November 17, 2020
Family Bonding for the Holidays? Board Games Hit the Mark
It seemed like such a simple idea, with a modest beginning.
On May 22, 2010, Liz Brunscheen-Cartagena invited members of the community and their families over to the Sedgwick County Extension office to play a few board games. It was, she thought, a way to strengthen family relationships.
“We had a board game library and volunteers to help teach games to the attendees,” said Brunscheen-Cartagena, the family life and resource management agent for K-State Research and Extension’s office in Sedgwick County.
A couple dozen folks showed up, played games then filled out a survey on their experience. It provided the feedback Brunscheen-Cartagena needed to get her program rolling.
Now entering its second decade, Bonding Thru Board Games has brought thousands of people together to play and laugh. Brunscheen-Cartagena said the event is normally held every other month and typically draws between 20-30 people.
But they’ve also hosted Mega Events during the first 10 years in which up to 300 people show up to play. In past years, Board Games with Santa has drawn about 100 players.
“Among many things, playing board games is a resource for mental health,” Brunscheen-Cartagena said. “It helps people to disconnect from reality for a short period of time, having a break from stressors such as COVID or politics.
“Board games,” she added, “transport you to a renaissance pier bidding for goods, a race via railroad, or maybe even one small step to the moon. It brings people together, staving off loneliness. All generations gathering around a table sharing the same activity…it’s brilliant and magical.”
She noted that when possible for families to get together during the upcoming holiday season, board games can provide valuable bonding time.
“You know, these holidays are going to be unique, but that uniqueness has given us the opportunity to re-set our scope and adjust our lenses to focus on who we have close to us and to connect with them,” Brunscheen-Cartagena said. “We have been busy focusing on things ‘out there’ and missing bonding time with people ‘right here.’ COVID is shifting our attention to what is fundamentally important: people. And board games help to connect or re-connect people in a non-intrusive way.”
Brunscheen-Cartagena cited a research-based publication from the University of Nebraska’s Extension service – Family Treasures: Creating Strong Families – that lists six traits of strong families:
Carving time for each other.
Appreciation.
Communication.
Shared values.
Resiliency in times of crisis.
Commitment to each other.
“Playing board games as a family tradition helps to develop those traits in a scaffolding manner,” Brunscheen-Cartagena said. “One trait is the result of the previous one when playing board games. So those key aspects are what I recommend families to focus on.”
Brunscheen-Cartagena added that families should play board games together from beginning to end – with no player elimination rules.
She has written two publications on playing board games, both available for free through the K-State Research and Extension bookstore:
* Developing the six traits of strong families.
* Developing vital soft skills for school and workforce.
More information also is available online through the Sedgwick County Extension office, and on the Bonding Thru Board Games Facebook page.