Making moves to bond: The revived interest in board games helped friends and families reconnect across generations

NT Features

Though the raging pandemic is presumed to be over, people are still wary of stepping out of their fortresses. Instead, many prefer to have a couple of loved ones over for the weekend, play a few games followed by a delightful dinner.

Board games are now back and are helping families and friends across generations build bridges and create a positive environment for relationships to grow.

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation,” said Plato. For any human, the first step of interaction is playing. A baby giggles when you play ‘now you see me, now you don’t’. It’s not only adorable but teaches young brains about the undiscovered world and the important people in their lives.

Through games, children learn to understand the rules of interaction – what is fair and what is not, how to win a game and accept a loss. “To ensure my children understand capitalism I cheat at board games,” wrote a Twitter account Fearless Fred. While also learning about teamwork and strategy, children pick up invaluable social skills through games. They also help children sharpen their creativity, turning them into ones who can turn any instance of boredom into a fun game.

Playtime vanishes as one turns into an adult and is no more an essential part of the day. But adults should find time for fun and games. Even if it is only a gettogether for an evening of board games with friends or family.

When we opt to come together and enjoy each other’s company amidst a game, we create trust. Unlike video games, board games encourage face to face interaction – a key component to connecting with people by learning how to read body language and developing social capital.

It fosters the interaction needed to connect deeply with each other and to develop traits of strong families and friendships. They allow us to build a solid foundation for trust and long-lasting relationships. Writes Penny Liddington on Twitter: “Friday night vibes at home. Aperol spritz and a couple of rounds of Sequence. It’s our favourite board game, at the moment.”

Getting together for a game is a creative way to spend time with friends and family, to share a burst of loud laughter and relax. In addition, games can bring people together in a way that nothing else can. This is also why many businesses use games as an activity to encourage team building. It is also the easiest way to break the ice among a group of strangers.

Games have the ability to get the grandmother of the house onto the floor with the curious toddler, to strengthen your marriage or even give you some common ground with someone you have met only a few days ago.