Title: The Board Game Family
Author: Ellie Dix
The Board Game Family: Reclaim Your Children From The Screen
Do you associate board games with Christmas Day? In many households, December 25th is the one day of the year that the boxes get taken out, dusted down, opened and enjoyed.
Of course, the reality is that “enjoying” them can sometimes be a stretch of the imagination. Sometimes arguments, frustration and boredom are more likely results.
In her book The Board Game Family, Ellie Dix is on a mission to help families enjoy tabletop games all year round and make them a key part of family life.
When games end in disaster, it’s usually because of a poor choice of game, or a lack of simple strategies for managing game play.
This book aims to solve those problems, and to highlight the many benefits that playing games as a family has to offer.
What’s The Board Game Family All About?
Ellie Dix has always been passionate about tabletop games. They’re a treasured part of her own childhood and she wants to help other families to share in the pleasure they can bring.
But she doesn’t just recommend them because they’re fun. There’s so much more going on when we’re playing a game. Some reasons board games are great for families include:
1. Board Games Are a Screen-Free Activity
Screens suck up so much of our time without us even realising it. Board games are tactile and a fun “real-world” activity away from technology
2. Board Games Help Families To Communicate
As children get older and rely more on their friends, it can be hard for parents to feel connected with their sons and daughters.
Sharing an activity together causes communication to naturally happen. And since there is a shared focus in playing a game, conversation feels less more natural and less forced.
3. Board Games Help Families To Make Memories
Looking back on my own childhood, I have fond memories of certain games I played. Some were at school, some were at home and some were at friends’ houses.
But I still vividly remember how I excited I felt at the time. If you have fun playing games with your kids, they’re likely to keep those special memories with them forever.
4. Board Games Teach Life Skills
Playing games with other people gives children the chance to learn and develop skills such as listening, communication, turn-taking and sharing. They also learn how to be good losers or winners; since life is full of ups and downs this is very important!
Of course, this all sounds great. But the reality is that busy timetables mean a lot of families find it hard to even sit down for a meal together. Where’s the time for playing games supposed to appear from?
Ellie knows that picture-perfect families aren’t a reality and that we all have our own challenges and issues to face. We’re not suddenly going to make our children interested in board gaming just because we’ve bought a new book.
That’s why the chapters guide parents through a gentle and realistic process for making these games seem normal, interesting, and most of all, enticing.
Even if you’ve never done more than play Snap with your granny, it’s within your reach to establish a culture of play in your home.
Who Is The Board Game Family For?
The blurb at the back of the book says it’s “ideal for all parents of 8-18 year olds who want to breathe new life into their family time”.
My children are only 1 and 4, but I’ve still found it relevant to me. I’ve enjoyed reading it and thinking about the ideas I’d like to use in the future.
Personally, I think you could begin to start implementing a lot of the ideas younger than 8. But it all depends on your own family and situation. You know your household best!
What Can I Expect When I Read The Board Game Family?
You can expect to learn everything you need to help you make board gaming a regular and exciting part of family life. And best of all, you can expect to be taught it in a genuinely helpful and friendly way that wants you to succeed!
Sorting Out Your Games Collection
The book suggests this as the first step to getting started. Most homes with children in the target age range (8-18) will have some sort of board game collection gathered. Playing pieces may be missing, and boxes may be torn, but that’s okay. Ellie explains how to make the most of what you’ve got already before getting started.
Getting Your Family Curious
Ellie has a range of strategies for introducing games to the family. The very first is for you, as a parent, to start playing solo games. By seeing you playing in a public part of the house, family members start to become interested. Other strategies, such as having games visible instead of hidden at the back of a cupboard, are discussed too.
Learning About the Hobby
There’s always a learning curve at the start of any new pastime. There are new skills to master or new facts to be learned.
With board games, there’s a lot of information about the variety of types, and what ones work best in different situations. The Board Game Family covers all this, helping you to start thinking about what games might work best for you and your family.
It even includes a detailed appendix of games, naming and describing some of the best choices for family enjoyment.
Teaching and Learning New Games
For many of us, teaching can be the most daunting thing about board gaming. Initially, game rules can often seem complex, especially if you’ve never played them before.
The Board Game Family provides concrete and solid advice for helping your family get to grips with a new game. And since every family is different, the book includes tips for creating house rules, tailored to your needs.
Even if you’re not a natural teacher, you’ll feel more confident about getting all the players on the same page.
Understanding What’s Really Going On
If you stumbled across a family playing Snakes and Ladders, it would be easy to believe that’s all it was: a game of Snakes and Ladders. But underneath the surface, there’s probably a lot more happening.
Rivalries may be playing out, or a parent may be using the game to build a child’s confidence. This bigger picture is called the metagame, and Ellie explores this to help parents deal with issues such as cheating and gamesmanship.
I was particularly interested in the range of ideas for choosing what game to play. If things go badly at the choosing stage, the game can be lost before it’s even begun. These ideas encourage the process to be fair, and even disappointed players know their turn will come to play a favourite game.
Overcoming Obstacles
Stumbling blocks always seem to appear just as you’re getting close to achieving what you want. Ellie is refreshingly honest about the challenges you might face on your journey to becoming a board game family.
Two of the big ones are time and money. Personally, I found the section on finding free or low-cost games especially helpful. I’ve seen the high price tags on a lot of board games and many are simply out of the reach of a typical family.
But don’t despair; there are plenty of ways to get your hands on fresh and exciting games. You can even make a game out of gathering them!
Taking It Further
If your family gets bitten by the bug, why not start your own board game blog, or design your own games?
Do You Recommend The Board Game Family?
Undoubtedly! When I first read a book, it’s usually from the library. With a non-fiction or reference book such as this one, I always ask myself if it’s a book I’d like to buy for myself some day.
This is definitely one I will be purchasing for my own bookshelf. Perhaps not yet, but as my children get a little older.
There were some points in the book where I started to feel a little bogged down. This was usually when a game or strategy was being described in great detail. Without being able to visualise it for myself, I struggled to follow.
But different parts of the book are going to be relevant to different people at different stages of their gaming journey. And I might never even play the games discussed in those sections. So don’t worry if some sections go over your head; focus on the parts that are most helpful to you at the moment.
If you’re serious about making the most of the benefits board gaming can bring to your family, I highly recommend hunting down a copy ASAP!
What Next?
If you’d like to get your hands on The Board Game Family, Liber Bookshop, my independent local bookshop in Sligo town, can help you.
If you’re looking for more game ideas for your family, check out my review of Parlour Games For Modern Families. It’s packed full of simple and entertaining games you can enjoy using little to no equipment.