Leveling Up Social Advocacy Skills: Game, Connect, Grow!

Game On Youth is a unique table top gaming group designed to help participants make friends while learning new board games and valuable social skills in the process.

Game On Youth is a safe space for participants to:

• Build connections with other like-minded youth
• Practice social advocacy skills such as "reading the room," considering others' thoughts/feelings, self-advocating in a group, and cooperative problem solving
• Have fun in a relaxed, casual setting without feeling judged for things such as stimming, hyperfocus on singular topics, or overstimulation

While we do not require a diagnosis to participate in this non-therapeutic group, most of our participants are neurodivergent and have diagnoses of Autism, ADHD, and/or social anxiety.

Game On will be most appropriate for kids who are able to independently function in a classroom, but might need moderate support in socializing with others. While they can carry on a conversation, the topics may be narrow or their interactions may seem "odd" to people who are neurotypical. Your child should be able to follow most directions independently and learn new games with demonstration, visuals, or verbal assistance.

We are happy to announce that Zulu's Board Game Cafe in Bothell will be allowing us to use their facilities this year! They are a great local company who wholeheartedly support our mission to help participants make meaningful social connections while building up a love of board gaming! They also have a great selection of food you can order on club day!

• Opening - participants gather and engage in casual conversations as everyone arrives
• Teaching - participants learn 1-2 new board games a week. These include both competitive and cooperative games such as 7 Wonders, CodeNames, Cascadia, Azul, The Mind, Unstable Unicorns and SpaceTeam.
• Playing - participants play the board games they learned with support from an adult leader to clarify any game rules. Check out what we've played!
• Closing - participants provide feedback on what they liked or didn't like about the games they played. This feedback is taken into account when the following week's games are chosen. Time permitting, this is also a great time to continue casual conversations and other age appropriate activities (such as trading Pokemon cards and Minecraft/Roblox screen names!)

All of our groups are currently facilitated by Brandi, a former special education teacher, licensed behavior analyst (both at the national and state level), and tabletop game aficionado. You can read more about her on the About Us page.

Game On Youth meets once a week for 1.5 - 2 hours each meeting. 

We run groups in 2 month cycles which allows for flexibility for families who may want to temporarily stop attending for school sports and activities then resume at a later date.

We want every child to have access to enriching experiences, which is why we’ve implemented a tiered pricing system. This approach ensures that families of all financial backgrounds can participate in our programs while maintaining high-quality experiences for everyone.

Choose the Tier That Fits Your Family Best

• Tier 1: Supporter (~13% discount on standard rate)
  • For families experiencing financial hardship.
  • This tier helps ensure affordability while giving your child full access to all program activities.

• Tier 2: Sustainer (standard rate) 
  • For families able to pay the standard program rate.
  • This tier covers the cost of operations, helping to keep our programs sustainable.

• Tier 3: Community Builder (~13% increase on standard rate to help subsidize tier 1)
  • For families in a position to give a little more.
  • This tier helps make programs accessible to other families while supporting the growth and success of our community.

All Tiers Include:

• Full participation in our programs.
• Access to engaging games, qualified staff, and an enriching environment.
• A 30 minute video call to discuss how to best support your child's social development

No matter which tier you choose, your child will have the same amazing experience.

How to Register:
Registration is available every two months, with pricing adjusted based on the number of weeks in each cycle. Click the links below to visit our Square payment site and view the current tier pricing.

We’re grateful for your trust and participation in our programs. Thank you for helping us build a supportive community!