My family loves to play games. For years, my children received board games as Christmas gifts and even now that they’re in their 20s they like to play games or cards when the family gets together for the holidays.
Did Santa leave a new game under the tree at your house this year?  If so, now is a great time to play together as a family before the children head back to school.

Playing a board game can bring a family together, but the benefits don’t stop there.

Children who play board games can practice strategic thinking; the need to overcome adversity; decision-making skills; risk management, and how to win – and lose – gracefully.

“By the time a child reaches the age of four or five, he or she should be able to play a game for 20 minutes or so,” said Chuck Smith, Kansas State University Research and Extension professor emeritus.

Games vary in terms of the degree of luck and strategy they require. An emphasis on luck in games gives children a better chance of competing with adults. If a child knows that he or she has a chance of winning, the child usually is less likely to experience frustration and more likely to retain an interest in healthy competition.

Strategy is important too, though, because that’s what encourages decision making.

Should parents bend the rules?

The younger the child, the simpler the rules should be. Children should understand that rules are necessary for consistency and important because they allow players to think ahead and plan on an equal basis.

Later, when everyone is familiar with game rules, there may be a time when a family wants to add to – or customize – the rules. That’s okay, as long as the modifications are fair and consistent and players are in agreement before play begins. Following the rules at the game table can reinforce the need to follow rules in life.

Let a child win?

“Winning and losing are part of life. It’s a lesson we all have to learn, and games can be helpful in that learning process. Children can learn to be gracious winners, thoughtful of the feelings of losers, and losers can learn to tolerate a setback with dignity and honor,” said Smith, who advocated for Family Game Night during his years as an Extension child development specialist.

Having fun as a family also can help family members get to know and appreciate each other in new ways. As the comfort levels increase, communication skills are likely to improve.

For more information on a variety of board games, check out these websites: www.funagain.com and www.boardgamegeek.com.  The sites offer American and European games with instructions in English; ratings and reviews of the games also are available.

Linda Beech is Ellis County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences.