I don’t keep Monopoly in my in-person office simply because you cannot get through an entire game in a 45-minute session, but kids ask about it pretty frequently. I see therapeutic benefits – what game provides more opportunities to model and practice frustration tolerance than Monopoly?
A great thing about telehealth is that there are infinite free online games that I can try out with clients. If I think a game could be helpful, I don’t have to purchase it and risk just…having this game I do not need if it doesn’t work out.
If you want to try Monopoly in your telehealth sessions, Poly Business is here to help! The website says that you can add players online, though I did not see an option to share the game with your specific client versus just having random people join. Because of that, I simply shared my screen and alternated screen control when it was my client’s turn. (If you figure out how to have the client access the game from their device, tell me so I can update this post to reflect that!)
As far as I can tell, you unfortunately cannot save your game to finish in another session. Although this is annoying, you can work through leaving things incomplete.
As with many telehealth games, you cannot let your client change the rules or re-roll the dice. This gives you fewer options for non-directive play but also creates a space to practice boundaries and regulation.
By the way…for even more telehealth activities, tips, tricks, and general awesomeness, check out my book, Telemental Health with Kids Toolbox, out now!