Different Ways to Game and Bond With Your Kids

Gaming is a fantastic hobby for parents and children alike. If you have kids, it makes sense to try to involve them in your hobbies. You want to teach about who you are as a person while you relax, and it’s good to have fun with your family in a relaxed environment so you can spend time together.

While it is important to set boundaries with your kids in regard to gaming and screen time, this doesn’t mean that it isn’t a worthwhile activity. Games can teach children how to solve problems and puzzles, and some games are proven to improve reaction time and reflexes. You can also be creative and soak up different stories when playing games.

Setting Up a Gaming Area

First things first, you need somewhere to play games. Some parents prefer to make the gaming area available to the whole family. This way, you can supervise your child, especially if they’re playing with other people, while also being free to join them or vice versa while you’re playing.

However, gaming can be a noisy hobby, so it’s good to find a balance between a gaming area that won’t interfere with others while still being easy to access.

You want it to be comfortable and cool. Gaming areas are a great place for kids and adults to let their creative side out when they decorate. RGB lighting looks incredibly cool, especially in a properly lit up room.

As well as your consoles, you should think about great peripherals. You can buy second hand computer parts and controllers online so you can build a proper gaming rig, complete with a monitor and sound system.

Finally, set up a seating area, whether it’s a gaming chair or a sofa for everyone to play together. If you want to play split screen, get multiple consoles and a monitor big enough for everyone.

Choose Your Console

There are so many different ways to play, and there’s no reason to say that you can’t mix things up. When it comes to consoles, most people start with one console because they can play most games on it and it’s cheaper than getting everything. Other people choose to play on a PC.

PC gaming isn’t as easy to get into as console gaming, but if you’re willing to play around with different computer parts and to experiment a bit, you can get a very different experience. Modded games are much easier to find on PC, and you can often get a lot more variety. 

There’s no right or wrong way to play, and many people end up collecting a few consoles over time anyway. Some games are exclusives, meaning that you can only play them on a specific console.

Nintendo games are great, but they are only playable on Nintendo consoles. 

Finally, don’t forget about VR games and consoles. This is a completely new way to play where you move and act as though you’re in the game world. VR technology has come a long way, and it’s a fantastic way to play as a family as you can watch what the player is experiencing in real time.

Gaming On the Go

While a gaming area is a great way to play, it’s not the only option. Handheld consoles have taken the world by storm, and most consoles can be shrunken down. The Nintendo Switch can play a huge variety of games wherever you are, and you can switch between a handheld and a console mode.

While the PSP is a few years old now, Sony is set to release a new handheld console relatively soon, which should open the pathway for a lot of players to enjoy brand new games on a brand new system.

Even Steam has released the Steam Deck, which allows people to play PC and XBox games on the go.

You don’t actually need a specially designed console to play on the go. Your mobile phone is more than just a phone and a camera. It also happens to be a sophisticated and powerful computer, which means that you can play plenty of games on your phone.

While a lot of mobile games have a bad reputation, you can find plenty of fun games that people have made with love. You can get simple puzzle games for free, or you can pay a small amount for a game that doesn’t come with the adverts and extra costs of your typical mobile game. You can just have fun wherever you go.

Board Games 

While most people associate gaming with video games, board games have seen a spike in popularity over the past few years. There is a massive variety of board games and other tabletop games to get into, which is why it’s great that the scene is opening up for different people.

First, you should think about classic board games. Monopoly, Scrabble, Risk, and other games are a great way to get into tabletop games. These games can be relatively quick and friendly or they can be brutal longer games, depending on your mood. 

While these are fun, they aren’t the only option. Modern board games that have been released in the past few decades have taken the world by storm. 

Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, and Settlers of Catan aren’t exactly new, but they were the start of a gaming renaissance which changed how people view board games. These games can be simple or complex and are always interesting and fun with a crowd.

You also can’t ignore tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons, Gloomhaven, and Warhammer 40k. RPGs and strategy games that involve complex sets and pieces are fun to set up, but they’re a great way to spend your time. You can build stories with RPGs, and you can also spend time creating models with games like 40k and getting your family and friends involved.

Some board games have moved online. While setting up the board is half of the fun, it’s sometimes easier to play from a console or another device. You can play mahjong to pass the time, for example.

Playing Solo and With Your Family

One of the things that makes gaming such a great hobby is the fact that you can play solo and with other people. If you just want to pass a few minutes while you wait for something, a puzzle game on your phone can keep you occupied.

Or you can play a solo RPG and really get involved with the story. Games are allowed to be more creative now than ever before, so you can have unique experiences and sink your teeth into something that has real narrative depth combined with interesting gameplay. Indie games are especially good for this, because they aren’t trying to cater to the widest audience.

But playing games can be an equally great group experience. If you have a movie night with your family, consider switching it up and have a gaming night. Teach your kids how to play games you love, and ask them to teach you about their favorite games.

Build Minecraft worlds together. Play cooperatively or competitively, depending on how you prefer to have fun. Rather than letting gaming be something that separates a family, let it become a shared hobby.

You can play both ways, as can your kids. This way, you get the most out of every gaming experience and you can share it with your family.