Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have had an eventful 2025. While George embarked on some of his first public "kingship" lessons, Charlotte and Louis were praised by one expert for their "natural ease" at events. And according to a new report, Prince William will be using a royal Christmas tradition to help his three kids to develop "strategic thinking" skills.
Referring to a conversation Prince William had in 2021, Hello! magazine suggested that the holiday season would provide an opportunity for one particular Christmas tradition. During an appearance on Royal Marsden London Hospital's radio station, the Prince of Wales previously shared, "I like board games."
The prince explained, "We're playing board games with the children quite a lot. We love Monopoly, that's good, and Risk." He continued, "That's a good game, goes on for hours and usually everyone gets very cross because they lose. But that's what I like playing."
"We're playing board games with the children quite a lot."
Discussing William's penchant for board games, senior education and child psychologist Dr. Sasha Hall told the outlet, "Emotionally, children are practicing managing frustration, disappointment, and excitement in a safe, contained setting, with trusted adults modeling calm emotional regulation when games become tense."
As a result, Prince William's decision to engage his three kids in challenging board games apparently shows his dedication to helping them develop new skills. "Cognitively, board games support planning, problem-solving, flexible thinking, and understanding cause and effect, as children learn that their decisions have consequences over time," Dr. Hall explained.
"Cognitively, board games support planning, problem-solving, flexible thinking, and understanding cause and effect."
William's choice of board games also speaks volumes about his parenting, Dr. Hall noted. "Strategy-based games such as Risk place heavier demands on planning, strategic thinking, and foresight, while also drawing on working memory and perspective-taking as children anticipate [other people's] moves," the psychologist told Hello! magazine.
As well as developing strategic thinking skills, board games allow children to socialize with one another and their parents. "Perhaps most importantly, playing together creates opportunities for shared attention, laughter, and connection, helping to strengthen family bonds and positive memories around learning and play," Dr. Hall shared.
