Educate, entertain, bond: the triple benefits of board games in home education

So you really want to spend quality family time. Just picture those cherished afternoons when you sit with your family. Engaging conversations effortlessly unfold with your teens. The little ones immerse themselves in joyful colouring or building creations. Screens are off, a serene atmosphere prevails without a hint of disagreement. It’s a scene of peace and tranquillity.

However, lurking at the back of your mind, an unsettling notion emerges: ‘This is delightful, but should we be doing something more productive?’ Your train of thought swiftly redirects towards concerns of development, exams, achieving the next levels in reading, etc…. Does this sound familiar? The conflict between relishing the beauty of the moment and the pressing drive for productivity and progress.

First things first – there is nothing wrong with a bit of boredom! It’s very beneficial for us all…. It helps with de-stressing and being creative. Really! Did you know that when people are bored, they may be more likely to daydream and let their minds wander, leading to creative ideas? Of course, we are not talking here about constantly being bored and doing nothing. Just finding balance between work and relaxation!

OK, so we cleared that out of the way, now let’s go back to our constant battle between quality time with our family and the need to get them stimulated, productive, and of course well-educated.

Let’s get the dust off our board games cabinet! Yes, you hear that right – board games will let you seamlessly blend learning, fun, and family bonding time!

Let’s explore the numerous benefits of embracing games as a valuable tool for education, entertainment, and family bonding.

Board games teach you about decision-making and the consequences of your choices

Whether it is a Monopoly, Tickets to Ride, or Labyrinth, the child decides what to do and what move to make. Additionally, in most games, decisions must be made quickly and will have positive or negative consequences.

Positive effects such as conquering another territory at Risk or buying another city in Monopoly bring satisfaction.

Negative consequences (e.g. loss of position or points in the game) may bring about unpleasant emotions.

Sometimes these emotions don’t end well, I know from experience, but… it’s worth enduring. It’s worth getting over arguing, crying, stomping one’s feet, or even occasionally throwing all the pieces around (this is also from my experience…) because it is still a controlled way of learning to deal with emotions. Here we will smoothly move on to the next advantage of games.

Board games teach the rules of competition

The gaming arena is naturally competitive and emotional. However, it offers opportunities for valuable life lessons. By playing together as a family, we have the chance to teach children how to navigate and manage these emotions. As parents, we establish and model the rules of good play. So your children should see you having fun, and gracefully accepting both wins and losses.

Together you can establish a set of rules or a code of conduct for game behaviour: no kicking the pieces around, losers congratulate the winner, the winner has to clean up, etc. Involving children in setting the code of conduct can make them more invested in upholding positive sportsmanship!

What we found quite helpful during some tense moments was sharing stories from our own lives or examples of real-life sports characters that exemplify good sportsmanship. Chariots of Fire anyone? After all, this is family time – perfect for sharing stories.

Board games teach logical thinking

The child encounters a problem and must not only solve it but also predict what will happen next. Then, on this basis, it is forced to verify its original assumptions. Chess works great here. It is a classic example of a game that requires high-level logical thinking. You plan several moves ahead, anticipate the opponent’s actions, and consider multiple possibilities before making a move. There are also strategy games (like Catan) that require players to make decisions based on current resources, anticipate future needs, and adapt their strategies based on the actions of other players.

There are quite a few games on the market that are specifically marketed as teaching logical thinking. They are the one-player games type where you need to solve some sort of puzzles (something like Rush Hours Traffic Jam).  Over time we have gathered quite a few of them and boys like to pull them out from time to time for quiet time. They are very educational no doubt, but here you are missing the family bonding time element. I find them ideal for long car trips as some of our packets are both small and magnetic. (Look at this example)

Games improve memory and concentration

Classic memory games where you pick up cards with pictures and take away pairs will undoubtedly train your memory. However, you can really get imaginative here and design memory card games that match your children’s abilities and interests!

Look at just a few examples:

Geography Memory Games: Create cards with the names of countries on one set and their respective capitals on another. The aim is to match each country with its correct capital. This not only improves memory but also enhances geographical knowledge. As a matter of fact, you can make it about any geographical feature (mountains, rivers, landmarks, etc…)

Historical Timeline Matching: Develop a set of cards with historical events and another set with the corresponding eras or dates. This will reinforce historical knowledge.

