How Family Game Night Builds Character

At Kids Konnect we know a family story about the granddaughter and grandfather playing the board game Candyland. In that family’s version, Queen Frostine — a single card — appeared in the card deck five or six times each game, always on the granddaughter’s turn. It’s endearing, but what lesson did the granddaughter take away? Years later, she discovered her beloved grandfather was dealing seconds to let her win. An honest evening of family game night can be plenty of fun and help build character in preschoolers.

shutterstock_39878638.jpgWin or Lose

An important character trait preschoolers can learn from family game night is that winning and losing go hand in hand. The universe works from probability, and (unless you have a card shark grandfather) you may lose purely from chance. Dr. Kenneth Barish, PhD, at Psychology Today advises that young children, if urged that “winning is everything,” will cheat to win. They ask for do-overs, flip the game board, or refuse to continue playing.

Says Dr. Barish, “... to accept defeat gracefully is not learned from instruction — it is learned through practice and the emulation of admired adults.” So the parent becomes the role model for enthusiasm throughout the game, even when they aren't winning. Similarly, model the right words to express dismay at losing without physically reacting. Your preschooler will mimic the behavior.

Resilience

Dr. Levey Friedman at Parents magazine says that activities like Family Game Night teach children resilience, a skill that will serve them well as they mature. Dr. Friedman:

"The ability to bounce back after a loss becomes increasingly important as your child reaches the elementary-school years. Teaching resilience now sets kids up for success because they learn that failure isn't the end of the world. It's just a chance to try again."

Play

Family game night reinforces strong family relationships too, by providing a common activity that strengthens maternal and paternal bonds, forges positive memories, and boosts brain power. Any play is good rehearsal for later real-world skills. Family game night and play in general, says PBS, can help balance the decreasing playtime once a child enters public school. By starting the tradition with preschoolers, parents can keep the fun going through elementary school, when academics prevail and play in school decreases.

What character-building benefits do you see during your home’s family game night? We at Kids Konnect love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below.