it’s a fun and fast-paced game I don’t think kids with ADHD/ADD would have a problem playing with 12 players.
19) Monopoly
(Monopol in Swedish)
This game is great for teaching kids about money and what happens if you don’t have a contingency fund!
You can run into emergencies like extra travel expenses and go bankrupt if you don’t have any savings or assets.
My kids had a period where they liked to play this game. They did need some help with reading and organizing the game.
I don’t particularly like this game because there is too much luck involved and it takes too long.
Sometimes we had to impose a time limit, but the kids didn’t like this because they wanted more time to collect rent on their properties.
As long as there’s an adult or older child to direct the game, be the banker, and help with reading, anyone can play this game.
Often it was my husband and me who ran out of patience with Monopoly.
This has never been my favorite game, but most kids like it and it’s a good tool for teaching personal finance.
Sometimes Monopoly brings out the worst in one of my kids!
There can be high levels of frustration when the properties are unevenly distributed.
The game gets boring rather quickly if every time you land on something you have to pay a huge bill!
Usually, at this point, it is obvious who is going to win and you can just declare the winner and end the game.
This game helped my kids think through some money issues.
For example, they got the answer to the question, ‘Can I spend every last penny every time I get paid and have no savings?’
- The game teaches = Teaches kids about personal finances. It can be a good introduction to investing money. Monopoly uses properties as a form of investment.
You can alter the game and add a few stops which require other financial investments.
I just divided 4 squares in half and added one new type of investment on each side of the board. Then you need to think of logical consequences which happen every time someone lands on that space (instead of paying rent).
- Game length = This game usually takes us 2 hours to play. We often do a time limit of one hour.
- Reading required = Some reading is required.
If you have a child who is struggling with reading you can still play on your own teams.
Usually, it’s not a problem if another player reads the cards for a child. Often the cards you pick don’t need to be secret from the other players.
- Number of players = 2-8 players, but I don’t suggest playing with more than 4 or 5 players if your kids have ADHD.
20) Charades
(Charades in Swedish)
There are many games that teach communication skills. Charades is just one of them.
Often when games are played in teams the team must communicate successfully or they lose.
We have all had the frustrating experience of trying to get a point across to someone without success.
Take that feeling and multiply it by 100. That is how kids with the combined diagnosis of ADD/ADHD and Dyslexia feel when they can’t communicate properly.
My easy going daughter suddenly started screeching every time she was not understood by adults.
She was 4 years old at the time and would scream and yell every time her efforts to be understood failed!
I believe this marked the beginning of her self awareness.
As she became aware that she could not communicate properly, she didn’t know what to do except scream.
My daughter, Maria, has ADD and Dyslexia. She seems to be affected by these diagnoses mostly in the language center of the brain.
She may always struggle to communicate in words, but I can try to make it easier for her by playing games that build skills and practicing at home where it’s safe to fail.
- The Game teaches = Charades teaches communication without using words. The skill of communicating without words can be a lifesaver for kids with extreme Dyslexia.
My daughter, as well as others I have talked to who have Dyslexia, can suddenly forget everyday words and names mid-sentence!
This is very frustrating especially if you are a child! Maria had to learn how to talk her way around missing words.
She needed to point or act out things that she forgot if she wanted to get her point across.
- Game length = It can be as short or as long as you want.
- Reading required = You can use this game to practice reading with your child if you choose cards that have manageable words on them. If they don’t read yet try having someone on the opposite team read the cards and whisper in their ear.
- Number of players = As many as you like.
Why we should use games as teaching tools!
Older kids and teenagers develop their brains through games that require problem-solving skills. Strategy games like Risk or Settlers are great for this age group.
“Strategy games are useful in helping the frontal lobes of the brain develop. Those frontal lobes are responsible for executive function skills, which include planning, organizing, and making good decisions.” says Beatrice Tauber Prior, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist who owns Harborside Wellbeing practice and is the author of children’s books.
Of course small children develop their brains as well as teenagers while playing games for their specific age level.
Both school and home could benefit from longer attention spans!
Learning to sit and wait your turn has great social benefits, but it can also lengthen a child’s attention span.
If your child knows they are in the game till it’s over, even during the boring parts like waiting his/her turn, this helps him/her learn that it’s ok to be bored.
Games help kids realize that boredom is seldom long-lived.
“If your family sits down for a game of Chinese checkers, be sure to complete a full game without everyone checking their phone, asking Alexa to play a song, or turning on the TV for the latest football scores,” Prior Psy.D. says. “Finishing a board game without interruptions will help lengthen the declining attention span of kids in a world filled with digital distractions.”
Games teach skills like waiting your turn, being a good loser, and teamwork.
They bring people closer together and help families and friends work on relationships without digital distractions (If you can all put your phones away before you start!)
Often board games help kids harness their emotions and work on things like, Being a good sport even when things are going poorly.
