Board games are more than just a way to pass the time when the internet is out or share an evening with loved ones. For children with autism, board games are a tool to learn critical skills such as fine motor skills, problem-solving, language and communication, memory, attention, emotional regulation, and sequential learning.

Choosing the right games is essential for getting the most out of this shared experience. Here is a selection of the best board games for children with autism.

Sequence

According to the experts at ABA Centers of Florida, sequential learning is an important skill for children with autism. What better game to explore this skill than Sequence?

Sequence is a classic board game that involves strategy, logic, and chance. Players take turns picking cards from the deck and placing a chip on the corresponding space on the game board. If a player gets five chips in a row vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, they win the game.

The catch is that players must also watch their opponents’ moves, because if an opponent is close to getting five chips in a row, players must try to block them by putting their own chips in those spaces.

This game helps children with sequential learning by providing opportunities to take turns, practice following steps in a specific order, and understand cause-and-effect relationships. This also provides an opportunity to develop social skills.

Carcassone

Carcassonne is a tile-laying board game where players build a landscape together by laying tiles with features such as roads, cities, fields, and monasteries. The objective is to score the most points by completing these features with meeples (small wooden figures) and occupying as much of the landscape as possible.

This sensory-friendly game is intuitive and easy to learn. It helps children with autism develop spatial awareness, socialization, problem-solving skills, and sequential learning. 

Sorry!

Sorry! is a classic board game that’s easy to learn and play. Each player has four pawns they move around the board by playing randomly-drawn cards. The idea is to be the first player to get all four pawns to the finish. 

Overall, “Sorry!” is a fun and engaging game that can provide an excellent opportunity for social interaction, strategy, and taking turns. It can also help children with autism improve their counting and basic math skills, fine motor skills, and sequential learning.

Guess Who?

“Guess Who?” is a two-player guessing game. The premise of the game is to guess the identity of your opponent’s character from a line-up of characters by asking yes-or-no questions. 

This game is commonly used for children with speech delays and helps develop deductive reasoning skills. It can help children with autism develop attention to detail, verbalization, and problem-solving. One of the main benefits of this game is that it’s perfect for a one-on-one experience and can also be scaled based on the age and development of the child.

These games are choices for children with autism, especially when played with a caregiver or friend. Use this opportunity to connect, have fun, and develop some valuable skills.

Have you got any other suggestions to share?