Why you should gift board games
As a pediatrician and a mom, board games are one of my favorite gifts to give. And they are often under-estimated.
Board games are a fun way to help build focus and sportsmanship, to create bonding opportunities with family, and to develop age-appropriate skills which will later help in school.
Some personal thoughts
Growing up in subsaharan Africa, we had very little access to TV (or the internet) and we spent a lot of time outdoors and playing board games. I have fond memories of time with family and friends bonding over them. And since then, I have continued to find that board games are a good way to flex cognitive skills, practice concentration skills, and for those of us with a competitive nature, a fun way to create some friendly competition.
Benefits of board games
Better attention and focus: This is obviously developmentally driven; very few 3-5 year olds will be able to sit still through a longer game. But you can build up that tolerance with age-appropriate expectations. Remember, when your 3yo runs a lap of the living room between turns, that is not only okay. but expected. Over time, practice helps them hone the ability to not just focus but also to follow instructions.
Practicing patience: Learning to wait your turn is a skill that many preschools prioritize, and it can be hard to wait! Immediate gratification is cognitively much easier, and for a toddler especially, this skill takes a lot of time and practice. But like most skills, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Learning sportsmanship: Winning is fun. We all like to win. And learning that you do not always get to win is still hard for both my children. Although we focus on “having fun”, there are often still tears if the children don’t win (or if they don’t get to pick the next game). Do we let them win? Occasionally, but not always! Although if I’m honest, sometimes I do if I need to speed a game along (do you do this?)
Fun without screens: With the increasing focus on entertainment via screen for adults and children, board games provide an alternative that serves as a reminder that it is possible to have a good time without a screen. Board games offer a good amount of variety as well, and can be tailored based on age, maturity and the size of your group, which is not always the case with entertainment like movies or video games. Sometimes this is an easier way for me to truly play with my kids as well. If I’m honest, I don’t always enjoy random pretend play in the same way.
Connection: As a busy family, finding time to prioritize connection is so crucial. The data tells us that family meals, and other family activities are important to cultivate and maintain a connection as your child grows. Having a regular board game night, sans screens, is something that can remains a family tradition over the years, even when our children are teenagers (at least, that’s my hope).
Teamwork skills: Some of the games we particularly enjoy are collaborative. A recent favorite is “Race to the Treasure” but there are several out there, and the idea of all being on the same team working towards a singe goal is also a nice skill to work on and takes the competitive edge out of the game.
Our favorite board games
All of these are linked on my Amazon affiliate page right here.
Some of these board games have small pieces, so be aware if you have little ones under 3y in the household!
Preschool
Older kids (school age)