Matching Scientific Facts: Create cards with scientific facts on one set and the corresponding scientific concepts on another. Players flip cards, aiming to match each fact with its correct scientific principle. This variation combines memory training with scientific learning. For example, we have this fantastic memory game where you match fractions given in different terms. I don’t remember where we get this little gem from (might be a charity shop) but it is so simple and could easily be made as part of the fraction topic in maths lessons.

Now off to the next classic games that will improve memory and concentration. Cards! They are not only fun but make you think fast and remember even faster. In games like Poker or Rummy, players can enhance their memory by keeping track of the cards that have been played, cards that have been discarded, and who played which card. Remembering the sequence of cards played by each player and working out who was lying in the classic version of the Cheat game will absolutely sharpen your senses!

Playing games can help improve reading comprehension

Yes – every game comes with instructions and rules. Some games have additional information that you have to read while playing. Children are more willing to practice reading when they see the need and of course, everyone wants to understand the rules of the game well.

Family Bonding and Social Skills

So we have talked a little about the educational benefits of games and I don’t think I need to elaborate on the entertainment side of gaming. But let’s not forget that playing games together as a family could be a precious bonding time. You embark on shared adventures and conquer challenges together, creating lasting memories that will be cherished for generations. You will connect, communicate, and collaborate in meaningful ways. Oh, do not get discouraged by occasional outbursts of emotions. They are part of the package, rather try to teach (and model!) how to deal with them in a civilised way.

Screen-Free Alternatives

Should I even mention this obvious fact? If you are worried that your family spend too much time on all sorts of screens games from the cupboard will be excellent alternatives!

A little hack for those bored of their own cupboard games! We sometimes swap with friends and pick games from their supplies.

Now bonus time!

I’ve got for you something easy and mega-fun for those never-ending winter nights!

Ever heard of the Categories game, also known as the Countries/Cities game? You scored points by listing items in different categories that all start with a specific letter of the alphabet. It was basic entertainment when I went to school.The best part? You don’t need a ton of fancy supplies to play it. Plus, it’s easily customizable for different age groups and interests. So, whether you’re in the mood for a brain workout or just need some laughs, you can totally whip out this game anytime, anywhere, and with anyone! Trust me, it’s a guaranteed blast!

Here is a little instruction for you:

Categories game

Materials needed: pen/pencil and paper for each participant.

How to play

1. Categories Selection:

Decide on the categories you want to include (e.g., countries, cities, animals, plants, names, car models, nouns, colours, famous sportsmen, movies etc. – these are up to your imagination. However I would advise to not add too many categories at one time – maximum 8. You can always change the categories next time you want to play. In our family we always try to include someone’s specific interests, so every now and then we have a category like programming languages, star and galaxies names… or musicals)

Write down the chosen categories at the top of your paper making columns.

2. Alphabet Letter

Randomly select a letter of the alphabet. This will be the starting letter for all the items in the round. Change the letter for each round to keep the game challenging and diverse.

3. Writing:

Participants have to write down items for each category that start with the chosen letter. Participants should only list one item per category. In a classic version the round ends 15 second after the first person filled up all the categories. So whoever finishes first counts 15 seconds and the turn is over. Time to count points! I would say if you play with younger children, just set the time for about 3 minutes as the version with counting down seconds is intense…!

4. Scoring:

After the round is complete, go through each category and compare answers.

Participants score points for each unique and valid item on their list.

If multiple participants have the same item in a category, they may receive reduced points for that item.

Here is our scoring table:

10 points for unique answers

5 points for the same answer as other participant

0 points if no answer

20 points if you are the only one with the answer in the given category.

Add up the points from each category to determine each participant’s total score for the round.

5. Winner:

The participant with the highest total score after playing several rounds is the overall winner.

Feel free to adapt these instructions based on the preferences of your group and the specific details you’d like to include in the game!

Incorporating games into your home education and family time not only makes learning more enjoyable but also strengthens the familial bond. Whether it’s a classic board game, a thought-provoking puzzle, or a lively card game, the benefits extend beyond academics, enriching the overall family experience. So, gather around, roll the dice, and let the games begin – a world of education and family fun awaits!

I’d love to know which are your favourite games for family fun and learning!