Playing games builds life skills and enhances relationships
From childhood through adulthood,
games are a part of life. They can be seen as a way to have fun, spend time
with friends, blow off steam, or just enjoy some free time. However, what many
people don't realize is that playing games is one of the best ways to teach
valuable life skills and build lasting relationships.
Playing games together with
family or friends brings people closer. In today's society, many people
interact through email, Facebook, or texting. Face-to-face interaction is so
limited. Many people feel more comfortable existing this way. However, this
type of "socializing" can be detrimental to peoples' personal relationships and
children's social development. Talking, laughing, and enjoying the company of
others increases a sense of belonging and connectedness that human beings
crave. So much of today's entertainment:
television, movies, websurfing, video games, etc. are not done in a
group setting. The face-to-face interaction, laughing, talking, and fun are
missing.
So how can we fix this? Evelyn
Petersen, expert panelist for The National Parenting Center, has teamed with
Hasbro to create a "Family Game Night" initiative. This initiative stresses the
use of board games to create closer families and more open and interactive
children. We at Yard Games Online believe this same concept can be expanded to
include all age ranges, relationships, and game types. Interactive game play
enhances communication and closeness.
Not only do games enhance human
relationships, but they also teach invaluable life skills. The following was
taken from www.askevelyn.com, Evelyn Petersen's website:
"ALL GAMES TEACH THE FOLLOWING
LIFE SKILLS:
1. Cooperation/Teamwork - Taking turns and working with
others; respecting other family members including extended family.
2. Responsibility - Playing by the rules; taking care
of the materials and putting the game away so it will be ready next time.
3. Perseverence and Patience - Waiting for your turn or for that
"special card" or throw of the dice; sticking it out to the end;
trying again.
4. Honesty - Playing fair; being able to admit
mistakes and learning from them.
5. Understanding/Accepting both winning
and losing -
Knowing that we can try to win, but sometimes we will lose, and being able to
cope with wins or losses tactfully and graciously.
6. Making choices and accepting the
consequences of the choices you make."
So maybe we
should take some time to reclaim a part of our childhood. Get some friends
and/or family members together and play some cornhole, ping-pong, croquet, or
board games. Turn off the television, computer, video games, and whatever else
you spend time doing alone. Build some life skills, build some relationships,
and have fun!
Author: Jennifer Morris, www.yardgamesonline.com
Credit: Evelyn Petersen, www.askevelyn.com
