When it comes to gift buying for children, parents often find themselves faced with the difficult task of choosing between entertainment and educational value.

Parents don’t have to pick between the two when they decide to give a board game that can be both fun and educationally engaging.

“Many of today’s parents are adding board games to their birthday shopping lists,” says Matt Carlson, a columnist on the popular parenting website gamerdad.com. “Board games stimulate imagination, teach co-operative play, encourage analytical thinking and are often a child’s first encounter with important, real-world themes like money management and practical decision-making.”

A 2007 study of American young people found that spending time with family was the No. 1 response when participants were asked what makes them most happy. Though parents often lament the scarcity of family time, homes with a well-stocked game closet enjoy a built-in outlet for parent-child interaction. “Game play is an easy gateway to the type of family time that our parents and grandparents took for granted,” says Carlson. (…)

- Choose games the whole family will enjoy. A carefully selected game will broaden the appeal of a family’s game collection to include friends, older siblings, parents and even grandparents. To select true family games, choose themes that cross gender lines and are ideal for a range of ages. (…)

“Savvy parents know that games are a great way to have interactive family time,” says Carlson. “Today’s board games provide opportunities for social engagement and educational value in a fun and interactive way that keeps kids returning.”

Source: 24 Hours Vancouver, Canada
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/Lifestyle/2008/01/29/4799006-sun.html