Once you get going, everyone has fun with board games. However, to many of us, the idea doesn't sound very appealing until the fun actually starts. It is also such a simple idea that many of us forget to do it. I know I have games that are nearly new because I so often make bigger, more elaborate plans for family fun that the game boxes remain unopened.
However, over the past few weeks my daughter and I have been making a point of playing together more often. What fun we've had!
Kids learn important life skills through games:
~How to take turns
~How to lose a turn with good grace
~How to be a good sport when winning and losing
~How to be fair
~How to follow directions
~How to follow a sequence
~Critical thinking
~Counting
~How to be an encourager
~Problem solving
~Time management
~Strategy
~Money management (in some games such as Monopoly)
~Fine motor skills (especially when holding a hand of cards
~How to deal with disappointment
~Self confidence
~Communication skills, including intergenerational communication skills
~And more.
Plus, as a parent, games give you the chance to check on
your child’s skills and help you assess how he is developing. Pay attention to
how your child plays and gently guide him in the areas where he needs to grow. If
when moving his piece around the board he tends to skip over spots or doesn’t
count correctly, help him move his piece back to where he started so he can try
again. If he cries when he doesn’t win, help him learn how to use words to
express his unhappiness. Teach him to say, “I am sad that I didn’t win,
but I am happy for you.”
You can also use family game night as a chance to talk to
your kids about their lives, the issues they are facing and how they feel in a relaxed setting, especially with preteens and teens who may not be as
chatty as they once were.
Enjoy the time to bond with your family, practice skills, and
have a ton of fun.
