Helping children and teenagers practise everyday problem-solving is the main focus of this printable life skills board game, with prompts that invite them to think aloud about realistic situations. It works well for older primary children, secondary school pupils and young people who benefit from structured discussion around independence, confidence, self-management and social skills.
The game is laid out as a simple start-to-finish board, with each square asking a life skills question. Prompts include what to do if you lose something important, how to stay calm when upset, how to save money, what to do when a plan goes wrong, how to ask for help, how to make a new friend, and how to learn from mistakes.
Several questions focus on responsibility and daily routines, such as keeping a room tidy, getting ready for a busy day, staying focused on a task, remembering important jobs, running late, cooking independently, making difficult choices and saving up for something. These topics make it useful for PSHE lessons, social work direct work, mentoring sessions, youth groups, family support work and one-to-one conversations with children or teens.
Adults can use the board game as a light, non-threatening way to explore practical life skills, decision-making and resilience. It could be played with counters and dice, used as a discussion prompt without game pieces, or adapted into a turn-taking activity where young people give examples from their own lives.
The format may be especially helpful for children and young people who find direct questioning difficult, as the game structure gives a reason for each question and keeps the conversation moving. The resource is credited to Edita Stiborova.
