MUMS are now so busy that over a quarter (26 per cent) only play board games with their families twice a year, new research from the UK’s largest parenting site Netmums reveals. 
While 92 per cent of mums and dads grew up playing board games, just 68 per cent of modern kids now play them as parents don’t have enough time to set up the games or teach children the rules.
Only one in seven mums still play board games weekly with their families (14 per cent), while 35 per cent play once a month and one in 15 bring out board games solely at Christmas.
But along with treasured soft toys, traditional board games were the most popular item for parents to keep from their childhood, with 54 per cent hanging onto vintage games.
The study also showed a huge 91 per cent of parents believed board games had inter-generational appeal and could be played by the whole family – compared to just 23 per cent who played on video games and 14 per cent who used apps.
Board games were also voted the best value for money toy with kids getting the highest ‘play per purchase cost’. Almost three quarters (69 per cent) of mums believed board games to be good value – eight times higher than for computer games (8 per cent).
Over a third of mums (35 per cent) said they would play more frequently if the board games were quicker – but a further 35 per cent said their games lasted for 30 minutes or less, making it easy to fit into the family schedule.
Tellingly, 95 per cent of mums quizzed said they thought board games were educational and taught children about ‘taking turns’ while 87 per cent believed they instil ‘patience’. A further 87 claimed they promoted ‘family bonding’ while 73 per cent said they improved their child’s ‘spelling ability.’
To raise awareness of the importance of play, Netmums has teamed up with Mattel, a leading games manufacturer, to create Mattel Fun Times. The aim of the campaign is to educate mums that game play doesn’t have to eat into those precious minutes of the day, but can be enjoyed in manageable chunks of around 20 minutes
Siobhan Freegard, Co-Founder and Director at Netmums, says, “There are benefits to be had by all the family when playing a game. Whether it’s on an educational level, to spend more time with the family or just to have some fun, game play should be an integral part of family life. There are a variety of games available and many take less than half an hour to bring the generations together and teach your children while they have fun.”
Which board games are your favourites – and which do you like playing most with your children? Let us know below…
