Family Board Games Build Math Skills
An article from Washington Parent magazine by Julie Tiss, M.Ed., director of Tiss' Tutoring and Testing and a mother of two, examining the educational part of boardgames.
Aristoplay Philosophy
An article by Jan Barney Newman, Founder of Aristoplay, Ltd., examining why board games remain relevant in an electronic age.
Learning Through Interaction
A college psychology paper examining the effect of computer and board games on children.
Board games have been an integral part of human life for thousands of years. From ancient games like Go and Shogi (aka Japanese Chess) to relatively recent classics like Risk and Scrabble -- and the great modern games like Settlers of Catan and Tigris and Euphrates, board games have entertained and educated us in countless ways.
Unfortunately, many of today's best boardgames are not available in the mass market stores where many of us shop, at least not in the U.S. But that's where the Internet comes in. On this site, you can find information on all the games you've heard of, as well as those that may have escaped your attention.
So why should you spend your precious free time playing board games? Here's what some gamers had to say.
The question "Why play board games" suggests that no one would play board games without having a clever (or at least non-obvious) reason for it. Its subtext is that some other form of entertainment -- computer games, probably, or movies -- has so many obvious advantages that one would need some kind of clever justification to bother with something so antiquated as board games.
Why play board games? For the obvious reasons. They're fun. They're social (both because most require some level of in-game interaction and because most board games features "downtime" that allows for and encourages non-game social interaction). They're convenient. They're intellectual exercise.
Simply, playing board games is not an activity that begs an intense leap of justification.
To me, board games provide an excellent forum in which to gather friends and family for an intriguing, challenging and stimulating social experience. I can't think of very many other activities which provide the opportunity to gather with others and spend quality time together with wonderful amounts of social interaction.
If only more families would spend quality time together playing board games at the kitchen table as opposed to each doing their own thing in different rooms of the house, or wasting time mindlessly watching television or movie rentals, I can't help but believe that we would have stronger families in America and society would be much better off as a result.
Further, many board games actually challenge us in a number of ways. They force us to think, use our intellect, and often match wits with our fellow gamers. It develops and sharpens skills which aid us in many other facets of life. And as a developmental tool, the skills and lessons learned by children while playing good, quality board games are invaluable. Truly, the board game experience is usually an extremely rewarding one, socially, intellectually and developmentally.
In addition to all of this, playing board games is just plain fun! I have been an avid boardgamer for practically my entire life. Some of the best memories I have involve playing games with my family and friends, sharing laughter, challenges and good times. My life would certainly be incredibly empty without my regular boardgaming activities.
I am extremely optimistic about the future of boardgaming. Over the past few years, more and more German and European style board games are entering the United States market. These games offer so much more than the usual "roll the die and move" mindless drivel which the U.S. game manufacturers insist on shoving down our throats. Hopefully, as more and more people become exposed to these games, adults will begin to realize that boardgaming is not simply a pastime for children. On the contrary, board games are the perfect vehicle for sharing an afternoon or evening of stimulating, challenging fun with family and friends. We may actually be sitting on the verge of a boardgaming revolution!
Tara Mahovetz
Former About.com Guide
I remember when I was young and I would say to my mother "There's nothing to do!" She would say, "Sure there is!" And then she would go to the game closet where we kept a huge assortment of games. She would always take the time (away from the television) to play a game of Monopoly with me, or (my favorite) Scrabble.
I cherish those times with her, the conversations we had over those game boards are ones I will always remember. Not to mention, I first learned to count money thanks to Monopoly, and learned pretty much the entire dictionary thanks to Scrabble.
Now that I'm older, I have a child of my own and you can believe I hear "There's nothing to do!" quite often. I guess you could say it's tradition, but I go to our "game closet" and pull out a board game. My daughter is five and enjoys playing Operation and Sorry -- two games that I had never played before, we learned together. I love that she would rather play a game with me than watch television or even play Sega.
Board games can be a "family affair" as well as a teaching and/or learning tool. I like to think that someday (when I'm a grandma!) my grandchildren will be playing Scrabble and Monopoly with a pro -- their Mom!
My answer is simple: because they're fun. All games are fundamentally entertainment. Why play board games? Because you will enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it, go back to the tube.
That said, there is a very wide spectrum of games that combine various elements of chance, social interaction, intellectual challenge, and competition. There are games for every intellect. My cat will never play chess, but she loves to play "chase the laser."
Article Archive Links to an ever-growing library of board games features.
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