Why Board Games Build Better Students
Imagine a 7th grader leaning into his family's living room table, playing Uno, and eyeing the last card in his hand while his friends wait for their turn.
Is it just a 30-minute break from homework...or is it?
As these students engage in strategy, memory, or planning-focused games, they're actually exercising the same skills they'll need to succeed in school: planning, working memory, organization, inhibition, and flexibility.
Understanding Executive Functions for Parents & Teachers
"Executive functions" are the mental "air-traffic control system" of the brain. They assist a student with starting a task, holding information in their mind, stopping themselves from acting immediately, shifting when necessary, and keeping themselves on track. Here's what parents and teachers should know:
Working Memory: Keeping information in mind (steps for completion of a project/multifaceted instructions).
Inhibitory Control: Waiting one's turn/impulsivity/focusing when distracting thoughts enter the room.
Cognitive Flexibility: Switching strategies when Plan A fails or adapting to new instructions/new rule applications.
Planning & Organization: Breaking large tasks into manageable pieces, keeping materials in order, and maintaining time management.
These skills are most crucial for middle and high schoolers when expectations mount, projects grow longer and more intense, distractions run rampant, and the brain is still developing. Research notes that play-based and game-based development can meaningfully contribute to executive function development.
How Board Games Naturally Exercise Executive Functions
Let's break down how gameplay complements the executive function skill set.
Planning & Organization: Many games require players to think ahead of their moves: "If I take this route now, I can block their route later and earn points." They must organize their pieces, manage resources, and keep track of available items. These games mirror homework projects or STEM assessments where students need to plan and allocate pieces/steps. Educational Resources notes that board games "simplify complex topics and skills into more manageable components" and are great for students who struggle in conventional lecture-style rooms.
Working Memory & Attention: When you play a game with multiple parts, you're remembering rules, keeping track of what's already been played, watching what your opponent does, and anticipating their next turn. This involves working memory and sustained attention. One longitudinal study found that board game play in early childhood relates to better inhibition, switching, and updating.
Cognitive Flexibility & Problem-Solving: In board games, things may not always go as planned. A player stands in your way, a card changes your course, a new rule emerges. You must then shift your strategy, be flexible, and adapt to spontaneous situations. This is the same muscle students exert when teachers change an assignment format or a lab experiment fails.
Inhibitory Control & Emotional Regulation: Waiting turns, complying with rules (even if we want to cheat/get to the goal faster), handling frustration - all these promote self-regulation and emotional resilience. Cooperative games also build perspective-taking and regulation of excitement or annoyance. Therapy/OT-oriented materials suggest that games/toys are "an enjoyable and imaginative method for developing this skill" - especially regarding attention, organization, focus, and working memory.
Thus, board games are not merely a "fun time," they're an exercise for executive functions in low-stakes, social contexts that provide motivation.
Practical Skill Map: "This Game Builds That Skill"
Here's a quick cheat sheet for parents and educators, which you can share or cite at Swoon Learning:
Planning & Organization: Games focused on strategy/resource use (look for games you build with travels/routes, resources/cards in hand, etc.) or long-term goals.
Working Memory & Attention: Games where you need to remember what's hidden from others or what's been played before, as well as multi-step turns.
Flexibility & Problem-Solving: Games where rules change mid-play, spontaneous opportunities emerge, or you must switch gears.
Impulse Control/Self-Regulation: Games with turn-taking options, timed situations, or cooperative assessments where maintaining one's emotional control is key.
Time Management/Multi-Stepped Execution: Games where each round has multiple steps within it, or rounds have time limits to help students practice starting, staying on task, and finishing within limits.
Resources aimed at parents and educators stress that games can promote these skill areas.
Making Game Time Intentional (Without Killing the Fun)
During game time, to maximize the "executive function workout" and still keep it light/fun:
Name the Skill Out Loud: "Great job exercising your working memory by remembering which cards were left."
Think Aloud/Model Planning: "I'm doing this now because I plan to block them from my route next time."
Ask For Reflection Afterwards:
"What strategy did you implement this time?"
"If you played again, what would you do differently?"
"What happened when someone blocked your strategy? How did you accommodate?"
Make Slight Tweaks to Increase Challenge/Difficulty: For students who already play games, adjust timers, cards, or ask them to think ahead for two moves instead of one. For those who struggle, use easier game pieces with shorter expected play time or playing into teams/pairs so they don't feel embarrassed.
Connect Game Strategies to School Strategies: "How you planned your move here is a lot like how you had to organize your science project - first deciding your goal, then what materials you'd need."
The ultimate goal is intentionality without feeling forced like another assignment.
Board Games vs. Screens - Why the Table Matters
It's also important to note why analog board games often work better than screen-based play (when possible) relative to executive function training with younger players:
Face-to-Face Interaction: Major research (and reported outlets like The Washington Post) suggests that social play may provide additional brain benefits, not only for adults, but also for younger populations, for attention/self-regulation/sustained focus. For example, a new article from The Washington Post notes how board playing games link to lower dementia risk among older populations - and that "face-to-face play may have an additional benefit above playing them alone."
Turn-Taking/Tangible Components/Slower Pace: Unlike many fast-paced digital games that reward rapid response, many sturdy board games reward planning, patience, observation, and strategy - all linked with executive function.
Less Screen Fatigue/More Verbalization: When students play at a table, there naturally emerges discussion/negotiation/reflection - all of which enhance cognitive/social pathways.
Low-Stakes Playing Opportunity to Fail and Recover: In a board game, you can mess up; you can retry next time. This enhances growth mindset/resilience, which comes part and parcel with self-regulatory EF.
Conclusion
At Swoon Learning, we see how students who develop their executive function muscles - planning ahead, staying organized, managing time used appropriately, and adapting plans - succeed in STEM independent studies and successful college applications. Board games are one of our favorite "secret weapons" because they allow students to practice those skills without even realizing it in a social context that's fun! Next time you seek family fun or classroom involvement, think about dropping some games on the table! It's more than entertainment - it's brain training in disguise!
Try this action step: Establish an Executive Function Game Night (15-30 min.) once per week for families/classrooms; have 1 reflection after each game: "What skill did I use during this game that will help me with my school assignments?"
Over time, students will begin to make the connections on their own - and that's a big step toward independence/growth mindset!
Let the dice roll, let the cards shuffle - and the brains grow stronger!
Ready to see how executive function coaching can transform your student's success? Book a FREE 30-minute Discovery Session with Carla to discuss your child's needs and how Swoon Learning can help.
Share this post:
