Monopoly. Scrabble. Pictionary. Chess. Taboo. Clue. If those terms sound familiar, chances are you had a happy childhood playing those board games with your family. While it seems fun, most homes no longer experience the same excitement as the advancement of technology continues to overshadow them. Today, you can see little ones glued to the TV screen while their older siblings are busy with gaming apps or social media. Parents are also often preoccupied, surfing the Internet with their smartphones or laptops.
While we cannot deny the perks provided by technology, its introduction has affected the connections of many families. With that, we want to highlight the amazing benefits of playing board games with your loved ones, which will make you consider doing the activity more occasionally in your home.
Board games strengthen family connections and relationships
Playing board games can bring your family closer as you gather together to compete, communicate, strategize, and have fun. You spend quality time with the family and have interesting conversations, making up for the time lost you’re with your electronic devices. Such positive interactions and environment strengthen the bond of each family member with one another. The more you the family engage together, the deeper the connection and the stronger the relationship can be.
Board games can help build good memories
A few years from now, do you think you’ll still remember the game you play on your smartphone? Would your child still fondly remember the cartoon show she watched on television? Would your wife still recall the social media posts she liked? Chances are all those memories will fade quickly, but not the times the girls won over the boys the first time, the feeling when your kids first beat you on chess, or the fun and laughter your family had on your unrecognizable “dragon” you drew while playing Pictionary. Nothing is as precious as those good and lasting memories with your family.
Board games help reduce stress
Playing board games allows the family to take time off from negative thoughts they may be dealing with. It serves as a break and helps each member cope with stress, whether from school, work, or money. So, be sure to allow everyone to relax by inviting them for a board game session. You’ll never know how it can be soothing for each of your loved ones, providing them a positive distraction from the various day-to-day issues, fueling them up with joy, and helping them develop how to face stressful situations better once they go back into the real world.
Board games make your family happier and feel better
Aside from alleviating stress, another perk of playing board games is it triggers the release of endorphins in the body. These “feel-good” hormones energize a person, giving him a cheerful outlook and a feeling of compassion and contentment. Imagine what these positive emotions can do for your family? All your family is bound to is a happier and better home.
Board games boost confidence
Are your kids too quiet and having a hard time opening up? Playing board games can allow them to start being more communicative with others and be more confident in speaking up their thoughts. Are your children having a hard time making decisions? Board games forces encourage them to trust their abilities, take turns, make quick decisions under pressure, and build up their self-esteem in the process. Board games can boost your family members’ confidence more than you imagined and help them become more self-assured.
Board games teach everyone to follow instructions
There is a limitless number of board games available that you can play with your family, with all presenting different sets of rules or standards to follow. While you need to follow them for the game to work, it deeply teaches everyone in the family to follow instructions. Of course, disobeying any rules can ruin the game and make everything less exciting. As such, each one will understand the value of following them, learns how to listen, and respect restrictions and boundaries for the benefit and happiness of everybody.
Board games help the family to learn about failure
In every game, there’s a winner and a loser. Though everyone always wants to be on the winning end, it’s not always victory. What’s great is that it can help your family, especially kids, to be more accepting of setbacks. The important part is that your loved ones get to digest what went wrong, be resilient, and do better the next time. Remember, failure is an ingredient to success.
Board games teach the family about good sportsmanship
Once your kid is finally able to win in Monopoly, congratulate him or her for the win. If their brother won instead, make sure that they learn how to celebrate the other family members’ success. If your son spent time devising strategies just to beat you on checkers, praise his efforts, and show him how to lose graciously. Not only will your children bring good sportsmanship within the family, but it’s something that will be useful as they deal with other people outside your home.
Takeaway
That’s the rundown of the excellent perks of playing board games with your family. It doesn’t mean that you need to do them all the time, a few hours in a week on a weekend afternoon or night is ample enough to reap those benefits for your whole family. Happy playing!