How Gaming Can Bring Your Family Together

As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is to develop a relationship with your children. This means acting as an authority figure, a nurse, a teacher, and also a friend. If you want to be more approachable to your children, it is good to have a rapport and close bond with them so they are more comfortable with you. One way to do this is by engaging in hobbies with them. Gaming is a great hobby that can bring you together.

Bonding With Your Children

The most important reason to play games with your children is so that you can bond with them. Why does this matter?

When you bond with your children, you are able to have fun with them. You also become more approachable to them so, if they need to talk to you about something or vice versa, this is easy for them. They are also better off emotionally, mentally, and physically as they feel more secure and loved. The more you spend time with each other, the more this relationship will grow. 

As mentioned above, the best way to spend more time with someone is to join them in their hobbies. This could be you joining your kids as they play video games or the other way around. If they are gamers, you could ask them to teach you how to play their favorite games, so you can switch roles from teacher to student.

The most important thing is to use this time to have fun. This is great for family time or an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with your children.

Video Games

The most common way to game is probably using video games. Video games cover a massive variety of genres and ways to play, but the one thing they have in common is that you use technology to play certain games. 

Some video games are better for playing with others, while other games are single-player affairs. There is nothing wrong with spending time with someone while they play alone, but you are more likely to have fun and bond if you play together.

Cooperative games allow you both to work together to achieve a common goal. You can play in split-screen or on different devices. Competitive games pit you against each other, and often involve short matches.

Party games are great for a larger group of people, so it is ideal for a family gaming night. Most party games involve lots of quick, competitive games that add up to a final score, an eventual winner, and a lot of fun.

Screen Time And Boundaries

One of the downsides of video games is that they involve screens and devices. In small amounts, this is not harmful and video games can even be educational. But if your child spends most of their time playing games, you should look for other options and consider setting boundaries and limits on the amount of time they play, as well as what they play and who they play with online.

This might not be fun, but it is the other part of being a parent.

Family Sports

Another way to play games is to get outside and play sports games. While some team games like soccer or basketball might require lots of players, you can play other sports that have less requirements, or you can change the game for your family.

For example, you can set up a hoop outside and play at taking shots while another person defends, which is a much simpler way to practice your basketball skills. You could also play games like tennis or badminton that involve two or four players.

The great thing about playing sports as a family is that you keep yourselves healthy while also having fun. But the trick is to keep it fun. If you take things too seriously, it can quickly become less enjoyable for your children, which defeats the purpose of playing together as a family. 

Each family is different, so work on the right rules and boundaries so everyone can enjoy themselves.

Board And Card Games

Another way to play games is to learn board games or card games. This is good if you do not have a lot of space or you are on the go. By teaching your children simple board games like backgammon, you give them a way to entertain themselves without needing a device or a computer.

You can play these kinds of games on the go, which makes them ideal for traveling. You can also play them alone if you have an online version, which helps you to brush up your skills when teaching the game to your children.

Some games are a lot more involved than others, taking around an hour or longer to complete. But many of the best card games allow a group of people to have fun for short periods of time. Consider a family game night or simply having a few of these games in your belt for blackouts and long journeys.

Tabletop RPGs

Speaking of games that can go on for hours, another way to play without a device is to play tabletop RPGs. Unlike ordinary board games, these games mostly take place in your imagination. So, how can you get your kids to enjoy tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons?

First, keep it simple. You might have fond memories of epic game sessions that went on for hours and storylines that took months to reach a conclusion. You might also think about tragic losses and spectacular wins that took a lot of work to achieve.

But if you want your kids to enjoy this kind of game, start small. You can use simplified home brew rules for your first campaigns so they do not feel bogged down. Encourage them to roleplay without taking things too seriously or too far. Come up with (or find) campaigns for shorter, more bitesize sessions. Help your kids when they need it.

As your children become more familiar with this way of playing, they might fall in love with the world and gameplay of Dungeons and Dragons or other Tabletop RPGs. You can then explore other options and make things more complicated and interesting.