Why is it important?
I have a lot of teachers coming into my Sensory Toy shop and I often find that their observations spark a few ideas and some very interesting questions. Recently, one, in particular, stands out - How can we teach a child how to lose?
A teacher told me that several children in her class were never taught how to play board games. Most of the time, they were playing by themselves on an iPad where ultimately you are always the winner.
This is an incredible thought.
How can we do it?
Playing games (board games and educational games especially) teaches you so many things… Patience, taking turns, decision making, counting, language skills and teamwork just to name a few. It can also help to develop your child’s fine motor skills and memory!
But one of the most important things it teaches you is how to learn to lose.
It’s so important to teach this to your child as early as possible in their development. Not letting them win all the time can help the child to express their feelings better, and allows them to understand that ‘practice makes perfect! Learning to lose gracefully is a skill we all need to take through to adulthood. Life is competitive, so learning this at a young age is vital.
Need ideas?
The best place to start is ‘Fish n Spell Race’, and then you can move on to something a bit more complex!