Board games are a good way to bring families together and enjoy each other’s company.

When I was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, my family loved to play board games. I learned how to play checkers, chess and carrom at a very young age. One of the only things that my grandfather truly enjoyed doing with me was playing carrom before dinner. My other grandfather loved card games. When I was a young man, he used to tease me saying, “I had to work really hard at letting you win all those times, just to have a good reason to give you five dollars!”

My teenage daughter Chani loves to play board games. She’s got a couple dozen of them in the closet downstairs. It’s not like when I was a kid. We had about five to choose from, but we found ways to combine games and make it seem like we had ten. Chani’s favorite games to play are Clue, Life, Monopoly and Sorry.

As a father, one of the reasons I enjoy playing board games with her is that it is a great way for us to connect, talk, laugh and kid around.

She has Xbox and Gameboy and other electronic games; playing them isn’t the same as sitting around a table with all the pieces laid out and interacting face-to-face. I play a few computer or game console games with her. They never lead to significant conversation though, so it’s not nearly as fun. Most computer games are also limited to two players, so it’s hard to include the whole family in the activity.

One of the things I appreciate about my in-laws is that they all love to play games. When we have family gatherings, everyone looks forward to breaking out Pictionary, Battle of the Sexes, The 80s Game or Cranium. We usually play boys versus girls, and, of course, being true gentlemen, we do our utmost to CRUSH the ladies every game! Sadly, we are not often successful because the testosterone that comes with male bonding seems to block intelligence.

In today’s society, the abundance of affordable entertainment options, like the Internet, On-Demand cable, text messaging and game consoles, has made the family game night a thing of the past. The sad thing is that there are very few activities which bring a family together and generate as much fun as playing a game.

One way my dad and I were able to connect and build a good relationship was through playing cards or board games. If you’re looking for a new activity to connect with your kids, try introducing them to a game that is fun and sparks conversation, like Clue or Monopoly. It might be easier to start with fun games for the whole family, like Twister or Cranium. Either way, finding an activity that creates a way to connect with your kids is an important part of being a good dad or parent.

Trust me – when your kids grow up, they will remember the effort you made to do something fun with them.

Board games are a great way to bring the entire family together!

Here’s a few links to some of our family favorites: Cranium Battle of the Sexes Game Pictionary Clue Hasbro The Game of Life

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