{"id":21447,"date":"2022-06-20T14:22:56","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T13:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ounews.co\/?p=21447"},"modified":"2022-06-20T14:22:56","modified_gmt":"2022-06-20T13:22:56","slug":"board-games-how-playing-them-online-can-bring-grandparents-and-grandchildren-closer-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/arts-social-sciences\/psychology\/board-games-how-playing-them-online-can-bring-grandparents-and-grandchildren-closer-together\/","title":{"rendered":"Board games: how playing them online can bring grandparents and grandchildren closer\u00a0together"},"content":{"rendered":"

Professor Rose Capdevila<\/a>, Associate Dean (Research, Scholarship and Enterprise)\u00a0and Dr Lisa Lazard<\/a>, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, both from The Open University<\/a>, write for The Conversation<\/a> <\/em>about how online board games can bring grandparents closer to their grandchildren.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re all familiar with the blissful image of grandma or grandpa playing snakes and ladders with their grandchild \u2013 or a large family sat round a table at Christmas over a game of Scrabble, Monopoly or Cluedo.<\/p>\n

You\u2019d be forgiven for thinking that the popularity of board games might have waned in favour of the smartphone, tablet or other online gaming. In fact, the market value of board games has been growing considerably<\/a> in recent years.<\/p>\n

While board games were already on the rise pre COVID, lockdown fuelled this trend<\/a>. A study conducted during the lockdowns suggested nostalgia may have been an important factor in how people coped<\/a> with isolation, both dusting off board games for solace and watching classic films.<\/p>\n

According to a study carried out in Sweden<\/a>, board games can help children learn about relationships, to become more socially adept and develop their cognitive abilities. Research suggests playing board games can also enhance family togetherness<\/a> across the generations.<\/p>\n

Close but far<\/h2>\n

The COVID lockdowns gave us a unique opportunity to study the extent to which families separated by geography managed to maintain that warm glow of togetherness all year round. Suddenly, even relatives who were used to seeing their grandchildren, nieces and nephews on a regular basis were forced to depend upon technology to communicate.<\/p>\n

Those with experience of family video calls will know that conversations between older and younger people can often be uncomfortable. Grandparents ask formal questions \u2013 how\u2019s school? What\u2019s your favourite subject? \u2013 and get monosyllabic responses. The children will then wander away, leaving their parents to continue the conversation.<\/p>\n

We wanted to explore how families can use technology to connect and build their relationships, and how game playing, specifically board games, could improve the quality of interactions between grandparents and grandchildren.<\/p>\n

Extended family members who lived in different places became more separate than ever during the pandemic and many families struggled to sustain intergenerational relationships. This kind of geographical separation, research suggests<\/a>, can hinder the development of emotional closeness in the relationships between grandparents and grandchildren.<\/p>\n

Our research<\/a> aimed to address this gap. We know that the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren can be mutually beneficial. It can contribute to<\/a> children\u2019s development and help grandparents adapt to the ageing process.<\/p>\n

Studies have shown that play using technology can help maintain grandparent-grandchild relationships, as well as improving older people\u2019s digital literacy<\/a> and reducing their social isolation<\/a>. It may also benefit children\u2019s development<\/a> and support parents in replacing \u201cbad\u201d screen time.<\/p>\n