Host a Family Game Night

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In a world where lines form upon the release of Nintendo Wii, it’s a wonder anything but electronic fanaticism is alive in the hearts of kids today. But never fear: Family time in the way of boards and dice is still around.
Board games, card games and other old-fashioned entertainment are making a comeback in the modern family. And we’re not talking some cyber board game online or interactive card game on TV. The classics — Monopoly, checkers, Chutes and Ladders, Life — are back.
Consumer and retail market research firm, NPD Group, cited a 6 percent increase in U.S. board game sales since 2007, reaching $794 million in sales in 2008. Why are more families finding time to fit game nights into their weekly routines? Increased learning power, moral responsibility and the hunt for old-fashioned fun are a few benefits that come into play for game-night regulars.

Promote Good Character
Alicia Sanders, a New York mother of three boys, plays these kinds of games once a week with her kids. She says they help teach lessons, such as patience and good sportsmanship, and are a perfect way to spend time together.

“Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose,” Sanders says. Games teach kids a fundamental but universal life lesson in their early years.

“We never let the kids win,” she advises, noting that the youngest usually beats them in checkers, anyway. “Sometimes they get frustrated when they are losing, and they try to bend the rules, i.e., cheat. We always stop playing when that happens. OK to lose. Not OK to cheat.”

Besides the moral lessons that games can teach kids, there are other more scholarly lessons children can learn from a simple game of memory or Simon Says — lessons before formal schooling that will help them in the classroom later.

“Playing games with your family instills a lot of habits that children need,” says Rachel Nold, a St. Louis-area elementary school music teacher. These habits include taking turns, following rules and directions, team spirit, and, again, that encompassing life rule of winning and losing. She also says games allow kids to experience routines, which can enforce good behavior, make children feel safe, and, of course, help them through school.

Boost Your Family’s Learning Power
Robert Siegler, the Teresa Heinz Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, focuses his own research on growth of problem solving and reasoning during childhood. He has also studied how board games can be used to help children’s initial knowledge about numbers.

“In addition to promoting closeness between children and parents, playing board games can help children learn about taking turns, obeying established rules, and the content included in many games, such as use of numbers,” Siegler says.

As children get older, the games continue to help in their development and problem solving.

“Many games for older children teach the importance of making plans, sticking to them, and developing effective strategies,” he says. Siegler also mentions the skill of anticipating the opponent’s strategy and coming up with a strategy to counteract it.

Enjoy Some Family Fun
Don’t forget these games are fun, too. Gabrielle Blair, a mother of five in New York, has family nights every Monday.

“We sing songs, have a lesson on a topic our family is learning about, and then play games and have a treat,” she says.

Blair says that interacting as a family can create the closeness Siegler has seen in his research, and it’s all because of the old-fashioned, brick-and-mortar realness of the games.

“There is more movement and expression [with board games],” she says. “You get to know the other players better. There is more eye contact and conversation.”

If you’re having trouble making time for your own game night, make an appointment and stick to it, Blair suggests. Better yet, join other families for game night at libraries. Many offer board games and video games for families, kids and teens. If you don’t have time for a full night, then just do a short one, but Blair says “make it a priority; don't easily cancel it.”

Many libraries host game nights—for both board games and video games—for families, kids and teens. Call your local library to find out what’s available.

Recommended Resources
How To Win At Chess: The Ten Golden Rules
By Daniel King
Vying to be the king of your family chessboard? This book offers helpful guidelines on moving pawns and looking for captures. Checkmate!

How To Win At Monopoly (Audio CD)
By Armand Aronson
Not everyone can be a natural at property ownership and economics. Take a chance with this guide, and you’ll be walking the boardwalk to Monopoly fame.

The Scrabble Word-Building Book
Quizzicality is one of the highest scoring words possible in the great letter game. Practice building on words and improve your vocabulary. Maybe you’ll set a word record in your family.