Board games like Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders – which are based on numbers – could make young children better at maths, new research suggests.
The games are already known to enhance learning and development, including reading and literacy.
But the new study suggests that for three to nine-year-olds, the format of number-based board games helps to improve counting, addition, and the ability to recognise if a number is higher or lower than another.
Researchers say children benefit from programmes – or interventions – where they play board games a few times a week supervised by a teacher or another trained adult.
Lead author Dr Jaime Balladares, from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, in Santiago, Chile, said: “Board games enhance mathematical abilities for young children.
“Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex maths skills.
“Board games can easily be adapted to include learning objectives related to mathematical skills or other domains.”
