Board Game Words of Wisdom

One of our favorite board game podcasts is about to go off the air. Next week, Game On! with Cody & John will air their final episode and I’m sad to see them go.

Not only have we enjoyed listening to Cody and John for a few years, but I’ve also met and played games with them and they’re classy guys.

I met up with Cody and John while on a business trip to Indianapolis in 2010 and had a chance to play a couple games with them. That day even turned out to be John’s birthday and he still welcomed me (a virtual stranger) into his home for some board game time.

In their latest gaming podcast episode, they shared some of their Board Game Words of Wisdom. Having discussed so much about a variety of board games, card games, dice games, miniature games, role-playing games, and more for a number of years, Cody and John are well equipped to dish out important words to live by. And since we think they’re spot on, we’d like to share their tips with you.

Board Game Words of Wisdom

1. Play What you Want

This may seem very obvious since no one is really forcing you to play a board game. But what they really mean is to not get caught up in all the hype of every new board game that comes out. Don’t go just off of the word of board game reviewers, like them (or us for that matter), say. When it comes to board games, make your own decisions about fun.

From a family perspective though, you’ll find yourself playing games that you don’t particularly want to play. But that’s not what they mean. Because if my daughter really wants to play Spinning Wishes again (a game I don’t care for in the least), I’m still going to sit down with her and play it. Playing board games isn’t about the game – it’s about the experience and social interaction. So if it’s Spinning Wishes in that moment, then yes, that is what I want to play because of who I’m with.

2. Make Your Purchases Count

We all have limited resources for things we want. Like mentioned in the first word of wisdom, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of new games. And doing so will add a lot of games to your wish list. (Believe me, I know this first hand – my list is very long.) But don’t fall prey to just buying every board game or card game that sounds or looks cool.

From a family perspective, this is one principle we try to teach our kids – delayed gratification. You don’t have to have the latest and greatest of everything. And just because your friends have something, doesn’t mean you need it too. There’s a great sense of accomplishment and you value items a lot more when you save up and make your purchases count. The same holds true with board games.

3. Don’t be Afraid to Spread Your Gaming Horizons

This gaming word of wisdom is all about trying new things. Sure you may love a particular type or style of game. But don’t let that stop you from trying more. Life is an adventure. Broaden your horizons and open up to new game experiences. And having an informed opinion of why you don’t like a particular type of game is better than never trying it.

From a family perspective, it’s great to expose your kids to a wide range of games. As a parent, you quickly recognize that all of your children have their own personalities, interests, and abilities. Exploring new things is a great way to open their mind to new possibilities and let chart their own course.

4. Don’t be All About Gaming

There is more to life than just gaming. Don’t let it consume your life. And definitely don’t neglect other, more important things in life for the sake of games.

We couldn’t agree more!

This may sound funny coming from us since we’re known as The Board Game Family. But gaming is definitely not the only thing we do. We’ve written a lot about the importance of balance in life. So even though we do love spending time together playing board games, it’s only a small subset of our lives.

Through our website and board game reviews, we definitely want to encourage more families to spend quality time together around the table playing fun family board games. But we also encourage you to spend time with your children doing other things that they love. Be interested in their lives and their interests and let that guide you in your choices.

Thanks Cody and John for a great game podcast and your fabulous Board Game Words of Wisdom!