To say that it is normal for families to play board games

[Millimat]

Am I delusional to think that families do this? DH hates playing board or card games and this is influencing my DCs opinions. I’m not on about when children are little and it’s about learning rules and turn taking, I’m on about just as a pastime to do as a family activity.
it’s a lighthearted question but I’m intrigued as to how many of you out there play board and card games at home.

I grew up with no board games, my husband is the opposite. But we’re old and he came from a family like The Brady Brunch ( if you’re old enough to remember that?!) I was amazed when I met him how into games, board games, quizzes, charades etc they were really into. I embraced my husband’s whole family ethic because frankly it was wonderful compared to my upbringing so my now adult kids did play all those games when they were little. It was a huge Christmas thing, a Sunday thing…my husband always played cards on holiday with them or some sort of game. As adults we do still do play all the games at Christmas mainly.

a weird question is your husband embarrassed by it? I know when I was young and first married I was almost embarrassed by it! Worried I’d get things wrong or not understand. When my DIL joined the family I don’t think she enjoyed it much to begin with, she felt self conscious that she couldn’t understand, spell or pronounce some words in some games etc? It was alien to her too. Whilst I agree with everything you say about turn taking, team building etc, I don’t think you can make someone want to to it or enjoy it. My lot to this day still play games that really bore me, I’m happy to let them crack on with it, whilst I go and do the dinner etc. maybe you’ll have to accept it’s not for your husband and it will just be a thing for you and the kids to do

We play board games /card games every weekend all 3 of my dc love them (age 25,23,14) as do I. Unfortunately dh is less keen but he will join in.

oh i loved charades

Ive always played lots of games with my DC, but DH isnt keen. They're now teens and I still play card games most nights with DS. At christmas we tend to get board games out and DH reluctantly played trivial pursuit and the ultimate board game. DH often suggests scrabble which I dont mind but DC dont enjoy

I was going to comment no but then my teen ds saw me giving board games to my sister for my nephews and was devastated and so 6 months of playing Cleudo, rummikub and labyrinth has followed! Generally once a week or fortnight and more at Christmas but it’s been quite nice.

Game of Life is a favourite here, we have every form of UNO as well. Pass the Pugs was a new one for Xmas. We have a 14 year old and it’s a great way to interact

Really interesting question for me. We live in France and board / card / puzzle / logic games are really popular here. Pretty much every family plays them. Even if it’s just adults having dinner together or whatever, the games come out at some point. I really resisted it to begin with - my family were readers first and foremost, that what my mum / sister / I did with every moment of spare time. So games only came out at Christmas - monopoly 🙄, Pictionary, trivial pursuits. And generally ended in an argument.

so I’m a late convert to games. They given us some brilliant times, and have been a great way to bring children and adults together. My boys are teens now, and getting embroiled in a game is one of the best ways for them to spend time with family during visits.

Hate board games, I am the least competitive person and I just couldn't give a crap if I win or lose.

We play lots of board games at holiday time but also sometimes on a Sunday afternoon. We have a large collection as my husband is always buying new ones. Two of the kids (17 & 20) do often end up falling out. The favourite at our house at the moment is Catan.

We love them!

My DS and 21 & 18 and will play cards etc on holidays but even Christmas was mostly food, drinks and chat. I can’t say to my mind board games were normal and something that was a big part of life we are more of a chatty round table family and when they were smaller that were out on bikes or having a book read to them.

I hate it and always have done since childhood. I tolerate it once a year at Christmas.

People are different <<shocker>>

We play board games most days in our house. Recently bought Battleships which was a real blast from the past and so much fun. Our board games cupboard is fully stocked with something for everything. We are definitely a board game family

It's one of the only things my two teens will occasionally agree to do together. Cluedo, Monopoly, Catan, Carcassonne, Trivial Pursuit (with different sets of questions for each 🙄), Fluxx. It's less often now because everyone is so busy it's rare we have a few hours all together in the house when noone is doing anything else but they're brilliant tools for family engagement.

I don't like the ones that need a lot of setting up but I like a quick game of scrabble or dobble. I occasionally play chess with DS1 but I'm not very good at it. We always play the hat game at Christmas. When the DC were smaller we all loved 'sneaky snacky squirrel'.

We love board games in this house!

Over Christmas we played Cluedo, Chess, Uno, Snakes & Ladders, Darts and we're starting to try to play D&D as a family. We love it and there's always a lot of laughter when we have a board game going. My favourite is Cluedo because we put on mystery music playlists on Spotify and have drinks & nibbles. I like Monopoly as well but haven't played it recently.

I always have a pack of Uno cards in my bag so we can play when we go out to eat in a restaurant. DS has ADHD and used to struggle to sit still, so this really helped and stopped them using iPads or devices. It was a social and fun thing for us to do as a family. It has worked like a charm for us.

We play at Christmas and holidays. I too find monopoly boring but the kids (older teens at uni) love it and it's our Boxing Day tradition. We enjoy a mix of the basic classics like connect four, scrabble, cluedo then occasionally get a new strategy type one.

DD bought her boyfriend home for Christmas break and he joined in with cards games too, and I noticed DD and her flatmates have a pile of daft card type games in their shared space at uni.

We have always played board games with the children and card games. There is a special moment where they can sort and hold the cards with their tiny hands.

I have never played proper Monopoly, we had cash machine Monopoly so a quick 30 minute game and the children loved putting the card into the cash machine and it spitting out chance cards and cash.

When they get older you can play co-op games where you all play toward one goal like Forbidden Island. We like strategy games. Settlers of Catan always causes mock tension and outrage. Oh and Dh banned Cat, Taco, Goat etc as he had red hands from all the slapping Exploding Kittens revealed how devious Ds2 is. He takes no prisoners. It is a lot of fun.

We grew up playing games on a Sunday afternoon, Bingo, card games, a brilliant way to spend your time.

Ds1 is now 23 and he and his mates go to a board game cafe.

Yes very normal. My children always ask to play games at the weekend. There will always be a few rounds of Uno and usually a game of Cludo, Monopoly or Wilmot's Warehouse.

Yes I used to when the kids were little and still do now. We used to get a new game every Xmas and now we probably buy 3 or so new games a year. We can now play more complex long lasting games. It is a lovely way to spend time together and so much better than only ever watching TV in the evenings. We have great fun playing with lots of laughter. If your dh doesn't like games it may just be that you haven't found the right ones. Does he play video games? If so what kinds of things does he like?

We like games! Not particularly the older ones like monopoly but things like catan, ticket to ride, wingspan. They're lovely.
Teens are now 16 and it's a bit harder to get them to play but we do during the holidays.

The kids will usually play chess against DH at least once a week.

Also I have a weekend away with my friends once a year and we will always take a game to play together.

We love board games - most families I know do

We have games night on Sunday evening. Have done it since they were small.

Yes, for holidays. We're a bit busy during term time, and tend to go for a walk to get away from screens when there's no work, College, dance class etc the dog prefers that to board games.

Cards are easier to carry for filling in time when travelling, Uno and Exploding Kittens are favourites. The dog occupies herself by trying to scavenge for dropped crusts and crisps...