How to Teach Patience to Kids With Games

Teaching children patience is not an easy task; it is up there with potty training and learning the alphabet as far as teaching difficulty goes. Kids today live in a world of instant gratification, which makes these lessons on patience that much more important. Make your lessons on patience more fun for your children by turning them into a game.

Things You'll Need

  • Large Jar
  • A "must-have" item
  • Board games
  • Bag of treats
  • Poster board
  • Black marker

Instructions

    • 1

      Create a rewards system. Give your kids a set monetary amount every time they exhibit acts of patience. For instance, next time you are standing in line at the grocery store, give your child a quarter if he or she waits in line quietly. Purchase a large jar and label it with the words "Patience Jar" for all the kid's hard-earned money. This money is meant to be saved for a goal item, which could be anything from a comic book to a new bike. Money can also be taken out of the patience jar if your child is demanding or quick tempered.

    • 2

      Use board games, which are an inexpensive and effective. Set up any age-appropriate game and make up your own rules. The true winner of this game is the child who can quietly wait his or her turn, and the winner is rewarded with a small treat, such as a piece of chocolate or a lollipop. All it takes is for that first child to be given candy for showing self control and there will be a domino effect. Make sure to give each player at least one chance, and if he or she cannot behave, they simply do not get their treat, and you move on to the next child. Tantrums are punished with time out and removal from the game entirely.

    • 3

      Teach your children by example, and encourage them to point out when you as a parent is exhibiting impatient behavior. Make a game out of it. Draw two columns, one labeled mommy and other daddy, on a large piece of poster board. Hang this scorecard on the kitchen wall. Each time mom or dad isn't patient or loses his or her temper; the kids get to mark it down on the card. After 50 instances of impatience, the kids get to plan that weekend's activities or choose where to eat out that night.

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