All on board

CHENNAI: Board games have managed to reinvent themselves in the digital age as a way for people to come together and unwind, as well as a way to socialise at cafeterias and restaurants. As the holiday season kicks in, CE asked people in the city what makes board games their preferred leisure activity.

“I realised that work was getting in the way of meeting my friends and getting some downtime,” said Sameeksha Jain, who works with a consulting firm in the city. “I read a book that spoke of having a ‘game night’ every month and that’s when I thought I would host my own game night for friends where we play Pictionary, Taboo, Uno or Cards Against Humanity. It has become a regular feature at my house now because it is such fun!”

While there are innumerable games available on mobile devices, parents are also warming up to the idea of spending time with their children and playing board games.“My son is in front of some kind of screen for long hours and I feel that over the weekend it is not only important but necessary for him to give his eyes some rest,” said Rekha Rajan. “If I tell him to keep his phone away, he may resist but when I tell him that we’ll play a board game, he will readily accept. That way he doesn’t sit in front of the television or glance at his phone every now and then. It also becomes a nice way for us to bond.”

Counsellors in the city spoke of how playing a board game is not only a fun way to spend time with family and friends today, but also a great way for children to learn that things may not always go your way.
John Baby, CEO of Funskool India, agrees and said that this is also the reason why board games have gone on to do double-digit growth this year.

“Board games in India have not been given the importance that they are given elsewhere in the world,” he said. “Things are changing though, because it is now increasingly being looked at as a family bonding activity, in a time where both parents often are working and possibly do not get much quality time with their children. Board games are a wonderful way for children also to learn that someone will always win and another will lose. This helps them accept failures and appreciate success — qualities that go a long way.”

For restaurants and cafeterias, it is a great way to provide in-house entertainment at barely any cost.“We introduced board games so people could have a good time and live in the present rather than constantly worry about something else,” said a manager of a restaurant in the city who did not wish to be named.

He said that he noticed a spike in customers soon after introducing the games.“People really enjoyed themselves and kept coming back to have a relaxed and fun time. The laughter and occasional fight that would break out when the entire Jenga structure fell or when a teammate did not guess the right Taboo word added to the charm of the place.”