All Child’s Play

Family Board Games

It just cracks me up every time I hear on the news or talk shows how the recession is bringing families back together.  Now that people don’t have money to spend on going out to dinner or the movies, they are somehow “forced” to stay home with their families and find new ways to create entertainment!

What the heck is that about?  It shouldn’t take a recession for families to realize how important it is to spend time together at home to connect with each other.  Yes, we all lead hectic lives.  But moms and dads need to take a step back and think about why they started a family in the first place.  First, it is important to remember that family bonds are not born in the delivery room. Family bonds have to be forged and strengthened over time.

My family has always had the family dinner table and planned family nights.  I can’t even tell you how many games of Candy Land, Operation and Who Woke Daddy I’ve played.  Yes, it was tedious and boring at times…but there’s no taking away the bonds that were built with our children and the laughs that we all shared.  My husband and I used to sneak the “Queen Frostine” card in the stack so my daughter or son would chose it and go straight to the almost end of the game.  To this day our kids still talk about that and share that story with everyone.

I was updating my website All Child’s Play yesterday, and as I was adding the family board games to the site it brought back memories galore. Our family has always played board games together, and still do to this day.  As our kids got older the “family game night” soon evolved into family and friends game night (friends of our kids that is).

At first it began as a planned night, but soon evolved into something that occurred in our household several nights a month.  It didn’t take a recession for us to drag out the family board games…we just did it because we all wanted to do it.  Those nights were always enjoyable (despite the competitive fights and arguments) and dragging out the Monopoly board games or board game of Life is something we still do when we’re all together.

The boxes are ripped and torn and despite my best taping efforts may soon need to be replaced, but the memories those family board game boxes hold will last forever and ever.

It shouldn’t take a recession for families to understand that time is fleeting and short.  We don’t get to have our kids at home with us for that many years, and we need…NO, WE SHOULD WANT…to spend as much time with them as possible.  My kids are grown up and no longer at home, but I still get to stack the deck with the “Queen Frostine” card for my grandson, and I still get excited when someone shouts out “let’s play Life”.  I love love love those times!

Family board games are an investment in your family.  Pop the popcorn, set up the snacks, and settle in for a night of fun enjoying and sharing the bonds you will be building with your kids.   And, when the recession ends and there no longer seems to be a need to cut back on the budget…keep those board games available and instead of going out to the movies, bust out a board game and enjoy your family.

Hey guys, what was your favorite family board game.  Leave me a comment below.  I love to hear about other games you played with your own parents as a kid or games that you and your kids enjoy playing together.