Episode 37: How Playing Games Can Build Grit, with Dan Allbaugh
Danielle and Kristy talk to Dan Allbaugh, a game enthusiast and author of the children’s book The Gritty Little Lamb. We talk about how everyone can learn new things from playing games, what it means to have a growth mindset, and the value of the word ‘yet’.
Notable Moments and Ideas:
13:00 If you're still playing Monopoly and Risk, that's like driving a Ford Model T instead of a Tesla.
14:30 It all happens bit by bit but you never get there if you quit. So when you say I can't do it, don't forget to add a "yet". - Excerpt from The Gritty Little Lamb
21:30 Examples of skills that you can learn from games:
Playing by rules
Attention span
Logic
Tactical vs. Strategic
Cause and effect
Problem solving
Managing resources
Communication
Negotiation
Teamwork
Decision making
28:00 Dan describes how to play the game salad bowl, Kristy and Danielle share their favorite games.
Dan Recommends, games to try:
Catan – A modern classic about settlement and very common jumping off point. (8+)
Splendor – Very simple, fast playing, addictive resource collection game. (5+)
Codenames – An intellectual team-based word guessing ‘party game’. (10+)
King of Tokyo – A modern spin on Yahtzee but is highly interactive between players. (5+)
Pandemic – Players collaborate against the game itself. The staple ‘cooperative’ modern boardgame. (8+)