Summary: This time we have a special guest in the studio! Our friend Liz Kelley is a staff writer for The Family Gamers website, but she’s also a teacher. Since school starts this time of year, we wanted to talk to her about something special: she coaches the board game club at her school.<br> <br> What Has Liz Been Playing?<br> Liz learned to play <a href="http://amzn.to/2wj5xra">Sushi Go Party!</a> at the most recent Barnes & Noble game night.<br> <a href="http://amzn.to/2gjYNFx">Patchwork</a> – we love it, although Bärenpark is quickly replacing Patchwork as a favorite. We all agree on our love for games by Uwe Rosenberg.<br> Board Games After School<br> Liz was involved with the <a href="http://www.thefamilygamers.com/sushi-dice/">review for Sushi Dice</a>, and the kids who played it in her game club love it.<br> One surprising thing about the club is that the noise level of 24 kids playing tabletop games is high.<br> Liz remarks that many kids will form alliances, helping each other rather than simply being cut-throat about winning.<br> Benefits of Game Club<br> As a trained child educator, Liz sees three major benefits game club offers to kids:<br> <br> * Practicing social interactions (treating each other kindly, waiting for your turn, etc.)<br> * Critical thinking / problem solving<br> * Higher order thinking – working through multiple ways to solve a problem<br> <br> How to Start<br> At Liz’s school, the board game club started as a chess club. The principal asked her if she would be willing to coach the chess club if she could also add other games and make it something new.<br> The way Liz runs her club, she has a “game of the week”, which she’ll teach to a group of 6+ kids (and to a second group once the first group gets started). A few kids came from board gaming families, which gave them a leg up on being able to teach games to their peers.<br> This past year, the club has been run in 6-week, 2-hour sessions. Two hours allows enough to teach and play a whole full-length game, but it’s a little long for some 9-12 year old kids. Some kids who finished early would play filler games (Sushi Dice, War, build card towers). Some kids created their own games; Liz describes a game the kids designed out of Othello pieces and Pass the Pigs.<br> Advice for parents<br> Reach out to your children’s principal. Is there a similar club, like a chess club, already in place? Could it be expanded to include board games? You could also reach out to the Parent-Teacher organization and suggest a board game club as a new after school activity.<br> Liz’s club had very supportive parents who appreciated the club. If your children have this opportunity, thank the teacher!<br> You could also suggest a parent night – parents and kids playing games together.<br> <br> Have Feedback?<br> You can email any of the three of us on today’s show @thefamilygamers.com. Or contact us on <a href="https://twitter.com/familygamersAA">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familygamersaa/">Facebook</a>. Please <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-family-gamers-podcast/id1031290391">leave us a review on iTunes</a> if you like the show.<br> Last but not least, don’t forget to check out our Silly Street <a href="http://www.thefamilygamers.com/silly-street/">review</a> and <a href="http://www.thefamilygamers.com/silly-street-giveaway/">giveaway</a>. Until next week, play games with your kids!<br>
