Educational board games

Did you know that we stock a range of educational board games to make learning about important topics engaging and fun?

These can be borrowed for use with your team, and library staff can come and help facilitate a game for your team. Most of them just require a table and chairs to play. If the game you need is not held at your site, you can either ask library staff to have it sent over, or you can reserve it on the library catalogue with your library card number.

The complete list is below, with links to the game's website for more information.

  • Care Certificate Game
    Competency assessment tool for Care Certificate training. Game will work in 1-to-1 sessions or can be used by 2 to 12 players in two teams. It is designed to be flexible and practical and assessors can choose the number of players, length of time the game will be played for and which questions should be answered. The central area of the board is a simple competency assessment chart that allows everyone to see where their strengths and weaknesses are offering a guide to where attention needs to be focused
  • Communication Game
    Understand communication support needs and improve communication skills. 4 to 12 players in two teams. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Domestic Abuse Training Game
    Recognise and respond to domestic abuse, focusing on understanding and recognising Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). 2 to 12 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. SafeLives recommends that the facilitator has a good background knowledge of domestic abuse, safeguarding and local/national frameworks for support.
  • Drug Round Game (online version available)
    Understand, recognise and minimise medication errors. 4 to 12 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Essential Diagnosis
    A game-based learning simulation that helps medical students and junior doctors improve their diagnostic thinking and history taking skills. 2 players, no facilitator required.
  • Game of Stools
    Improve prevention and management of clostridium difficile. 2 to 8 players in two teams, up to 30 minutes playing time, no facilitator required.
  • Harm Free Game: Improving Patient Outcomes
    Practice risk assessment to reduce avoidable patient harm, covering areas such as pressure ulcers, falls, catheter acquired urinary tract infections, VTE, medication errors, nutrition and hydration. 2 to 14 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Hydration Game (online version available)
    Recognise and minimise dehydration for patients, residents and staff. 4 to 12 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Infection Control Game
    Recognise and manage an infection outbreak in a hospital ward. DVD playback facilities required. 5 to 15 players, around 60 minutes playing time. A facilitator with some knowledge of infection control is useful.
  • LGBT+ Game (online version available)
    Offers a ‘safe space’ for staff to explore a range of LGBT+ issues and helps them develop their understanding and confidence. The game encourages players to discuss LGBT+ issues and to explore the barriers faced by LGBT+ colleagues. 2 to 12 people, 30 to 60 minutes. No facilitator required.
  • MaP Game (Focus on Mental and Physical Health) - Workplace edition (online version available)
    Helps open up the conversation of mental health at work to help organisations support employee’s mental health. 2 to 12 players,  45 to 60 minutes playing time. No facilitator required.
  • Nutrition Game (online version available)
    Understand malnutrition and improve how you support people to eat and drink. 4 to 12 players in two teams, 30 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Renal Game (online version available)
    An informative and enjoyable game for students, qualified nurses and other healthcare professionals to test and improve their knowledge of the renal system. Players will explore the anatomy and physiology of the nephron, kidney and renal system. 2 to 8 players, ideally in 4 teams, 30 to 50 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Sepsis Game (online version available)
    Raise awareness of sepsis and improve recognition and management of sepsis. 4 to 12 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Stop the Pressure: Helping to Prevent Pressure Ulcers (online version available)
    Recognise and reduce avoidable pressure ulcers. 4 to 12 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Teams that Care Game (online version available)
    Makes learning about teams simple, non-threatening and engaging. The game encourages structured discussions enabling teams to explore what makes high performing teams tick, and the practical steps they can take to work together more effectively. 4 to 12 players in two teams, 45 to 60 minutes playing time. Facilitator requires no expertise in topic.
  • Working Stress (online version available)
    Help clinicians manage stress and avoid burnout. 4 to 12 players in two teams, around 30 to 60 minutes playing time.  No facilitator required.

Online versions

Selected games are available in an online format, to play over a Teams meeting for example. To arrange access to these, please contact Jason Curtis in the Shrewsbury Health Library. For other games available in an online format, please visit the Focus Games ZeST page.