For Schools

Become a Board Game School

balance technology, support learning, increase social interaction, boost relationships, develop student leadership and grow parental engagement.

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Why board games?

Playing games improves memory formation and cognitive skills, increases processing speed, develops logic and reasoning skills, improves critical thinking, boosts spatial reasoning, improves verbal and communication skills, increases attention and concentration, teaches problem solving, develops confidence and improves decision-making. Playing games increases our awareness, consideration and respect for others.

Board games are inclusive. All ages can play together. Many disabilities can also be catered for. Learners can compete on a level playing field with staff. With the right games, strength, age, physical ability and prior knowledge will give you no discernible advantage. The structure and rules of games appeal to many who find more free-flowing activities challenging, helping them interact and develop friendships in a comfortable, safe environment.

You need board games in your school.

Coaster Games

Six different games, each on a coaster. The game is on one side, the rules on the other. You don’t mark the coasters as you play, so you can use them time and time again. They are super-cheap, so you can even afford to get a game for each learner in school.

Get your FREE sample coaster games by filling in the form to the right.

Letter Market – a word game for the whole class.
Ice Cream Truck – a mathsy risk-management game for the whole class.
Free the Frog – a communication game for the whole class.
Sleuth Box – a deduction game for 2 players.
Alien Farm – a strategic action-selection game for 2-4 players.
Treasure Split – a cooperative game for 2 players.

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Notepad Games

Dark Imp Notepad Games are perfect for whole class play. All games are designed for ages 8 and up.

Four different games in notepads. Each notepad contains 50 scoresheets. Each player needs a scoresheet to play. One or two dice are rolled and all players use the same dice rolls to make decisions on their own sheet. Play is simultaneous. Games last around 15 minutes.

Palatial is a tetris-style puzzle game about fixing up a dilapidated stately home.
Mini Town is a city-building game which relies on strategic placement of buildings, parks and roads.
Bank or Bust is a push-your-luck game in which you’re trying to gather the most gold.
Lingo Land is a word game where gobbledygook will get you nowhere.

Placemat Games

Beach Life and Castaway are games on either side of an A3 placemat. Both games can be played with any number of people – each with her own pen and placemat – and three standard six-sided dice. Rules are written on each sheet so learners can teach themselves.

Beach Life: While building a giant sandcastle, you notice that you are sharing the beach with a variety of sea-dwellers. You discard your bucket and space to give the creatures a helping hand. Get points for helping each animal, most points wins.

Castaway: You are stranded on a desert island. Use the resources at your disposal to make life more comfortable and/or increase your chances of rescue. Get points for developing your island. Most points wins.

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Downloadable Print & Play Games

Dark Imp Print & Play games are perfect for schools.

Each of these games can be played with any number of players – who a whole class can play at the same time. Each player needs their own scoresheet and a pen. Each turn, the teacher rolls regular six-sided dice (or asks google to roll dice) and each player makes their own decisions about how they use the dice rolls on their scoresheet. Play is simultaneous. Everyone plays every turn. Games are quick and can be easily fitted into the arc of the school day.

There’s a growing range of Print & Play games – so keep checking back to see what else has landed.

The Board game family book

Ellie Dix offers a roadmap to integrating board gaming into family life and presents inspiring ways to engage even the trickiest of teenagers and manage game nights with flair.

Many parents feel as if they are competing with screens for their children’s attention. As their kids get older, they become more distant – leading parents to worry about the quality of the already limited time they share. They pine for tech-free time in order to reconnect, but don’t know how to shift the balance.

In The Board Game Family, Ellie Dix aims to help parents by inviting them and their families into the unplugged world of board games. The benefits of board games are far-reaching. Playing games improves memory formation and cognitive abilities, boosts critical thinking, develops interpersonal skills and refines our problem-solving and decision-making.

With these benefits in mind, Ellie explains how parents can unleash the potential of those dusty boxes at the back of the cupboard and become teachers of outstanding gamesmanship – equipped to navigate the unfolding drama of competition, thwart the common causes of arguments and tears, and bind together a happier, more social family unit.

Also available on Amazon.

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Other Board Games

Create your own school games library by stocking up on Dark Imp board games. We have games in big boxes and games in small tins. All games are suitable for ages 8+.