Most kids love to play card and board games, but did you know that many offer benefits far beyond the obvious social gains. Many games are actually good for cognition and can exercise the brain in areas like visual processing, processing speed, executive functioning, attention, and more! There are three types of benefits: 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. 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. 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. I have also written two other blogs that review more games that benefit the brain as well as games that benefit visual processing. 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 http://amzn.to/2xYTC4t Executive Functioning Games: about 5-10 minutes Visual Processing Working Memory Processing Speed Attention to Detail Attention Hemisphere Integration Mental Flexibility Nonverbal Reasoning https://bit.ly/3o0hxHM Blink: about 2-4 minutes Visual Processing Processing Speed Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Nonverbal Reasoning http://amzn.to/2xYPqBx Set: about 5-10 minutes Visual Processing Speed of Processing Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning Nonverbal Reasoning http://amzn.to/2xZ0hM5 Reading Games Bundle Digital Download: depends on the game 5-30 minutes Core reading skills Orton Gillingham Based or phonics based approach https://goo.gl/8R3Fyk 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 http://amzn.to/2yYkwHR 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 http://amzn.to/2gbnPUF Hey What’s the Big Idea: About 3-15 minutes Processing Speed Simultaneous Processing Word Finding RAN Rapid Automatic Naming Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning https://goo.gl/RyHjXj Doodle Dice: about 15 minutes Visual Processing Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Spatial Relations Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning http://amzn.to/2gbmYTX Blokus: about 30-45 minutes Visual Processing Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Spatial Relations Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning http://amzn.to/2yow4Y7 Word Shuffle: about 15 minutes Processing Speed Word Finding RAN Rapid Automatic Naming Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning Linguistic Skills https://goo.gl/NHEzS5 Logic Links: depends on the number of rounds played - 3-30 minutes Visual Processing Nonverbal Reasoning Attention to Detail Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning http://amzn.to/2xYRpWE Word Around Game: depends on the number of rounds played - 5-30 minutes Visual Processing Verbal Reasoning Sequential Processing Attention Mental Flexibility Executive Functioning http://amzn.to/2yYB3fe 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 http://amzn.to/2xh1f7D 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 http://amzn.to/2youWnf Pictionary: depends on the number of rounds played- 5-60 minutes Nonverbal Reasoning Verbal Reasoning Fine Motor Dexterity Speed of Processing http://amzn.to/2fQfF75 Apples to Apples: depends on the number of rounds played- 10-30 minutes Verbal Reasoning Attention Mental Flexibility http://amzn.to/2xYRf1l 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 http://amzn.to/2gbrba6 Jenga - depends on the number of rounds played- 5-30 minutes. Fine Motor Dexterity Motor Planning Nonverbal Reasoning http://amzn.to/2xYTLVg 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, Dr. Erica Warren Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses. · Blog: https://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/ · YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1 · Podcast: https://godyslexia.com/ · Store: http://www.Goodsensorylearning.com/ · Courses: http://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/ · Newsletter Sign-up: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/69400