Play is a serious business. We are used to thinking of games as pastimes, which are unstructured and self-guided. However, varying scientific research, analysing the connection between play and learning, has highlighted the fact that through play children learn to find solutions to problems, to hone their abilities, to develop abstract thinking, to handle social relationships and measure up to others. When we play, we don’t just have fun and amuse ourselves but we grow together with others, developing our character and personality.

Playing to grow is a brand new series created by Gianluca Daffi, child psychologist and university professor. Each game of the series combines the pleasure of playing together with the opportunity to develop one or more specific executive functions: flexibility, planning, focused attention, working memory, response inhibition, emotional self-regulation, flexibility.

Find out more about what executive functions are »

DISCOVER ALL THE GAMES INCLUDED IN THE SERIES

THERE WAS A PIRATE

Stand by to board: pick up all your cards quickly, beat your opponents and build the totem!

Delve into the world of pirates with There was a pirate, a game designed to develop attention, working memory, listening and planning.

Ages: 4-99 | 3-6 players | 15 minutes

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QUICK FINGERS

Will you be the one to bring home the most booty?

Test yourself with Quick Fingers, a game conceived to develop attention, self-control, calculation abilities and reaction speed.

Ages: 5-99 | 2-6 players | 15 minutes

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WATCH OUT FOR THE VIKINGS

All enlisted: don’t be fooled by the hairy Viking beards, quickly run through your cards and choose your crew!

Become a real Viking leader with Watch out for the Vikings, conceived to develop attention, working memory and planning.

Ages: 4-99 | 2-4 players | 15 minutes

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I’M SO HUNGRY THAT…

Flip over the card and observe the animal. Pay attention: a hippopotamus, a whale, and then?

Challenge your opponents with I’m so hungry that…, a game that specifically develops working memory and attention span.

Ages: 4-99 | 2-6 players | 15 minutes

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CHERRIES ON THE RUN

Hurry! Decorate the cake and grab all the candles.

Decorate the most tasteful cake with Cherries on the run, which particularly focuses on  attention skills and emotional self-control.

Ages: 4-99 | 2-6 players

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MONSTERS ON SHOW

Create your monster’s portrait by reproducing the original portrait as quickly as possible!

Will you be careful and quick enough to be able to turn your painting back into the original?Monsters on show is game conceived to improve attention span, working memory, and emotional self-control.

Ages: 5-99 | 2-4 players

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What are executive functions?

Executive functions are a group of mental processes that supervise our thoughts and behaviours. They incorporate various neurological operations which are needed to control and coordinate our actions.
In other words, they are like several little gnomes inside our brain that work together to help us complete simple, everyday tasks.