Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners master basic board game skills.
As the learner develops skills to sit through basic puzzles and other play based tasks, introducing board games could open the door for reinforcer expansion and peer interaction. This skill area breaks down basic “board game” behaviors for the learner to practice. In theory, these behaviors are ones that will generalize to a variety of other board games so that—when the learner is introduced to them—they are more likely conceptualize the game play process. The targets below can be introduced and practiced in isolation (and discretely) as well as within the context of a game where prompts might normally be delivered. As the learner masters these skill, the clinician or teacher may seek to introduce elementary board games like Count Your Chickens! and Candyland.
Treatment Plan Goal Ideas
This is a list of treatment plan goals. These are different from the goals you will find in the skill sequence below. Your treatment plan goals encompass any number of goals from the skill sequence. Sometime they will include multiple goals from the sequence (”Learner will label 5 toys”) and sometimes the treatment plan goal will be simply consist of a really important goal from the skill sequence (”Will label caregiver”). An analogy I like to use goes as follows: Each skill sequence goal (commonly known as a “target”) represent each stair in a flight of stairs. The treatment plan goal is the flight itself.
Treatment plan goal ideas for this particular skill area are as follows:
- Learner will pick and locate their own game piece for a board game.
- Learner will turn a card over and move their game piece corresponding to the number or symbol on the card.
- Learner will spin a spinner and move their game piece corresponding to where the spinner lands.
- Learner will roll a die and move their game piece corresponding to where the die lands.
Component Skills
Your learner may need to be fluent in these component skills first before introducing this goal/skill area. Component skills for this skill sequence may include skill areas that are fundamental to other areas. Fluency in the skill areas listed below may increase the likelihood that your learner will succeed in this skill sequence and those afterward.
Intro to Reinforcer/Preference Expansion
Performs Preferred Action with Preferred Item (LR)
Single Actions with Common Toys
Performs Action During Familiar Routines (LR)
Performs Actions with Uni-Functional Toys (LR)
Intro to Scanning 
Intro to Matching (Visual Perception) 
Following Gestures
Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)
Intro to Puzzles 
Intro to Taking TurnsSkill Possibilities
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to follow instructions and play games. Note that every learner is different and that you likely will need to tweak and vary some programming to their needs. Click the triangle icon to view the full description for each skill in the sequence/area.
Concurrent Skills
Working on these skills at the same time could help with goal mastery. Maybe your learner has mastered these skills already. Perhaps they are already listed as component skills above. That’s okay! Targeting other learning channels might help your learner.
Intro to Taking Turns
Game Play: Memory
Playing “Count Your Chickens!” Board Game
Intro to Counting (3D)Composite Skills
These are the possible next steps for learners who have mastered, or are mastering, the skills listed above. Note that new skill areas may require fluency in other component skills not listed above. Also, you can introduce composite skill sequences prematurely to keep your learner progressing, as generativity may occur earlier than expected.
Playing “Count Your Chickens!” Board GameCandyland (Coming Soon!)
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
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