Whatever happened to Family Game Night? Did it go out of style right along with hair scrunchies and Hammer pants?
Or did we just get too old for our parents to force us to stay home and play games with them anymore?
Well, whatever the reason, now we’re the parents, so we get to force our kids to do all the super lame stuff we want. And as it turns out, playing games is totally not lame for your kids’ development – plus it’s pretty great for you, too!
Here are five reasons you should bring Game Night back to your family:
1. Games are good for motor skills.
Every time your little ones roll the dice or shuffle the cards, they’re developing their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills – which can lead to later success in sports, playing instruments, writing and more.
GAMES TO PLAY: Operation, Jenga, anything with Cards
2. Games can lead to better grades.
Many games build specific skills that are useful in your kids’ academic careers, like math, spelling, vocabulary and general knowledge – to name just a few.
GAMES TO PLAY: Chutes & Ladders, Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Trivial Pursuit
3. Games help your kids solve problems.
Research shows that kids who practice strategizing and solving problems with their parents end up having better memory techniques and more success solving all sorts of problems on their own.
GAMES TO PLAY: Risk, Monopoly, Settlers of Catan
4. Game night is family bonding night.
No matter what games you’re playing, the fact that you’re simply spending time sitting and communicating with your kids can help contribute to them having all sorts of positive outcomes.
GAMES TO PLAY: Just about anything that requires you to be in the same room together. So maybe not Words With Friends.
5. Games are just plain fun!
Granted, this is a different breed of fun than what you got used to during your carefree, kid-free college days, and it’s surely different than what your kids will be calling fun in just a few short years. But for now, while everybody’s still hanging out in the house all together, make the most of it – by making some amazing memories!
GAME SYMBOLIC OF WHAT THIS WHOLE CRAZY EXPERIENCE IS REALLY ALL ABOUT: Life
