Family Game Night With House Rules

A simple, age-appropriate board game (Candy Land, Hi Ho Cherry-O, matching games, or Chutes and Ladders)

Optional: game night snacks to make it special

Pick a game your child can understand with minimal help.

Before opening the box, set house rules: "We cheer for everyone. We say good game at the end. We don't flip the board." Keep it light and positive.

Review turns: "First your turn, then mine, then yours again."

Play the game, modeling patience during your wait and grace when things go wrong.

When you land on a bad space, narrate calmly: "Oh no, back to the start! That's okay, I'll try again."

When the game ends, model sportsmanship: shake hands and say "Good game!" win or lose.

Talk about the fun: "What was your favorite part?" Redirect from winning to the experience.

Start with cooperative games (where everyone wins or loses together) before competitive ones.

If your child melts down when losing, empathize first: "Losing is so frustrating." Then remind them of the house rules.

Let them win sometimes naturally, but don't always let them win. Learning to lose is the whole point.

Make game night a weekly tradition. The repetition builds habits of good sportsmanship over time.