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Family Game Night Is Great for
Bonding and Fun
by Andy Pavanov
As families suffer the stresses and strains of modern life, it's
important to find ways that are fun and memorable to strengthen
relationships and encourage youth development.
Family game nights are quickly becoming a favorite way for parents and
their children to laugh and learn together. The most important element
of a family game night is that it must break the nightly routine. That
way it will keep the kids interested and give them something to look
forward to. Following are some tips to help you start creating a new
family tradition:
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It's important that children be able to count on this special night, so
make certain that once scheduled - whether weekly or monthly - nothing
interferes except an emergency.
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Stay focused on the event by limiting all outside distractions. For
example, allow voice mail to manage telephone calls. Everyone will enjoy
the activities more and the children will see that you are really tuned
in to them.
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Have everyone get into comfortable clothes. The children might enjoy
putting on their pajamas early. That way, you can play right up to the
last minute.
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Take a different approach to the evening meal by setting out various
appetizers such as finger sandwiches and vegetables with dip. Ordering
in pizza works great to make the night different from the routine.
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Invest in a range of board games that will suit all ages. Yahtzee, Clue,
and Scrabble are some popular standards that teach coordination,
spelling and reasoning, but there are plenty more on the market that
provide fun learning. If the children's age gap is significant, mom and
dad can take turns playing with older and younger before bringing
everyone together in the same game.
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Now and then, include video games in the mix or invite friends to
participate so that you can have larger groups and more social
interaction. It's good for children to learn to be competitive without
being mean, patient without becoming a door mat, and responsible without
the need to control.
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Give the children some ownership of the activity by allowing them to
choose the games, decide which night works best, and select and prepare
the appetizers. The more involvement they have, the more sustained their
interest will be.
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Throw in some variety occasionally by moving game night to the miniature
golf course, bowling alley or go-cart track. Just remember that the
focus remains on games, fun and family.
With family game night, you have special family time set aside
regardless of what else occurs during the week. It is a time for
bonding, learning, and experimenting with the spirit of competition in a
safe atmosphere. Your children will learn important skills and values
while spending time with the people they love and trust the most – their
parents.
Andy Pavanov edits the Good Games newsletter at
www.yngames.com,
the information resource for games topics.
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