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Board Games in the Elementary Classroom: Teachers' Perspectives

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Title: Board Games in the Elementary Classroom: Teachers' Perspectives
Language: English
Authors: Pierre Cès (ORCID 0000-0003-3396-8635), Anne-Lise Doyen (ORCID 0000-0001-8431-9630), Mathilde Duflos (ORCID 0000-0001-9532-1859), Caroline Giraudeau (ORCID 0000-0001-9010-4134)
Source: Educational Research. 2025 67(2):190-211.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Games, Educational Games, Elementary Schools, Teacher Attitudes, Social Emotional Learning, Play, Foreign Countries, Teacher Role
Geographic Terms: France
DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2025.2467067
ISSN: 0013-1881
1469-5847
Abstract: Background: Recent research highlights the importance of developing children's emotional and social competencies alongside academic knowledge and skills. Learning through play is a promising pedagogy that can contribute to children's holistic development. Through playful pedagogies, children can develop social skills, cognitive abilities, and emotional competencies. Despite a global emphasis on learning through play, playful pedagogies tend to be less common in elementary schools than in pre-schools, and elementary school teachers rarely use them in their classrooms. Purpose: Among the diverse range of playful pedagogies, board games stand out as one particularly engaging activity for fostering pupils' holistic skills during middle childhood (aged 5 to 11). This study aimed to contribute to a gap in knowledge between the reported benefits of board games for children's academic learning, emotional, and social competencies, and the actual practices of elementary school teachers. We asked the following research questions: 1) What are teachers' perceptions of board games?; and 2) What are the key factors shaping their integration into classroom practices? Methods: The study was conducted in France and gathered qualitative data through four semi-structured focus groups involving 18 elementary school teachers across four elementary schools. Data were analysed thematically. Findings: Authors identified four overarching themes: 1) teachers' knowledge about board games, 2) teachers' role in classroom board games and their academic benefits, 3) board games for emotion regulation and social competencies, and 4) enablers and barriers to the implementation of board games in elementary school. Conclusion: While elementary school teachers see the potential of board games to enhance academic, social, and emotional competencies, they face several barriers to implementing board game practice in their classrooms. These include official educational recommendations, the decline of play -- both at home and in schools, and a lack of resources.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496425
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Board Games in the Elementary Classroom: Teachers' Perspectives
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pierre+Cès%22">Pierre Cès</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3396-8635">0000-0003-3396-8635</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anne-Lise+Doyen%22">Anne-Lise Doyen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8431-9630">0000-0001-8431-9630</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mathilde+Duflos%22">Mathilde Duflos</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9532-1859">0000-0001-9532-1859</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Caroline+Giraudeau%22">Caroline Giraudeau</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9010-4134">0000-0001-9010-4134</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Research%22"><i>Educational Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 67(2):190-211.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 22
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Games%22">Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Games%22">Educational Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Schools%22">Elementary Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Emotional+Learning%22">Social Emotional Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Play%22">Play</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Role%22">Teacher Role</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22France%22">France</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1080/00131881.2025.2467067
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  Data: 0013-1881<br />1469-5847
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Recent research highlights the importance of developing children's emotional and social competencies alongside academic knowledge and skills. Learning through play is a promising pedagogy that can contribute to children's holistic development. Through playful pedagogies, children can develop social skills, cognitive abilities, and emotional competencies. Despite a global emphasis on learning through play, playful pedagogies tend to be less common in elementary schools than in pre-schools, and elementary school teachers rarely use them in their classrooms. Purpose: Among the diverse range of playful pedagogies, board games stand out as one particularly engaging activity for fostering pupils' holistic skills during middle childhood (aged 5 to 11). This study aimed to contribute to a gap in knowledge between the reported benefits of board games for children's academic learning, emotional, and social competencies, and the actual practices of elementary school teachers. We asked the following research questions: 1) What are teachers' perceptions of board games?; and 2) What are the key factors shaping their integration into classroom practices? Methods: The study was conducted in France and gathered qualitative data through four semi-structured focus groups involving 18 elementary school teachers across four elementary schools. Data were analysed thematically. Findings: Authors identified four overarching themes: 1) teachers' knowledge about board games, 2) teachers' role in classroom board games and their academic benefits, 3) board games for emotion regulation and social competencies, and 4) enablers and barriers to the implementation of board games in elementary school. Conclusion: While elementary school teachers see the potential of board games to enhance academic, social, and emotional competencies, they face several barriers to implementing board game practice in their classrooms. These include official educational recommendations, the decline of play -- both at home and in schools, and a lack of resources.
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Social Emotional Learning
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