Benefits of gaming
Beyond being jolly good fun gaming has lot of benefits. I want to explore the details and reasons over the next few months and would love to hear your stories and views.
Health:
Studies have linked gaming to increased health including staving off dementia and Alzheimer’s https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/board-games/news/playing-board-games-once-a-week-may-help-stave-off-dementia-and
Learning and Educational
As well as learning more about the topic or theme of the game be it Historic, natural or evolution. Some of my favourite games have strong links to simulations and history. Evolution is a great game where you develop traits to survive the cruel world and each other. Neanderthal has you running a tribe and learning to speak. The Timeline literally has you putting objects and events in the correct order, much harder than you imagine it would be.. when were glasses invented?
Games teach lots of skills, turn taking, maths, reason, trading, reasons, strategy, tactics, bluffing, risk taking.
Social
Games are a great social outlet in a digital world, they also provide a reason to mix chat and socialise without small talk a lot of people find terrifying.
A common interest is a great icebreaker and setting down to play a game is a great way to get to know people.
Stress Relief
Depending on how you relieve stress, games can bring lots of laughter, deep through and problem solving or just a chance to hang with friends, a reason to leave the house and break your routine.
Mental heath
All of the above reasons help with mental health, it’s it safe inclusive community where there is a common interest. It gives a positive outlet for collecting, learning, studying as well as organising events and giving back.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/
Connect – Gaming lets you connect with people as part of an online community with similar interests, as well meeting in person to share a fun, cheap activity. Gaming gives you a mutual activities reducing the need to small talk. Gaming can happen any where day or night and normally happens in safe neutral spaces like village halls, churches, or pub function rooms which are nice places to meet. Often our game nights are the highlights for people lives and a major social outlet.
Be active – Gaming gets people out to travel to gaming venue, to challenge themselves mental and physically. Some games including manual or dexterity elements
Keep learning – Gaming is the perfect change to learn new rules, new processes, to take risks and try and strategies and really engage your brain. If you are cautious in life try going all out attack in a war game.
Modern games are full of interesting choices and decisions. Many are simple and are more about reading the other players, some are complex and you there rules to learn and then master. There are games to challenge and entertain everyone.
Give to others – Gaming is a perfect way to help others, take your games to others, teach them and share the hobby. Join Herefordshire Board Gamers in raising money for charity or supporting community events.
Be mindful – Mindfulness is about thinking about what you have, gaming lets you thinking about the present, being in a same socialising with friendly like minded people.
Some other useful links
http://www.gametablecafe.com/10-health-benefits-of-playing-board-games
http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-board-games/
https://boardscardsdice.com/board-game-benefits/
https://www.mikkogames.co.uk/blogs/news/mental-health-benefits-of-playing-board-game