Game moment
Wollen euere Kinder spielen?
🇩🇪 Original in German
Hey there,
Just wanted to share something that’s been on my mind for a while.
Do any of you have trouble getting your kids into board games?
We’ve got four kids: 17, 14, 8, and 5.
Unfortunately, except for the 5-year-old every now and then, they all just want to game on PC or console.
When our 14-year-old was around 8 or 9, I tried forcing a game on her—like, “You’re playing this now.”
That ended in tears.
I feel like my kids see board games as punishment when they’ve been on the computer too much.
And honestly, none of my kids’ friends seem excited about board games either.
I’ve got a whole room full of board games in the basement, and when I think about how I’d have reacted as a kid seeing that room—and then see that none of them (mine or any of their friends) care one bit—I wonder if we can even compete with the digital world anymore.
🇩🇪 Original in German
Hey there! So our kids (18, 16, 15, 15) still get together with us 2-3 times a month for a game night, and they always have fun with it. Sure, not all four of them are always there, but it’s always a cozy round. And then we’re back to gaming again 😂😂
🇩🇪 Original in German
Also, my kids are 8 and 11 years old. We started playing board games with them really early—often even in the morning before kindergarten. Now they come to us on their own and ask if we want to play a board game or if we want to have a board game night. In my opinion, it's important to bring age-appropriate games and games that they enjoy to the table. As parents, you should be able to explain the rules well so you don’t have to start studying them once the kids are already there. Maybe it’s also because my kids are only allowed to game on the console very rarely—maybe just during really bad weather or as a reward for something. Maybe start with easy games that are quick to explain? Or pick the right theme. Or, if they like gaming on PC or console, maybe try a game with app integration (e.g., QR Fighters). I hope I could give you some tips!
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Ist weniger geworden, definitiv (19&16). But at the latest on vacation always. Flip7, Uno, Skull Kings…
🇩🇪 Original in German
Our boys are 3 and 5, so they're still at the age where digital media isn't a huge deal. They have their own shelf for board games in the closet. Both of them often want to play board games with us (or with Grandma and Grandpa). When we ask, they both run off and grab (usually different) games they want to play. We started our 5-year-old on games pretty early too. Cooperative games definitely work better than competitive ones. Hopefully they don't lose interest. We've been thinking about introducing a weekly or bi-weekly board game night. Maybe you could try something like that too—maybe once a month to start. You might need to create some incentives first. Cool snacks, drinks, or treats? Or a prize for the winner? I don’t have much experience with kids this young yet 😅
🇩🇪 Original in German
Mein Stiefsohn has always loved playing games from a young age, so we focused on games with themes he was interested in (cars and trains). Back then, he was even allowed to come up with his own rules. Now he's 23, and travel games, quizzes, and the classic *Ticket to Ride* or *Heat* are still going strong—almost every weekend!
🇩🇪 Original in German
Hey there,
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I managed to scare off my oldest sons starting around 15/16 when I dove headfirst into the hobby and wanted to share my excitement about all the variety out there. At least I got the oldest one to the table a few times now that he's an adult, but the younger one still isn't into it. With the younger generation, I did the complete opposite and play whatever they're in the mood for. That led to 500 games of UNO in a year, then 100 rounds of Yahtzee, and then random games like Ticket to Ride or Drebo (which the youngest really loves) or even a memory game now and then. The youngest (9) has stuck with it for months now, and we play at least once a day. I think I did better this time and learned from my own mistakes. I’ll report back in 5 years—feel free to ask again then!
🇩🇪 Original in German
An exciting topic! At its core, I’d say you can’t force or create an interest in board games. You just have to keep in mind why we all play board games: to pass the time as enjoyably as possible. Kids and teens today are bombarded with so much all day long (school workload, sports, mandatory hobbies like maybe music lessons, etc.). That often leaves pretty little "free" time left. And in the time they do have, the constant demand for attention from digital media kicks in full force. So, big props to all the parents who manage to keep their kids interested in analog pastimes and face-to-face socializing! My tip: Have an awesome time with friends playing games yourself and show your kids how much fun it is. Invite them along and show them that this kind of community—where everyone’s welcome—is just a blast. Then let them catch the bug themselves. With the sheer variety of games out there, there’s bound to be something that clicks with everyone.
🇩🇪 Original in German
It's going okay. Nowadays, it's tough for board game-playing parents to compete with Brawl Stars and stuff like that, but every now and then, we still manage to pull it off. Too bad it's gotten so hard to get the little one to the table. I wish my parents had had the time and energy to play games with me when I was little.