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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

first board game - anyone got a good one?

26 replies

lingle · 06/07/2009 22:27

DS2 could do a board game as follows I think. A long rectangle (like a height chart) with unnumbered (though I could tippex them) steps leading up to the top. Some snakes and ladders fine.

Standard snakes and ladders hasn't quite worked yet because you basically have to ignore the numbers on the board itself or be capable of addition which he isn't. Also, you have to see that the figures are turning round corners to go up the board......

Can anyone recommend anything along the lines I'm thinking or am I going to have to get creative (eek!)with a height chart?

OP posts:

moondog · 06/07/2009 22:32

Make snakes and ladders with no numbers on it.
Just squares.
Snap is not a board game but great for turn taking.

Original poster

lingle · 06/07/2009 22:35

was hoping I could be lazier than that... making it will eat into my mumsnet time.

Hmm aha! I can exploit DS1 and get him to make it as he loves his craft projects.

Can I have my crap mum award now?

OP posts:

moondog · 06/07/2009 22:36

Some brill stuff on Ebay made by enterprising people.

Trawl through catalogues too.

winslow press
taskmaster

2shoes · 06/07/2009 22:41

not a board game but dd love lotto(where you have a card and have to match the pictures)

RaggedRobin · 06/07/2009 22:51

snail's pace race is a fab and lovely little board game that i've been using with ds to encourage turn taking (with dismal results so far, incidentally, but don't let that put you off!!)

we've also been trying snap, but after a couple of turns it always ends with ds throwing the whole lot up in the air and running away. oh well.

mysonben · 07/07/2009 00:05

not a board game but ds likes to play dominos (animal theme not dots) but we have to keep putting the dominos in a straight line or he gets cross!

misscutandstick · 07/07/2009 07:31

dont wake dad doesnt use numbers and only goes in one direction, nice pop up feature when bored. you dont have to adhere to the real rules (mine NEVER do!) but good turn taking game using colours to move. Only down side: this particular game is £14.99, but you can probably get it on offer somewhere.

TotalChaos · 07/07/2009 08:02

orchard toys has some good simple board games. there's an incy wincy spider one which is much as you describe. you're probably too posh to do such a thing , but you'ld be amazed what sort of nice board games you can find for a quid at a charity shop.

vjg13 · 07/07/2009 08:06

Second vote for the incy wincy spider game from Orchard.On one side you match coloured shapes to get to the top.

Shells · 07/07/2009 08:11

I think Orchard do 'tummy ache' too which we like where we ignore the rules and just make up meals (usually consisting of things DS refuses to eat) and shout 'tummy ache' and have a bit of fun.

And he likes versions of memory with very basic cards and pictures.

ChopsTheDuck · 07/07/2009 08:26

Have you tried the happy puzzle company? here They might have some suitable games, they do games I've not seen in the shops, some of which follow nice straightforward unilateral concepts that might be better for your ds. The strategy games are a big hit with my ds, particualry blokus.

littlemisschatalot · 07/07/2009 08:35

pop up pirate. encourages taking turns, no number recognition needed.
or pairs?

Original poster

lingle · 07/07/2009 09:43

terrific! the spider and snails ones look like just what I wanted! I'll try "don't wake dad!" as well. And you've sorted out DS2's birthday list for the uncles.

Snakes and ladders is quite tricky because there are numbers on the dice but also numbers on the board so when I said "I got 4" he was saying "no you got 36" (and he was right).

OP posts:

moondog · 07/07/2009 15:19

If kids initially unwilling to play, using an additional reinforcer at the end can help to whet the appetite.
Similarly i often use reverse psychology in my work as a SALT, set up a Timetimer and say 'This is such a special game that I am only letting us play for 10 minutes and no more'

Works every time.I get kids begging me to let them carry on with really mundane (but for me, incredibly important) stuff!

RaggedRobin · 07/07/2009 15:59

thanks for those tips, moondog. a timetimer on its way to our house!

moondog · 07/07/2009 16:34

I love my Timetimer and would not be without it.My kids even use it on me when i MN excessively!

bubblagirl · 07/07/2009 16:53

i second orchard toys we have shopping list game, king of the castle, incy wincy spider ds loves them we have more but cant remember them now

bubblagirl · 07/07/2009 16:54

and charity shop has got us some other games too at least if not interested no money wasted and they can be sent back to charity shop

Original poster

lingle · 06/08/2009 10:57

Well thanks again for those recommendations. They were really helpful. Ds2 turns out to be a board game wizz who loves:

incy wincy spider (which is like snakes and ladders)
Sequences for Kids (got this in USA)
Shopping List
Old McDonald
snap
"soundtracks".

(proud mummy moment coming) When playing these games, his memory, concentration, turn-taking and visual skills appear superior to those of his NT peers. One of the peers even said "I'm not sure, I'll ask DS2 to help me" and this was the same child who usually says "why doesn't he answer me?". .

Am going to ask for "Don't Wake Dad" for his birthday.

OP posts:

Original poster

lingle · 06/08/2009 11:00

By the way

www.dooyoo.co.uk/board-games/living-learning-soundtracks-game/

could be good if you are working on sound recognition type stuff.

OP posts:

sc13 · 07/08/2009 12:51

Well done linglet! Here we're all about the Orchard games too, but also have a small magnetic fishing game, which I've found very good for turn-taking, when one first starts.

Marne · 07/08/2009 16:10

Both dd's like the Orchard games, dd2 (3.5) will play Greedy Gorilla's and the shopping list game.

sadminster · 07/08/2009 16:24

ds loves Greedy Gorilla - he learnt a great fake burp within a couple of minutes of starting (but obviously no new words!)

Jen2009 · 07/08/2009 17:04

We play Greedy Gorilla too. We started using it by just taking turns putting the cards in and making the Gorilla burp. We eventually progressed to saying the names of the food. We are now working on saying "He eats [apples]" ... and then putting the card in his mouth.
The lovaas.com site has games and toys in their shop which you can look at and then buy from Amazon.co.uk. We got Kerplop and it's ok but my son does get bored with it after awhile. We also use the Usbourne Colour snap cards to play "same" and "different". I put out some of the coloured cards face up and then he flips over another card. I ask him if he can find one that is the "same", etc. Finally, my son l-o-o-v-e-s Mr. Potato Head. You can take turns putting on the pieces; talk about the different pieces (parts of the body); and practice pretend play with them when they are done. If your son likes music/nursery rhymes, take a look at Nursery Rhyme Soundtracks by Living and Learning (livingandlearning.com). (We just play it together and don't really compete.) I love games because we seem to do better with semi-structured activities rather than free play.

RaggedRobin · 09/08/2009 00:47

thanks for the shopping list suggestion, bubblagirl! this is the only game that ds will play until the end. turn-taking success at last!

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