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We asked for some feedback on why you play games with your family and were inundated with responses.  Below, are just some of the 'real-life' experiences you have had playing games with your family members.

Games are so fun to play as a family because you can laugh and talk, whereas with video games, you simply look at the TV screen; not very personable. I own a toy store now, so I know the value of having children playing games at home!! Michelle Sidney, Kookle Toys
 

My wife and I play games with our four-and-a-half year old daughter several times a week to counteract the hyper stimulation of her TV, iPad, Droid, Wii activities.   Games undoubtedly develop many skills such as colour identification, counting, solving simple mazes and, storyline appreciation.  Social skills are learned simultaneously, like taking turns, patience, and sportsmanship. Parents enjoy educational & nostalgic "family time". Michael Plociniak

It is a time when my husband, son and I can get close together and fully focus on each other and laugh. We tend to enjoy strategy games  that make us think and the games that make us laugh out loud.  I have always loved games and often played them with my girls when they were young and still do today (they are 25 & 27 now). These times were always "our" time and I can see this must of been some influence on them because they too have many games and bring them to all our family gatherings. Michele McKay

For my kids, I think games teach a number of things as they progress from simple games to more complex ones. Taking turns, understanding how to move along a board, counting pips on the die or spaces on the board are all basic skills. But I think once you get past simple roll-and-move games and there's an element of choice, then they start to learn how to make decisions, how to plan ahead. They begin to understand that their choices have consequences, and that winning a game requires thinking about those choices. I recently played a simple dice game with my second-grade daughter, and an unexpected bonus was that she was working on her addition during the game—I had her keep her own score, and she's just been learning how to add two- and three-digit numbers, so it was great practice for her while getting to play a game with dad. Jonathan Liu, Geekdad.com

Games for me provide quality time with my family and friends. I love the laughter that comes while playing games. I am actually considered the Board Game Queen in my family. I can't walk into a board game store without leaving with at least two new games!  Jess Shultzaberger

When playing games with our children, we are able to talk about how they are similar to how the world works.  For example, Monopoly can help explain the current financial situation our world is in, as well as understanding how decisions we make in the moment can have impact on our future (i.e. buying up too many properties in the beginning, leaving no money for unexpected issues, and so forth).   I would definitely say that Monopoly is our favourite, although we also get a real kick out of Twister and, Jenga. We have tried some of the newer games but always find ourselves drawn right back to the old favourites.   Zoe Keegan, LindasLaw.org

Games are good for bringing the family together face-to-face without an electronic distraction.  It teaches children counting, adding (the dice), how to follow rules, how to lose, how to congratulate others, and patience. To me, it's as important as sitting down to dinner as a family. And it's just plain fun!  Karen S. Elliott

They are an opportunity to get together with friends and family and to do an activity together. 

There is also an element of challenge. Dependant on the game you choose there are choices to make in the game and decisions to make and strategies to decide on which influence the outcome. In other words you have to think a bit! 

Games can have an educational element – both in information you learn in a game and in the stimulation to thought they might provide. This might flow from say a historical map used as the game board, language and words encountered, perhaps something about the nature of what the game is simulating – perhaps running a railway or building a cathedral or colonising an island; or just the interaction between the players that the game promotes. Richard Denning, richarddenning.co.uk

We play them because they are fun and most of all provide good quality family time.  I have observed people open up and talk about things they would not normally plus, you learn personality traits about each other.

My 10 year old daughter says, about playing games, that she loves the family time. We are all so busy that this is one of the only times when we truly have good family time. It is challenging right now to include our toddler in with the games because he has such a short attention span but we try to play some age appropriate games with him.

Our children learn different personality traits from us as parents – they see us laughing, they watch carefully how we play the games and learn about us. My daughter knows now how to negotiate with my husband to make 'deals' in Monopoly. She knows I am more of a neat and control freak because I am the one who wants the games set up in a certain way, always checking the rules, etc.  Liana Ling
 

A huge thank you to everybody that took the time to share their stories.  We really appreciate your responses.  Thanks again.

Compiled by Gary Mullen from HandcraftedUK, supplier of Garden Games.

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Paranormal tool to communicate with the dead or, a meaningless board to fool the naive?  Whatever your opinion of the Ouija Board there is no denying that they are a source of intrigue and fascination for many people.  But where do these boards come from?  Do they have their roots in ancient spiritual practices or, are they nothing more than a modern toy?

In its early years the Ouija Board was referred to as a Talking Board and looked very different from the boards we recognise these days.  These early designs had a pencil fitted to the planchett which was rested upon sheets of blank paper.  The participants would ask a question and the planchett would travel across the paper until it had spelt out the messages from the spirits.  Over time, the design was modified until the boards had letters, numbers and words fixed upon them.

The modern Ouija Board which we know today dates back to the late 19th Century where they were first sold as novelty items.  William Fuld of the Kennard Novelty Company was the first to introduce the Talking Board to the mainstream and in 1901 patented the term ‘Ouija Board’ to market them.  This was the perfect time to introduce these boards to the general public as interest in spiritualism was growing in popularity.

An interesting side-note is that the original Ouija Boards did not have the words "hello" and "goodbye" on them.  It was only added by the Victorians who didn't want to anger the spirits with bad manners so demanded a courteous opening and closing to their Ouija sessions!

Fuld claimed the word Ouija was from the Egyptian for 'good luck'.  In fact, this is untrue.  However, the name can be linked to the words for yes in French and German, "oui" and "ja" respectively.  One of the earliest mysteries surrounding the boards can be attributed to the death of Fuld himself.  In 1927, whilst attempting to repair a flag mast on the factory roof that produced the boards he fell to his death.  The official explanation is that one of the supports gave way however, others believe a more sinister force was at work and something supernatural caused his demise!

The Fuld family eventually sold the trademark ‘Ouija Board’ to the toy and game manufacturer Parker Brothers in 1966.  Parker Brothers still own the trademark to this day.  To date, they are estimated to have sold up to 25 million units.

Much of the opposition to using Ouija Boards comes from religions groups with many of them believing the boards carry a threat of demonic possession.  Some fundamentalist Christian groups have burnt the boards as they see them as symbols of witchcraft!  However, there is much scientific study to suggest Ouija Boards are nothing more than a toy and it is only the conscious/unconscious activities of the participants that is responsible for making the boards 'work'.

So the Ouija Board we know today may have their origins in ancient China.  The methods used to use the Boards have changed through time but the debate as to their credibility is still a source of great debate.  Perhaps Parker Brothers summed this up perfectly with their marketing slogans: "It's just a game…isn't it?"

Written by Gary Mullen from HandcraftedUK, supplier of Ouija Boards.

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You may reproduce the content of this article onto your own website. However, to do so you must include a link back to HandcraftedUK. Thank you.