5 Benefits of Playing Board Games This Summer
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5 Benefits of Playing Board Games This Summer
Sometimes the summer heat is too much, and you need to cool off indoors. Rather than hopping on a video game or popping in a movie this summer, why not unplug from the digital world?
Playing board games is a perfect way to spend time with your children during the hottest months of the year. Did you know there are benefits, other than beating the heat, to playing board games with your kids?
Of course, there are the obvious benefits of spending time together, relationship-building, and simply having fun together. But there are other benefits too!
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Educational Benefits of Playing Board Games This Summer
It keeps math fun!
In my post, 5 Ways to Keep Math Fun, I talk about adding board games to our everyday routine and how it helps us keep math fun. For children who struggle with math, gameplay provides an enjoyable, real-world application for many of their math facts.
Our son claimed to hate math at one time – I honestly don’t think he hated math. He just didn’t care for the math curriculum we were using at the time. Thankfully, we tossed that particular book aside.
But, our son has always LOVED games that involved math!
Prime Climb is a favorite of his, and it encompasses addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division! Board games during the summer help kids practice those math facts!
It provides teachable moments.
Playing games provides ample opportunities for teachable moments, too. These teachable moments include (among other things):
- sharing
- listening
- early literacy skills
- following directions
It gives children a chance to practice verbal communication skills and other skills.
Some of the other advantages of board games are that children get to practice their verbal communication skills, cooperation with others, taking turns, and learning to handle wins and losses. You can keep all of those skills sharp during the summer months by playing games.
Cognitive Benefits of Playing Board Games This Summer
Critical thinking and problem-solving are huge benefits to playing games with your kids.
Not only will playing games help improve critical thinking and problem-solving, but it will also help improve memory, logic, and reasoning skills. Logic and reasoning skills enhance critical thinking. Kids (and adults!) can strengthen these skills with practice. The more games they play, the more practice they get!
Games aren’t just for elementary-age kids either. Teenagers and adults can benefit from the brain exercises and mental stimulation that gameplay provides. It’s a win/win.
Family Benefits of Playing Board Games This Summer
We are a family of game lovers! Why? Board games help us to unplug from the digital world and bond together as a family. We are building our relationships and making memories every time we play games together.
When we play games as a family, we laugh, joke, plan, strategize, solve problems, and set goals. Plus, there are so many more games out there than there were when you were a kid. Granted, some of the old-fashioned games like Clue, Monopoly, and Chess are still favorites. You can’t go wrong with a classic game.
But, our newest obsessions include Catan, Castle Panic, Ticket to Ride, Hit the Habitat Trail, Dragonwood, Forbidden Island, Evolution, and Prime Climb…just to name a few!
Now it’s your turn! Considering the benefits of playing board games, what games will you play with your kids this summer?
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Erin Vincent is a homeschooling mom to two intense kids. They are child led with a heavy emphasis on read alouds, games, art, nature hikes, and hands on science! They traded the hustle and bustle of city life for the quiet farm life where opportunities for exploration in nature abound. When they're not homeschooling you'll find Erin curled up with a cup of coffee and a good book!. You can find Erin at Nourishing My Scholar.
It’s such a nice way to bring everyone together. I check out the games every time we go to Goodwill. For $3, you can hardly go wrong!