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Schools

Help Your Child Succeed—Play Games

An Aliso Viejo teacher gives parents tips.

Editor's note: Lori Walker is a kindergarten teacher with Capistrano Unified School District.  She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and has been teaching for the past 18 years.  She works and lives in Aliso Viejo.  Her weekly column will focus on tips for parents to help their preschool- and elementary-age children be successful.

Interacting with your young child by playing a game or solving a puzzle will help your youngster learn to share, take turns, handle losses and build confidence.  Here are some tips when playing with your little one:

  1. Choose games that are age-appropriate and have educational value.  Find games that teach children about colors, letters, numbers and shapes.  Even games such as Operation can help build minor motor skills as children learn about the body.
  2. Always take turns when deciding which game to play, who goes “first” or which color marker will be theirs.
  3. Cleaning up after games should be the responsibility of all players. 
  4. Choose games that are fair for everyone, and do not alter a game so that your child will win.  Of course, it is fun to be the winner once in a while, but enjoyment should not be dependent upon a win or loss. 
  5. Prioritize 15 or 20 minutes to play the game.  Turn off the TV and let the answering machine take a message.  This is the opportunity for some quality parent-child time.

Board games and puzzles are a simple and inexpensive way to build important qualities such as sharing and responsibility.  If you make a mistake, laugh about it or comment: “I can learn from my mistake” so that your child realizes mistakes are acceptable.  This simple daily or weekly activity will help children to be more successful in school.

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