The New Year is the perfect time to have a bit of a digital detox and one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to achieve that is by playing a board game with the family. The last two very challenging years we have all had to face, as we try to deal with the effects of the COVID pandemic have seen a rise of 240% in the number of board games sold. It’s understandable that in difficult times we turn to comforting familiar routines, so it should be no great surprise to find that the best-selling game in the world is...Monopoly! Board games remain popular because they offer fantastic benefits to your children, when you play them together.
At OjO we have worked hard to produce a range of innovative and educational board games because we understand the terrific educational positives they generate.
There are many, many great reasons to play board games with your children but I’ve chosen to focus on the “unplugged” benefits to share with you and help with your digital detox.
- By playing board games with your children you are encouraging them to use their IMAGINATION - electronic games or toys do all the work in the imagination department, whereas a board game will encourage your child to use their imagination.
- Children will have much greater INTERACTION - you can’t play a board game on your own, but your child could easily play for hours with Mario or an X-Box.
- They will have opportunities for Multi-MODAL LEARNING - board games allow for hands on learning. You have to read things, make things, and see and hear the learning materials.
- They will CONNECT WITH SIBLINGS, PARENTS AND FRIENDS - playing a board game as a family is a fantastic thing to do. As part of a screen free hour is giving your children a great learning. lesson.
- IMPROVED SLEEP - reducing the stimulation from electronic games consistently results in better sleep and behavior!
The lack of technology required to play board games makes them special. They are a simple way to get quality, screen-free time with your children— and you might be surprised by how much they love playing.
Families can struggle to find the balance between digital and real-life connections, but board games provide a tool for that emotional connection to each other, in a simple and fun way. Order pizza and make playing a board games the way to celebrate the start of the weekend together!
ENJOY YOUR DIGITAL DETOX!
Contributed by Christine Havercroft
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