Early family relationships teach young children important social skills. Children learn how to behave in society by observing how their parents treat them as well as each other. And this is why family bonding times are so important. By being in the moment, spending time together and showing affection and respect, you can strengthen your relationship with your children and give them a sense of self-worth. When children grow up in a household that prioritizes bonding, they tend to have more empathy and form strong and better bonds with others in the community.
But not every moment spent together counts as bonding. For instance, if you’re in the same room with your children while they play and you browse through social media, there’s not much bonding going on. What actually qualifies as quality time is any activity that promotes interaction with each other. And this can be anything, from camping to gardening and riding bikes together.
And one of the most popular bonding activities is having a family game night. This is especially convenient in times where the weather is bad or you want to stay home. In addition, board games can be educational and help children develop problem-solving skills. If you’re planning to have a game night with your loved ones, here are some tips to make it fun for everyone.
What Is the Best Family Board Game?
A game night is as good as the game you play. If you are wondering what are some fun family games, the answer would be different for everyone. Today, you can find an unlimited number of fun and educational family games to choose from. Whether a game is fun or not depends on how much it corresponds with the interests and abilities of the people playing it. So, to make sure that your children find it enjoyable – it needs to be suitable for their age. Anything that is too hard or impossible for them to master will only cause frustration.
For instance, if your children are ages 3-4, Go Fish is a classic game with straightforward rules that are easy to master. While you can play it with any deck of cards, to make it more interesting and educational, you can choose a brightly coloured version featuring various underwater animals in addition to fish, such as octopuses, jellyfish and crabs. This way, your kids will get acquainted with the diverse aquatic life.
When it comes to family games that both children and adults find challenging, Battleship or sometimes called Battlefleet is a great option. Although children as young as 7 can play it, in this game everyone has the same odds, so the adult doesn’t have to “let” the kid win.
Additionally, you also want to pick a game with a theme that will be interesting for your kids to motivate them to overcome the challenges it presents. Usually, the same game can come in different themes to match the personal interests of different children. For instance, you can find family games like Ludo available in animal, space, pirates or other themes.
Pick the Right Time
If want to make your family game nights a habit, you need to pick a time that works for you best. Even though we use the term “game night”, board games can be played at any time of the day when it’s most convenient for everyone. You can play after lunch, on Sunday morning and other various times of the day. If you can’t squeeze a game night into your weekly schedule, try playing every other week instead. Or you can even start a tradition of playing on holidays. The most important thing is not to pressure people when they don’t have any time to play. So, if your kid has a school exam or recital coming up, it’s totally okay skip game night so that he/she can have more time to practice.
Include Some Good Snacks
No game night can go without some good snacks. Kids love fun food and drinks. Give them a bowl of fruit arranged in a creative way or let them drink tea, hot cocoa or hot cider in fancy cups. In addition, you can even use the excitement of the game to introduce your kids to some healthy treats which they were otherwise reluctant to try. A really fun idea is to prepare some easy and healthy snacks together before game night. Not only can this teach children some basic cooking skills, but it’s also another opportunity for bonding.
Turn Off the Electronics and Tune In
Game nights are best when everyone is involved and stays present. So, get rid of any distractions you might have. When you’re playing good old fashioned board games, you don’t need your laptop or television on. Turn off all these electronics and tune in the moment with your family. To boost the mood, you can turn on some of your own and your kids’ favourite music. But that’s enough.
