During the last few months of our quarantine, finding ways to bring the family together has been essential. Laughter, love and togetherness have helped us combat the stresses we faced. Whether you were with your immediate family or lucky enough to have an added generation at home, I am sure you played some type of games.
Our family played a lot of backgammon, The word backgammon originated in England around the mid 17th century. This is when the original name “back-game” morphed into backgammon, the name we use today. However, there are archaeological examples of similar boards from many centuries prior. Backgammon is a great game to learn, with many of different elements and game strategies to take on board. It may take a little time for newcomers to figure out the moves and gameplay but eventually everyone figures it out.
We also played a lot of board & card games. My kids are young adults so “Code Games” and “Canasta” were our personal favorites. If you have younger children, board games allow siblings to be competitive within a friendly structure of rules. Most games make us take turns, watch what others are doing and listen to their comments. They allow us to laugh together in a positive environment. Games also allow children to learn something new, and they can help families interact in a new social setting such as boys vs. girls, parents vs. children, grandparent and grandchild vs. parents. Playing together gave my family time to talk about noncontroversial topics and allowed us a mutual problem-solving activity.
So many families have been able to create special memories during this unprecedented time. As the restrictions begin to ease, we hope to continue some of these special moments we have shared. We plan to set up a family game night or create a “Game Happy Hour” to be together. Playing games brought us happiness during this pandemic and that's one positive thing we plan to take away with us. Let’s all take note and remember to play during the better days ahead.