Her eyes were open wide and her smile even wider, the kid would not sit still. She’d become some type of spider monkey, crawling all over us. I could hardly believe what was happening.

Our neighbors had gifted us a music-themed board game at Christmas. The game was easy enough for my music-loving 7-year-old to play. We were to come up with one word and see who could think of a song containing that word the fastest. The person who thought of the song got to roll the dice and move forward on the board. Any song could be suggested – country and love songs. Patriotic and pop. After a few rounds, my 7-year-old began schooling us. Seriously. She was whipping our tails left and right… clearly beating out us adults.

She was really good.

I don’t know why I seemed so surprised. As a baby, she’d been drawn to music. Even now for road trip entertainment, all she needs are headphones and the Spotify playlist my husband maintains for her. It wasn’t so much her winning the music game I was surprised by – I couldn’t believe she was actually playing a board game with us… and liking it! Can anyone relate!?

Bonding Over Board Games

 

As a kid. I personally loved board games. And puzzles. And cards. With a brother, Nintendo and board games became our Switzerland – a neutral ground for elementary-aged siblings who grossed one another out most other hours of the day. Across plastic Battleship boards we found our commonalities. When we went head to head in Yahtzee, we realized we weren’t so different after all. He was clearly going to be better with handling money if Monopoly Junior had anything to say about it (which not surprisingly – he is).

Throughout my childhood, I developed a love for playing games that has followed me well into adulthood. In college, my favorite nights were when friends from the dorm gathered in a circle for a game of Catchphrase or Arkansas Bluff. When we were dating, my husband and I taught ourselves how to play chess one night as a distraction so we wouldn’t go too far and break our “wedding night” promise.

Let’s just say we’ve not played chess since we’ve gotten married.

In the hospital after my cancer surgeries, cards and word puzzles have helped me stay sane. For richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, board games have been a constant friend to me. They force conversation when we think there’s nothing to say. They bring levity and lightness to rooms full of tension and silence. I firmly believe an Old Maid card can bring a smile to any rotten day.

Which is why my heart would break as I’d try to introduce board games to my daughter and for years, she wanted nothing to do with them. Even Guess Who! Until: The new music board game appeared.

An Even Bigger Prize

 

So back to the night my daughter became a jungle animal crawling all over us because she was so excited to play a board game… Of course my heart swelled.

It was a moment I’d always dreamed of happening.

But as I soaked it in, I realized there was even more to gain from it; something even better than reaching “finish” first or the deep satisfaction of a mother’s heart when family time is well spent.

I got to meet my daughter… for what felt like the first time.

I’d gotten to know her very well as a baby over hundreds of dirty diapers and bedtime stories, and as a toddler who pretended silver forks and spoons were people, who loved Dora and dressing up like a princess. But during the game, I got to meet a new little girl, one who could read her own chance cards and move her own purple marker around the board after she rolled the dice.

A girl who didn’t need us to do everything for her anymore, but simply give her hugs and let her share our blankets to make her feel supported.

A girl who wanted to show me her love of music and let me peek into the songs making up the soundtrack of her world, the anthems of her childhood that will stick with her forever.

A girl who came around after years of resistance, a girl who was changing, and finally said yes to her mama’s persistent request – “Will you please come play a board game with me?”

Board Game Fun!

 

If you too have little ones with even littler attention spans, here’s a few games we’ve managed to get through:

• Mancala (just make sure the pieces don’t end up in their mouths)
• KerPlunk (just make sure they don’t poke their eyes with the sticks)
• Uno
• Candy Land
• Spontuneous (this is the game I reference in the post that’s great for music-loving families and kids)

 

Anyone else have suggestions? What are some of your favorite games to play?