Board Games for Bonding with Family

Be it with family, friends, colleagues or your significant other, board games undoubtedly encourage bonding. On a cold winter’s night, or even during the weekend, after dinner, grab your favourite board game to play with family. Some traditions should never end, and in my opinion, this is one of them. In this post, I will be sharing the benefits of board games

I remember the days when I was a child and the fun we used to have playing board games as a family or with our neighbours, who were pretty much like family. The games we played certainly made us feel competitive in a healthy way and it also brought us closer.

Inside of me there is a part that’s saying, “those were the days”.

Well, I am a parent now and that is a part of my childhood that I loved, and I will not allow technology to rob my child of that.There is nothing that a child wants and needs most than to be with you and a great way to spend quality time with your child/children, is to have some family fun, playing board games. Adults whose love language is “Quality Time”, will also have this same longing, so the same applies.

Board Games for Team Building

Hold on, I’m not saying board games are for children only – absolutely not. Nope, there’s some fun for every age. It’s not just for family either. If you’re part of an office environment that is in desperate need of a “pick me up” vibe, a board game Friday afternoon may be just what’s needed.

It’s amazing how stressed and drained some jobs or people or a combination of both can be. This is why it’s sometimes a great idea to deviate from the norm, do something different, something fun and something that encourages cohesiveness. Board games are an excellent choice, whether you have a budget for team building activities or not.

Board Games for Bonding with Friends

Going out for drinks with friends in the winter may be a bit of a challenge for those who prefer to be indoors, and this is where you can combine the two. Stay indoors, have your drinks over a board game or two! You’ll be amazed at how much of fun it can be. If it’s alcoholic beverages you’re having, you’ll be safer at home not having to drive. I’m not saying you need to drink to play a board game.

In your totally sober state of mind, much fun can be had and even learning can take place, depending on the board game you’re playing. It’s a great way to stimulate personal interaction and spend some time with each other opposed to being attached to your mobile phones.

Board Games to bond with your significant other

Sitting in front of your fireplace, with the light of the fire creating a romantic ambience, playing a board game together can be so romantic! You can take the simplest game and add your own touch of adult naughtiness to it or you can be as serious and as competitive as you like. If you cheat, there will be a price to pay, there are always rules and whether you break them or not…is all up to you…. just be prepared to deal with the consequences thereof.

Depending on your sense of imagination, creative play has no limits and hopefully the sound of playing a board game has whet your appetite and made you look forward to something to do indoors this winter. Yes, I am saying, “get off the couch and do something fun, do something different.” Don’t feel guilty that you don’t spend adequate quality time together…this is a fun way to fix that.

Hint hint…if your kids are old enough to be left unsupervised playing a board game, then make sure you get them a board game, so you can ….err…..get on with your game if you know what I mean.

I meant…take your board game to the bedroom…gee whiz…. what on earth were you thinking? But I do like the way you think…. we are after all on the topic of how board games can arouse togetherness. Did I just say arouse?

Okay…let’s move on…

Benefits of playing Board Games:

Fun

It’s fun, lots of fun. It will make you laugh, laughing is good. It’s great! It creates endorphins – you know…those feel good hormones. I recall sometimes when I played some board games that was so much of fun that you get stomach cramps and tears roll down your cheeks! I guess what’s important is also who you chose to play with. There will almost always be a sore loser, but that’s all part of the fun.

Improved Cognitive Skills

Whether you’re an adult or child, playing board games helps to develop the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex – the areas which are responsible for thoughts which are more complex, and it aids in memory formation. It stimulates problem solving capabilities.

It’s like brain food in a way if you asked me, it does not allow your brain to be lazy, it allows you to think, it encourages engagement of the brain. For a child, it helps them concentrate and focus. Exposing them to a variety of games will also boost their sense of reasoning and communication skills.

Improved Social Skills

Games don’t have to be overly educational. By mere virtue of whatever the game is, children learn important social skills. Like patience – waiting for their turn to roll the dice. It fosters communication skills; verbal and nonverbal – children learn to communicate. They learn how to play in teams, teaching them about partnership and teamwork. It stimulates conversation in a way that online games can’t compare to. It encourages creativity.

Board Games are Therapeutic

Not only are board games used for physical therapy, to help improve motor skills, e.g. of someone who was involved in an accident and needs to improve their coordination and dexterity. It is also therapeutic for those who are depressed or stressed – emotionally. Playing a board game is a deviation from the stress or depression – the fun associated with the board game, helps to ease the situation, making the person feel more relaxed.

I’ve gotten so excited thinking about the fun I used to have playing board games and those were some of the best times of my life. A time when people really connected. A time before the technological age. A time when quality time was spent with those who were close to each other. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen anymore, but I do acknowledge that more of it needs to happen.

It’s a great feeling to laugh uncontrollably over a board game. Although my child is still too young for most board games, I can’t wait until he is ready to play so that we can do that together, I look forward to seeing the laughter in his eyes and the development at each stage, which is stimulated by playing board games.

There is one common theme across all board games and that is; no matter what the rules are, your luck can change in an instant – never give up, never lose hope, always be positive and if you didn’t get up that ladder this time, there’s always another chance. Perservereance! Tolerance! Tenacity! Committment!

It is important to choose the right game for the right age, below is a list of the hottest Games Festival products from Prima Toys, to help you choose the right game/s.

For Toddlers and Children
• Twist & Turn
• Disney 4 in 1 Game
• Frozen Matching Game
• Frozen Activity Packs
• Lion Guard Surprise Slides
• Lion Guard Matching Game
• Peppa Pig Dominoes
• Disney junior Surprise Slides
• Minnie Play & learn educational game
• Disney Princess Brainstorm
• Sofia the First my nail studio
• L.O.L. Surprise Game
• L.O.L. Puzzle

For Teenagers
• Flipside
• Boomblast
• Kingpong
• Rubik’s Cube

Family Games
• Wikipedia
• 20 Questions
• Rummikub
• Hotel Tycoon
• Anti-Monopoly

For more information go to www.primatoys.co.za or www.Facebook.com/primatoys
#Primagamesfest @Primatoys

---

GIVEAWAY

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post, which will go live over the next few days; where I will be reviewing 3 Games from the list above and one of you will have a chance to win one of them!

In the interim, comment below telling me which is your favourite board game of all time and/or what you love most about board games?

Disclaimer: This post is done in collaboration with Prima Toys. As always, my views and opinions are my own.