Games that Benefit the Brain

Most kids love to play card and board games, but did you know that many offer benefits far beyond the obvious social gains.  Many of these activities are actually good for cognition and can exercise the brain.

There are three types of benefits:

1.  Brain Breaks: Some games offer quick “brain breaks” that can be used during homework completion.  A quick reward, when stamina is low, can energize the brain and regain focus. 

2.  Brain Integration: Other games can help integrate the brain.  Some students can lack integration between the two hemispheres of the brain and these activities activate the whole brain. 

3.  Cognitive Remediation: Finally, there are games that help to strengthen specific areas of cognition and they can serve as a form of cognitive therapy.  By exercising these parts of the brain, new neural pathways can develop and areas of weakness can be strengthened and even remediated.

Here is a table that reviews some of my favorite games, lists of the cognitive gains and offers links to the products.

GAME: Time to Play	COGNITIVE BENEFITS	WHERE TO PURCHASE
Spot it:  about 2-4 minutes	Visual Processing Processing Speed Attention to Detail Attention Hemisphere Integration	Amazon:  See link below
Blink:   about 2-4 minutes	Visual Processing Processing Speed Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Nonverbal Reasoning	Amazon:  See link below
Set:  about 5-10 minutes	Visual Processing Speed of Processing Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning Nonverbal Reasoning	Amazon:  See link below
Q Bits:  depends on the number of rounds played - 2-30 minutes	Visual Processing Spatial Relations Speed of Processing Attention to Detail Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning Nonverbal Reasoning	Amazon:  See link below
Master Mind:  depends on the number of rounds played - 10-30 minutes	Visual Processing Visual Reasoning Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Doodle Dice: about 15 minutes	Visual Processing Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Spatial Relations Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Blokus: about 30-45 minutes	Visual Processing Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Spatial Relations Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Logic Links: depends on the number of rounds played - 3-30 minutes	Visual Processing Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Word Around Game:  depends on the number of rounds played - 5-30 minutes	Visual Processing Verbal Reasoning Sequential Processing Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Scattergories the Card Game: depends on the number of rounds played - 5-30 minutes	Simultaneous Processing Word Finding Speed of Processing Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Scattergories the Board Game: depends on the number of rounds played - 5-30 minutes	Simultaneous Processing Word Finding Speed of Processing Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning	Amazon:  See link below
Pictionary: depends on the number of rounds played- 5-60 minutes	Nonverbal Reasoning Verbal Reasoning Fine Motor Dexterity Speed of Processing	Amazon:  See link below
Apples to Apples: depends on the number of rounds played- 10-30 minutes	Verbal Reasoning Attention Mental Flexibility	Amazon:  See link below
Cranium: depends on the number of rounds played - 5-30 minutes	Auditory Processing Visual Processing Processing Speed Attention to Detail Attention Hemisphere Integration Fine Motor Verbal Reasoning Sequential Processing	Amazon:  See link below
Jenga - depends on the number of rounds played- 5-30 minutes	Fine Motor Dexterity Motor Planning Nonverbal Reasoning	Amazon:  See link below

I hope you found this helpful.  If you know of other card or board games that you find beneficial, please share them in the comment box below.  I will then update this blog to reflect your ideas.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com, www.dyslexiamaterials.com & www.learningtolearn.biz