This year, we’re celebrating play at the library! Everyone knows how beneficial play is for kids, but did you know that it is equally important for adults? It can be a wonderful stress reliever, boosts creativity, alleviates boredom, and may even lower your blood pressure. To that end, every month in 2024, we’re highlighting a different form of play. Each month we’ll have a bingo-style fun card. If you complete all the activities for a blackout on your card, you’ll receive a special prize. And if you complete all 12 fun cards, you’ll be eligible to win a grand prize and be crowned our annual play champion!
February is all about board games! You can play your own, but we also have a display of board games all month long, highlighting games you can play in the library.
Did you know board games were played in ancient times? An interest in board games is hardly new. Ancient Egyptians loved to play Senet, while Go has roots in ancient China. In fact, Go is sometimes considered the oldest continually played board game in the world. Others, however, argue it’s really backgammon or the Royal Game of Ur that hold that title.
Did you know playing board games can improve problem-solving, decision-making, and concentration skills?
Did you know playing board games can also improve your social connections? (Maybe provided your family doesn’t accuse you of being a slum lord during a particularly heated game of Monopoly years ago. Not that I’m still bitter or anything. I won! 😂)
Did you know an estimated 3,000,000 chess sets are sold every year? It’s impossible to know how many have been sold since chess was first invented, but it’s definitely a long-time favorite. Other best-selling games of all time include checkers, Monopoly, Scrabble, and Clue.
Did you know there’s an Oscar of Games? Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) is a highly coveted game board award, decided annually since the 1970s. As you can probably guess from the name, the award originated in Germany, but winning it in any given year can highly increase game sales. In fact, the award has been credited for boosting the popularity of Settlers of Catan around the world, as well as the popularity of Euro-style tabletop games in general.
In any event, here’s your fun card for this month! Play your favorites and broaden your board game horizons while you’re at it!
What’s your favorite board game? Which activity on the fun card piques your interest the most? What’s your favorite way to play? Tell us in the comments!
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