REDISCOVER BOARD GAMES

When you play a board game, you aren’t simply moving pieces across a random series of spaces. Rather, you are taking part in a rich history of human ingenuity and imagination that dates back thousands of years. From ancient Egypt to contemporary times, board games have been an essential part of learning as well as a fun way to pass the time.

Entertainments such as Monopoly, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit have sold across the world in their billions. It seemed their reign would never end. Then handheld electronic games were among the first to crash the party, followed by the rise and rise of computer games and smart phones.

For a child of the 1970s and 1980s, such developments seem far removed from the joyous experiences of my youth, which cemented friendships and taught me as much about life as about myself.

I was about nine when, every Sunday afternoon just after lunch, Mum and I would clear the kitchen table in preparation for our weekly board-game challenge. Friends from over the street would visit to make up the numbers, and Dad would vacate to the lounge room to watch the cricket.

HOW TO HOST A BOARD-GAME SESSION

If playing with friends, be realistic and begin with one session a month.

•  Start off with a game most people are familiar with, so learning new rules isn’t a hurdle.

•  Make it an event where each player is required to bring an item of food or drink – sounds delicious!

•  Mix it up and try a new game every now and then.

•  Ask at your local board-game specialist for their suggestions of classic games and new releases.

•  Join a group, look at message boards or search online for reviews of fresh games entering the market.

•  If you have children, make the time to introduce them to games, as even something as simple as snakes and ladders will help develop their addition and social skills.

•  Have fun, relax and don’t take it too seriously – it’s just a game!

•  At the end of each get-together, pencil in the next one so everyone can plan around it.

Over about 20 years, our weekend get-togethers have evolved into an event with a baking challenge as an intrinsic element. Our regular sessions offer the perfect chance to catch up with friends about their busy lives, their children, and to talk politics, film, literature and music.

Immersing yourself in a regular board-game appointment with friends is also the perfect excuse to turn off your phone and put aside other attention-seeking electronic devices. Aside from the benefit of engaging with friends, playing games is extremely beneficial for the brain, especially when learning new rules or attempting to remember old ones.

Integrating board games into a 21st-century lifestyle needn’t be difficult.