One of my favorite YouTube channels, The Dice Tower, has a video with Top Ten Reasons We Love Board Games. I’ve included it below, at the very bottom of this post. Tom Vassel, one of the people in the video, says that “Joy!” is his number 3 reason for playing board games. For me, “Joy” is numero uno! Here are my other reasons below number 1.
- First, like I said, they give joy. When you hit the sweet spot of “flow” with a game, where it’s not too hard and not too easy, where you feel energized because the game engages, even challenges, your skills, and you become unaware of time, you just get those magic moments. These are moments that can’t be replicated by anything else so easily, for so little cost, in your own home.
2. They give variety to life. We all have mundane things we do each day that can make life a drab, boring grind. Board games, second to books, are the easiest, screen-free way to instantly add some spice to life. With a game, you can suddenly be in a different world that reminds you/teaches you that there’s more to life than what you are currently doing. Games can increase and broaden your vision of what’s possible and exciting. They dazzle my life, which is part of #1 above, giving “grease” to easily move through the hard parts of life.
3. The sensory aspect of games, the tactile and visual aspects, are so fun. So many games have such beautiful art and pieces that are fun to look at, touch and move, like Azul, Sagrada, Splendor, Everdell, and Calico. I love components that are thick, heavy, sturdy, bright, shiny, and colorful.
4. Games increase our brain fitness, both with increased knowledge and skill. They can teach us things in painless way. In the Dice Tower video at the very bottom, Zee Garcia calls this “accidental learning.” They also give us mental gymnastics, increasing our brain flexibility and adaptability. This easily transfers to being able to learn things more easily in other aspects of life.
5. Games give us the opportunity for instant family bonding time without spending much or any money. Whether you have 15 minutes, an hour, an afternoon, a day or three days to fill up the time, you can do it with tabletop games! (Given three days at Disneyland or three days of board games with family, I’d pick board games every single time.)
6. Games allow us to get to know other people better/they can act as ice breakers. The best social thing I’ve done where I currently live and where I used to live, in AZ, has been to start a game night for other adults in my neighborhood. I now have a close circle of friends that I wouldn’t otherwise have. Here’s my list of top games for getting to know other people. (They also happen to be games that increase hygge.)
7. Games provide the easiest simulations ever. In the Thomas Jefferson Education model, “simulations” is one of the 5 teaching environments. Whatever subject you are teaching, you can find or make a tabletop game that will give a simulation for the students to be challenged to test their knowledge and skills related to that topic.
8. Games are fun to collect and organize.
9. Board games are the most fun way to homeschool. You can find or make a tabletop game to teach and reinforce any bits of knowledge or skillsets. Doing a game a day keeps me happy about homeschooling, especially during the long winter months. #1-5 reasons above are all wrapped up in this as well for me. See my stuff over here about gameschooling.
10. Board games are an easy way to provide a Magical Date Night. I love to play Half Truths for my date nights, and other trivia games involving stuff before 2010, because my kids aren’t good at trivia before then. Date nights are a time for me to play games that aren’t easy for playing as a family. You can even find games that are specifically designed to strengthen the couple relationship. If you are feeling too tired to go out for a date, and just want to stay in, a board game and/or movie at home nicely fill the bill.
Tree of Life Mothering 