Have you ever wondered why there are so many more kids with attention deficit problems today than there were 10 or 20 years ago? One reason is that kids today aren’t given enough opportunities to practice paying attention. Remember playing old school board games like: Monopoly, Trouble, Sorry or even Candyland where you had to take the time to read the instructions, lay out the game pieces, learn to take turns, control impulses and you had to sit in soil. or at the table and pay attention while you wait. He also learned to develop a tolerance for frustration when he missed a turn and learned to organize his thoughts to anticipate the other player’s move. These are very important soft skills that are transferable skills in almost all facets of life.

However, with the advent of high-tech gaming, iTunes and Wii, many kids are so fed up with media that if their attention isn’t instantly captured, they tend to tune out within the first few minutes. Technological advancement is a good thing, but like everything, everything has its place. And when it comes to our children, high-tech items should be used sparingly.

Here are some board games I’m using in my homeschooling program with my son that you might find useful if you’re raising or educating a child who is highly distractible.

1. Milton Bradley’s The Memory Game – This simple game helps increase concentration skills and memory. Players must match their cards with others that are face down. If your child turns a card face up and it doesn’t match her card, he has to turn the card face down again. The challenge for your child is to remember the cards that have been put back, so that he can match them to his cards when matches come up. The one who gets the most matches wins.

2. Checkers: Checkers works well for highly distracted children. The game is relatively simple, however, it requires decision-making skills, impulse control skills, and focus. The challenge is to get your men from your end of the board to your opponent’s end. What the boys learn over time is that if they pay attention and think ahead where they want to go while anticipating obstacles, they will eventually lead their men to the other side.

3. Simon Says: Although not a board game, Simon Says is the best game of following directions and paying attention. One person is Simón and the rest of the children stand in a line in front of Simón. ‘Simon’ then gives instructions like this: “Simon says Shake head.” Everyone else has to shake their head. If the ‘Simon’ calls out an instruction without saying “Simon says”, everyone must ignore the instruction. If you don’t follow Simon’s instructions he says you’re out. If you follow an instruction that Simon doesn’t say, you’re out too. It also allows children to move their bodies.

4. Mother May I: While not a board game either, this popular yard game helps kids learn to ask for permission, control impulses, and follow directions. In this game a person is chosen to be “Mother”. You can also use the term “Father”. Everyone else should stand in a line facing the person a short distance away. The purpose of the game is for the players to get close enough to touch the Mother. But players can only move by following the instructions given by Mother. If you forget to say “Mother, may I?” or you don’t follow Mother’s instructions, you have to go back to the beginning. The first to reach the Mother becomes the next Mother.