It’s also a great opportunity for laughter and bonding both at home and in the classroom.
ADHD predominantly Hyper, Dyslexia and Games, Tips for Parents
My son was hyper as a child. He still is hyper, but his hyper activeness expresses itself in different ways now that he is 13.
It’s more like nervous energy which takes on different forms.
When he was little he didn’t have the concentration skills to sit down and play a game.
If he wanted to be included in a board game we would call him to come whenever it was his turn.
He would run off to play between every turn. This is ok.
Even if your child is running off when it’s not his/her turn he will learn skills like turn-taking from playing games.
Lage doesn’t have extreme dyslexia, and although he struggled to read for several years, it finally ‘Clicked’ and he now enjoys reading.
He was ten when he started reading more.
He is now thirteen and enjoys games that require reading like risk (if the game doesn’t take too long).
Some games may need an imposed stop time, so kids with ADHD/ADD know how long the game will take.
Lage can get fed up with even his favorite games if they drag on and on without a times limit.
ADHD Predominantly inattentive (ADD) and Dyslexia.
Things for parents to be aware of when playing games with children who have this combination of diagnoses.
My daughter is ten and a half and still struggles with reading.
When she was tested for dyslexia a couple of years ago and they found, she had a more extreme form of this disorder.
I can’t expect her to play the same games or read the same books that her brother did at the same age.
Maria likes to play games, but she often insists on being paired up with an adult or older cousin when playing more advanced games like Settlers.
Having a partner when playing games helps her stay focused.
She can sometimes hyper-focus on an aspect of the game that will not increase her chances of winning, or space out and not pay attention to important details which impact how well she does in the game.
When she has someone on her team they can redirect her or remind her of what is important.
This helps her lean the game and probably appeals to her competitive personality because it increases her chances of winning.
She doesn’t often run out of patience for games or run off between turns, but she doesn’t like to be in a position where she has to read publicly.
I think the pressure of having to read publicly in a time restraint makes her nervous and causes her to shut down and forget words.
Most of the time she automatically passes any cards to her partner who whispers them in her ear, if we are playing an advanced game that requires some reading.
She likes games, and I won’t pressure her to read when we play more advanced games because I don’t want to take the fun out of it.
If you can keep the fun, kids will learn anyway.
ADHD and Games, Tips for Parents
If your child has ADHD you may need to play short games at least to start with.
I suggest picking a game for your child that allows YOU (the parent or adult) to decide how long you will play the game.
If you child has a very short attention span, start with 5-10 minutes, then play the same game every day and increase the time by a minute a day.
This should slowly increase your child’s attention span.
When your child feels the game has become extremely boring, buy a new one or trade games with a friend.
Just remember that it must be a game where the players can adjust the time played.
If you want to play harder games let him/her run off between turns as long as he is in earshot and can easily be called back to take his/her turn.
Dyslexia and Games, Tips for Parents
If your child struggles with reading, explain the rules of a new game, the first few times you play.
Hopefully your kids will soon remember the rules and will be able play with a friend, without the need for your help.
When you have kids with dyslexia or other reading disorders you have to take into consideration that games which require large amounts of reading will not work for them unless you pair them with an adult.
Some games won’t work at all if they can’t read by themselves.
Gestures is one game that comes to mind. It requires quick reading. We tried this game with Maria and it was a disaster.
If you have an older child who struggles with reading, you can buy a game for younger kids which requires some reading, but doesn’t overwhelm the child.
This is a good way to sneak in some reading that your child won’t find frustrating.
If the game is at their actual reading level but every once in a while adds just a little bit of a challenge then you have found the right game.
A teacher friend recommended different forms of Lotto or Bingo Lotto, like simple words Lotto or Building Language lotto.
I even saw a learning phonics Lotto!
Other games that require just a little reading are Headbandz, Charades, Telestrations, and Basic Settlers.
I hope that this post has given you a deeper understanding of ADHD, Dyslexia, and how games can help your child.
Check out my other posts about games we love for different age groups. Click below.
10 Games 3-6 year olds, with ADHD and Dyslexia, can play!
My family likes to play these games despite ADHD, ADD, and Dyslexia. We adapted all our games posts into categories by age.
If you need some encouragement try reading my post, 16 positive traits of dyslexia, A new perspective
Or check out my post 14 Positive traits of ADHD, that I see every day.Fourteen positive traits of ADHD that I see everyday!
Moms (and Dads too) make sure you take care of yourselves. You need to make sure you are not falling apart if you are going to properly take care of children with diagnoses. If you need inspiration read my post , 21 ways to care for yourself while caring for others
If you need book tips and more information check out our page OUR FAVOURITE RESOURCES. Our Favourite Resources
(Source) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200504/laughter-the-best-medicine
(Source) https://www.harborsidewb.com/
(Source) https://bpsmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13030-019-0146-3
Copyright Annie Eklöv
