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.
How this skill area relates to your assessments!
This skill area aligns with various assessments and their respective domains, with milestone and domain codes provided for reference. Additionally, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Autism are included to help clinicians identify how this skill area potentially supports medical necessity in relation to the diagnosis.
VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program)
Math, M 13-M, Counts out 1-5 from a larger set of items with 1 to 1 correspondence (e.g., Give me 4 cars. Now give me 2 cars.)
Social Behavior and Social Play, SBSP 8-M, Engages in sustained social play with peers for 3
minutes without adult prompts or reinforcement (e.g., cooperatively setting up a play set, water play) (timed observation 30 minutes)
Independent Play, IP 7-M, Independently demonstrates the use of toys or objects according to their function for 5 items (e.g. placing a train on a track, pulling a wagon, holding a telephone to the ear)
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Leisure, LS12, Plays board games
Leisure, LS13, Plays card games
Leisure, LS14, Participates in independent INDOOR activities at least 30 min
DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
A3, Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
5 years, Social/Emotional Milestones, Follows rules or takes turns when playing games
with other children
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.
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.
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#1 Picks preferred game piece when asked to
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
With game and game pieces present, ask them to choose a game piece. “What color do you want to be?”
Learner should select a color that is available. “I want to be green!” (Grabs game piece).
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Run this target across multiple board games if possible.
Materials
Common board game with game pieces. Ex: Candyland, Sorry!, and/or Count Your Chickens!
#5 Selects/Slides Game Piece From Start to Various Locations on the Board
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that the learner has already made a choice as to which game piece(s) belong to them (see #1).
Place their game piece(s) at the start.
Have a spot on the board in mind. For Candyland or Count Your Chickens! it might be a picture, and for Sorry! it might be a triangle (start of slide) or circle (end of slide).
Instruct the learner to move their game piece there. “Move to the lollipop!”
Learner should find the color/game piece that they chose and slide the piece along the track to the corresponding destinations (without knocking others out of the way).
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Run this target across multiple board games if possible.
Materials
Common board game with game pieces. Ex: Candyland, Sorry!, and/or Count Your Chickens!
#8 Counts Spaces and Slides Game Piece (Therapist gives number)
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that the learner has already made a choice as to which game piece(s) belong to them (see #1).
Place their game piece near the finish.
Instruct them to move their game piece x number of spaces.
Learner should move their piece the correct number of spaces. Start with smaller numbers. Gesture prompts may be necessary.
Learner should find the color/game piece that they chose and count the correct number of spaces, stopping at the corresponding space.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Run this target across multiple board games if possible. Even though Candyland doesn’t require the learner to count spaces, you can still do so to help the learner conceptualize the idea of a “space”.
Materials
Common board game with game pieces. Ex: Candyland, Sorry!, and/or Count Your Chickens!
Ensure that the learner has already made a choice as to which game piece(s) belong to them (see #1).
Place their game piece anywhere on the board.
Instruct them to draw a card and move their game piece based on the number that comes up. “Draw and move your guy!”
Learner should draw a card and move their piece the correct number of spaces based on the number that comes up.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Run this target across multiple board games if possible. Even though Candyland and Count Your Chickens! doesn’t require numbered cards (like Sorry!), you can use the Sorry! cards to help the learner understand the concept of turning cards and moving spaces across examples.
Materials
Common board game with game pieces. Ex: Candyland, Sorry!, and/or Count Your Chickens!
Ensure that the learner has already made a choice as to which game piece(s) belong to them (see #1).
Place their game piece anywhere on the board.
Instruct them to spin a spinner and move their game piece based on the number that comes up. “Spin and move your guy!”
Learner should spin the spinner and move their piece the correct number of spaces based on the number that comes up.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Run this target across multiple board games if possible. Even though Candyland, Sorry!, and Count Your Chickens! doesn’t require a numbered spinner, you can find one from another game and use it with these games to help the learner understand the concept of using spinners.
Materials
Common board game with game pieces. Ex: Candyland, Sorry!, and/or Count Your Chickens!
Ensure that the learner has already made a choice as to which game piece(s) belong to them (see #1).
Place their game piece anywhere on the board.
Instruct them to roll the dice and move their game piece based on the number that comes up. “Roll the die and move your person!”
Learner should roll the die and move their piece the correct number of spaces based on the number that comes up.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Run this target across multiple board games if possible. Even though Candyland and Count Your Chickens! doesn’t require a die (like Aggravatio!), you can use a die to help the learner understand the concept of rolling a number and moving spaces across examples.
Materials
Common board game with game pieces. Ex: Candyland, Sorry!, and/or Count Your Chickens!
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.
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.
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
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Research and Resources
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Disclaimer
Consistent with ethical obligations outlined by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB), users acknowledge that goal selection/direction is the responsibility of the BCBA. Users understand that goals should be tailored to the learner while ultimately involving the input of clients/stakeholders. Users understand their ethical obligations to the client/stakeholder concerning the selection, implementation, design, and minimization of risk regarding behavior change interventions as outlined in BACB Code. As such, this skill sequence serves as a general framework for generating ideas around this particular skill area and not as an assessment or curriculum.
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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 Turns
Game Play: Memory
Playing “Count Your Chickens!” Board Game
Intro to Counting (3D)