What Value In Playing Traditional Style Games?

In a world dominated by digital games people in the UK are largely unaware of the rich and diverse selection of traditional style (played around a table) games available from around the world.

These games take many forms but can all be played around a table by people of every age and ability. By their design they are well suited to being used as a tool to support a wider variety of tasks, whether in schools, libraries, universities, community groups etc.

The game designs:

1. Puts Fun at the heart of any encounter with them.
2. Typically are not based around the throw of the dice. So to a great degree you make your own luck by the decisions you make within the game. 
3. They are not general knowledge based, so each person comes to the game as an equal, with nobody needing to feel intimidated by other people’s greater knowledge. 
4. Offer a highly interactive social experience; it is not a matter of waiting for 10 minutes whilst John has his go, players are interacting with each other constantly. 
5. Typically avoid confrontation and can encourage collaboration; so they can help build bridges between individuals and groups where there is friction or misunderstanding. 
6. Offer simple rules that are quick to explain and belie a depth and complexity of strategy that ensure an enjoyable and challenging experience appropriate to every age and ability. 

Modern games entice people with interesting artwork and components, and humour in a way that few other tools can.

When used with young people they allow the children to test and apply their formal learning in a way that engages and energises. As a tool in the community they bring people together to sit around a table and get to know each other whilst at the older end of the spectrum they not only get people talking but they also help to keep the grey matter active.