For example, “who have you lost that you are close to” is tough for you, either answer about a different loss or keep it vague. Setting Boundaries When Playing Therapy JengaĪs with therapists, if you’re a parent playing this game you should still maintain appropriate boundaries while playing. Similar to relationships, if you try to build relationships too fast and increase their intensity too quickly, you can cause the relationship to fall apart. If you go too fast and make it about speed, you’ll knock down the tower accidentally. This is not a game to be rushed… you want to take time with each block to discuss. Each block takes effort because you have to think about the question and give a thoughtful answer. Rebuilding trust takes time and energy, just like rebuilding the Jenga tower does. For example, once trust has been broken it has to be rebuilt. You can compare this game to common relationship issues. That’s a pretty good step towards being motivated to change their behavior. What can you do next time instead?” If you have a good rapport with your child (or client) and they respect you, then they will care that you’re disappointed. Tell me what happened” and then, later, “I’m really disappointed that you did that, but I’m glad you were able to talk to me about it. It allows me to say, “Sally, your mom called me last night and told me you got into trouble at school. As a therapist and social worker, my goal isn’t always to make everyone like me, but to have good rapport and have them respect me. Respect is vital in parent-child relationships, and contrary to what a lot of people believe, respect is earned not by bringing a children into the world, but by what you do with them as a parent afterwards. We are also demonstrating respect by listening quietly to the other person’s answer, not interrupting, not forcing our opinions on them, and not rushing to take our own turn. And secondly, when you know about someone and more about why they think something, then we’re more likely to respect them. This is great for a couple of reasons.įirst, it allows the child to get to know you as a person, not just a disciplinarian or parent. As we build the tower, we’re also building our relationship… in therapy, we’re building rapport with the client as we play and learning more about our client, but when families play together they’re doing the same thing. To refocus from the “how do I win?” concerns, I talk to my clients about building the tower together- “Let’s see how high we can make it!” Each person’s addition to the tower can hurt or help the rest of the players. Sometimes it takes a couple games with kids before they stop focusing on that part. I don’t talk about who “won” or “lost” when I play with kids, although some kids (and adults) are really concerned about it. My newer version has the numbers printed using a Cricut machine so it’s definitely more professional looking. If you like this post, you might also love my posts about how to make a Bingo game for the kids to play on car rides or my DIY Card Holders (great for small hands!). Make sure to check out my newer version of this game, Family Jenga.

Kids love having adults listen to them enthusiastically and being able to explain their points of view, and they seen to enjoy hearing their parents answer as well.

It allows them to talk about topics that they might not otherwise talk or think about. It teaches good sharing and listening skills. Interactive Jenga a great way to play Jenga with your kids while also building on social skills and improving your relationship.

A previous supervisor had one in her office and I’ve built on the idea over the years with the help of clients and colleagues. I have this interactive Jenga game for work and the kids love it. Please read the whole post so you don’t miss any important information! As an affiliate for Amazon, Cricut, xTool, Home Depot, and other sites, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links which may earn me commissions should you click through them and take certain actions. Used in therapy or as a family game, they’re a great way to open up conversation! This interactive Jenga game has a list of questions that go with each block.

Diy with jenga blocks