Board games are a form of entertainment that has existed in some iteration for hundreds of years—from the early days of chess and checkers to more recent developments like Monopoly or even Settlers of Catan, board games are a staple that humans have enjoyed together for quite some time. That said, there’s no better group to embark on one of these tabletop adventures with than your own family! Here are a few noteworthy benefits to hosting a family board-game night that are certain to bring you and your clan closer together.
1. Improves Family Relationships
Generally speaking, when you’re engaged in a board game, you’re focused on interacting not just with the rules and conditions of the game, but also with those who are playing it with you. More often than not, in order to be successful or make progress, players need to communicate with one another clearly and effectively. The circumstances created by board games give families the opportunity to see each other in a different light; for example, you might never have realized how skilled your grandmother is at Scrabble until she plays a 72-point word against you! Needless to say, a family game night can foster positive familial interactions that bring you and yours closer.
2. Develops Learning & Social Skills
Playing board games also helps to develop memory formation and cognitive skills in addition to increasing brain processing speed, enhancing negotiation capabilities, and even boosting spatial reasoning. The list goes on—in short, board games can provide unmatched cerebral benefits that encourage critical thinking and improve decision-making, especially in children. These skills also translate into social settings; players often must sharpen their social skills to be successful at playing many of these games. These skills will also translate into the professional world!
3. Creates Shared Experiences
Some households are quite busy, and family vacations or outings might be a seemingly rare occurrence. However, playing board games is an easy and convenient way to bring a family together and create shared experiences that evoke all sorts of happy emotions and are well worth remembering. Whether it’s happiness or delight, tension or intrigue, or even surprise or heartbreak due to a sudden defeat, the experiences we share with our family members while playing a game can be quite memorable.
4. Less Time Spent Staring at Screens
In this day and age, digital screens are virtually inescapable—whether it’s the television, a computer, or even a phone or tablet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to spend an evening free of screen time. Not to mention, excessive screen time is accompanied by certain health issues. But board games satisfy our craving to play or engage with something without us needing to strain our eyes staring at a screen. Not to mention, several board games offer beautiful components or cool, unique artwork that we can feel connected to!
Board games are one of the best ways to exercise your brain and bond with your loved ones, so the next time you and your family are struggling to decide how to spend an evening at home, you shouldn’t hesitate to break out your collection of games!
About Bricks & Boards +
At Bricks & Boards +, we’re pleased to offer the widest selection of board games, card games, Lego sets, and other exciting collectibles to patrons in the Dawsonville community. If you have any questions about the blog or are curious about our available selection, don’t hesitate to contact us online, give us a call, or stop by today! Telephone: (706) 525-5568.
