Technology is something that has helped society in many facets of life, both professionally and personally. We’d all be a little lost without it if suddenly one day it all disappeared. That of course, is very unlikely to happen, which is why you should incorporate it into your life where possible.
It’s good to have a balance of technology usage, especially taking the time to switch off from it completely where possible. This is especially important during family time because nowadays, it’s hard to fit in family time for households who are always busy working, or when in the same space, using their mobile phones and electronic devices.
With that being said, technology will only be improving and advancing, so it’s part and parcel of life itself. Here are some of the ways in which technology is transforming family game nights and how to get the most of your game nights by using technology.
- They provide an educational opportunity
Technology can be great when providing an educational opportunity for you and your loved ones. It’s said that you learn something new every day and so even when you’re in your 60s or 70s, you can still get educational value from technology.
For youngsters, technology is great for being informative and for educating children in more fun and engaging ways.
For games that utilize technology, it provide access to helpful resources and create more appeal with the games they play alone or with the family.
With technology, you get a lot of learning with the electronic devices directly. If they’re not quite used to using specific technology like a desktop or tablet device, they can get ahead by making use of it during family game nights.
- Technology adds more interactive elements to gameplay
Traditional board games were just that, they contained a board and the playing pieces required to play the game. In recent years, there have been new boards coming out with technology included within them to make the game more interactive and immersive.
Over time, we’re likely to see more of the VR incorporated into board games to keep them relevant for family game nights. Technology has helped to add more interactive elements into the gameplay in order to keep it fresh and exciting.
While some board games are timeless like chess and can be played over and over again without boredom arising, some games benefit from the inclusion of technology.
- Virtual family game nights bring together those who live far away
Virtual family game nights have evolved from the days of the pandemic when families, friends, and colleagues would get together to have weekly quizzes and game nights done virtually.
Whether it is virtually playing board games physically in front of them, or online, the flexibility that technology brings to families near and far is beneficial.
With virtual family game nights, you have the opportunity to bring people together who may not always be able to spend their time physically together. Whether it’s due to work restrictions, or mainly due to location, having technology has helped us connect in more ways than ever before.
If you’re looking to make family game night more inclusive to all those in your family who may not be available physically, then a virtual game night with the help of technology might be a great way to socialize with your nearest and dearest.
- It helps to improve relationships with technology
When you’re playing games and using technology, it helps to promote a healthier relationship with technology in general. Not everyone was easily adaptable to the change that technology brought along with it and as a result, some people still have an aversion to it.
Combining gameplay with technology is a wonderful way to improve relationships and is something that can definitely benefit those who don’t take well to technology in general. That’s not just the older generation specifically either. There are plenty of people across all generations who struggle with using technology or find it to be a negative part of living that they want little to no involvement with.
Sometimes though, it’s useful to make it fun with gameplay and that often at times, is helpful to break down the barriers.
- It’s useful for balancing screen time
While technology can be fun to use, it’s also something that you want to control and drip feed into your life where it can be limited. Of course, that can be hard to do nowadays with most businesses using technology. However, within your personal life, it can be easier to use family game nights as a way to balance your technology time more fairly.
When you’ve got little ones and older children fighting for technology around the home, it can be good to curb their usage sometimes and save that for the family games that you’ll be playing.
How to make family game night a fun and regular activity
Technology is transforming family game night for many households and if you’re one that already does it regularly, then it’s important to keep it up where possible. If you don’t currently have a family games night in situ, then here are a few ways you can make it work for you and your household.
Check-in with everyone’s schedules
First and foremost, be sure to check everyone’s schedules to ensure they are all available as and when you wish to hold the family game night.
It’s important to find an evening that works for everyone and that won’t result in anyone turning in for the night earlier than planned because they’re too tired.
Explore the options when it comes to everyone’s schedule and find something that works. Even if that’s not until the end of the week or on the weekend, there will always be some room somewhere to have family time.
Let everyone take a turn to pick a game
To help ensure everyone gets to enjoy the game night, take it in turns to let everyone pick out a game they like. Of course, not everyone is going to enjoy the game they play one week but by giving everyone the chance to take a turn, it’s going to encourage more regular gameplay in the future.
Having an active involvement in choosing the game can also make it feel more like a family activity, rather than just one family member picking the game that they prefer each time.
Get the snacks and drinks ready
Snacks and drinks are something that should be ready and waiting for when gameplay is about to commence. There’s a lot of enjoyment to be had when you’ve got family game night and one of the best things is the delicious snacks and beverages that you could accompany with your games – whatever they may be.
You could add the snacks and drinks as a themed element to the game, perhaps choosing to make specific drinks or themed snacks where appropriate.
Encourage fair play and admit defeat gracefully
It’s important to encourage fair play when it comes to enjoying family night for all. While not everyone might be as good at the game as others, fair play will help ensure everyone has fun.
You also want to educate and encourage your children to admit defeat and to do so gracefully. Getting worked up and aggressive if one or more players are on a winning streak, is not really the type of behavior you want your kids exhibiting as it can spill into their adult life.
These tips are a great way to help make sure family game night is fun and enjoyable for everyone.
