Board Games: What Are The Benefits?

For many decades, board games have provided families with hours of fun. Especially on rainy days and at family get-togethers in holiday time.

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What is your favourite board game from childhood? Chess or charades, perhaps?

Some of the favourites of our team include Scrabble, Monopoly, Mad, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and Risk. Aside from just being fun, though, board games are good for us. According to BBC Science Focus, for instance, board games have been shown to improve the numerical skills of preschool children.

What’s more, a 2025 Spanish study showed that residents in a nursing home who played board games twice a week had improved cognitive function and a better quality of life.

Really, it is good for all of us at any age. Why? Playing a game of chess helps us to plan and strategise while a general quiz board game tests our general knowledge and ability to recall names, places, dates and recent events.

Having a weekly game of Ticket to Ride, Herd Mentality or Catan can help build problem solving skills, memory retention and concentration. The ability to concentrate for extended periods of time is one many of us are interested in these days as apps with short video clips slowly erode our attention spans.

So, which game to choose and where to begin? You have literally thousands of games to choose from. We suggest browsing your local game store or checking out board game bloggers. They regularly play the latest board games and give reviews for each. Some of these may be biased as they may be plugging a certain product, so do take a look at a few blogs and videos before deciding.

Card games can also be loads of fun and they don’t need to be slow either. For older children and teens, Loud Librarians is a great party game with lots of noise and fun. Or one of our favourites, Scrabble Twist, which is a cross between Scrabble and Uno.

Don’t forget the snacks! A good game always pairs well with tasty snacks and great company. Crisps, caramel popcorn, cut up pieces of nutty dark chocolate, apple slices – you can tell we are foodies here, right?

Not to be overlooked are the benefits of face-to-face interaction that playing board games can give us. Cracking jokes, chatting and laughing with old friends and new is good for us socially and emotionally.

Go ahead...why not have a board game night this coming weekend?

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Discussion

What was your favourite board game as a child?

Do people still play board games in your country?

Should the school curriculum include time for an educational board game each week?

Is it easy for elderly people to access hobby clubs or lesire centres that offer board games where you live?

What are the pros and cons of board games vs video games?