Why Play Games with Teens?
by Reisa Schwartzman
Over the years I have played numerous games with my children, husband and family but this past weekend I watched my teenage son play a game with his friends. It was not a new site but I started thinking about what I really saw.
Here were 3 teen boys not playing video games, nor watching TV or hanging out at the corner store. They were away from their computers, cell phones and were not texting each other. For the time they sat around our kitchen table, time stopped and the boys celebrated life for some of its basic pleasures; Friendship, competition, communications, and fun. As a family we always encourage our kids to play games with us to share quality family time but here were 3 teenage boys sharing quality time with each other.
There are many effects that board games have on childhood development that leave our children with attributes that they carry thru life. Not only should we encourage our children and teens to play with the family but also to sit around a table and play with their friends. The teens might need a bit of reminding but with a bit of encouragement they too can enjoy the benefits of playing board games. You can remind them of some of the benefits playing games offers.
Some of the benefits of playing board games are:
- It enhances your ability to interact with other people. It tests your sportsmanship in a competitive environment.
- The ability to focus on the game helps to increase the capacity to concentrate.
- Determinations to fight and win as well as patience are promoted by playing board games.
- Games that require clues, rules or specific information to be remembered enhance memory that can help in their academic career.
- Playing regular board games also develops problem solving skills, confidence and logical reasoning and thinking.
- Promotes imagination and creativity.
- Teaches independence. Forced to make important decisions influenced only by your own judgment.
- Develops the capability to predict and foresee consequences of actions. It teaches to look both ways before crossing the street.
- Inspires self-motivation. It encourages the search of the best move and the best plan.
- Shows that success rewards hard work. The more you practice, the better you'll become.
- Develops the scientific way of thinking. While playing, you generate numerous variations in your mind. You explore new ideas and try to predict their outcome.
- Involves an infinite number of calculations.
- Improves schoolwork and grades. Numerous studies have proven that kids obtain a higher reading level, math level and a greater learning ability overall as a result of playing chess and other games.
- Board games are cheap.
- Board Games are FUN.
About Griddly Games
Griddly Games creates award-winning party and board games that deliver innovative, engaging fun that brings people together while encouraging social interaction, learning, strategy and challenges that anyone (the entire grid of people) can enjoy. To discover more about Griddly Games, visit http://www.griddlygames.com/.
