Battleship, scrabble and monopoly were the board games in my closet as a child. They were so much fun to play; however, as parents, we take a closer look at these games to see how they build skills such as critical thinking, deductive reasoning, a strong vocabulary and an understanding of finance. It is not just academic skills being developed over time by playing board games. Social skills are also enhanced as children improve communication and practice good sportsmanship traits.