Game Night

I maybe a bit biased, as I do love board games, but I feel having a family game night is more important then homework.  You can keep that fact from your child that may not love doing homework.

Honestly, a board game can produce many development shaping milestones.  Social skills, following directions, fine motor, attentions span, memory recall, shift attention, counting, time management.  Depending on the game it may also be money management, learning colors, and so on.

A simple Rubik's Cube or a puzzle requires the child to exercise his problem solving skills. Something doctors also recommend for children with short term memory problems. The child is required to take turns, thus practicing patience and proper social behavior. In situations where the group needs to decide who goes first, they learn about the decision making process.

 Even if you ignore all of the potential lessons that board games can teach your children, there is no greater importance in playing board games with your kids than spending time together as a family. Your children will learn that you place a value on spending time with them - time in which you can engage in conversation and friendly competition- time in which you are actively engaged with each other. So turn off the television and pull out that board game.

 Here are a few of my top choices:
 1) Guess Who (also a great speech tool as children have to process questions and answers verbally)
2) Hoot Owl Hoot (I'm hoping to have this one after Christmas to share with the children in OT!!)
3) Connect Four
4) Trouble
5) Hi-Ho-Cherry-O
6) Rush Hour - (looks boring, but honestly a big hit, and GREAT of pattern and problem solving)

REMEMBER: The rules are flexible.  It is a GAME.  The first focus should be starting on one skill, and forget if the rest is done perfect. 
Maybe the goal is for your child to sit for five minutes of the game.  Then make that all the game is about- and be flexible with the rest.
...You will grow from there.