Board Game Resources
for Families in Isolation

Isolation doesn’t have to be boring. It’s time for some serious play.

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*FREE DELIVERY on all Dark Imp games during school closures*

Now is the time

There has literally never been a better time to dive into board gaming. No school runs, no commutes, no after school clubs. With weeks or possibly months of family time ahead, don’t waste another moment before you get started. 

This page is packed with useful resources, links to articles and videos and suggestions of board games to play during the coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak. 

You can even register your family to play board games with The Dark Imp team via video-conferencing… for free. 

 

The benefits of playing board games as a family

 

Board games bring people together and help parents to reclaim family time. Through games, parents can create an irresistible offline world that will restore balance, deepen relationships, develop transferable skills and create shared, long-lasting memories.  

  • Board games provide engagement away from screens
  • Playing board games improves family relationships
  • Playing board games improves awareness, consideration and respect of others
  • There are both physical and mental health benefits to board gaming

Read the full article… 14 benefits of playing board games as a family.

Read the full article

How to get started

 

Search through your house and gather all the board games you own. Grab the dice, the cards, the old Backgammon board. Everything. Check in the garage and under the stairs. Dust off the boxes. Mend broken boxes and substitute missing pieces with buttons or lego figures.  This is the start of your collection. You will find games you can play with cards or pen and paper in our games to play section.

If you’ve not played board games in a while, start by playing games solo. Immerse yourself in the game and your children will become intrigued. Watch this video on playing board games solo. 

Avoid keeping your games at the back of a cupboard, instead put board games on show. Heres’ a video that gives 8 reasons why you should keep your games out and on view in your home. 

Don’t be surprised if your children (especially teenagers) don’t initially share your new enthusiasm for playing games, you can hook your children in using stealth tactics. Find out more about stealth tactics in this video.

Build the delight and excitement by establishing a new family ritual around board games: create your own family games chest.  Find out what a board game chest is, what’s in it … and why you might want one in this video. 

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Building your games collection

 

The Dark Imp blog has loads of game reviews to help you decide which games are right for you.

In our Eight Games series, each month a board game player, reviewer or designer shares their choice of 8 games for 8 different occasions. See what they recommend. 

For candid board game reviews from a teenager’s perspective, check out Alfie’s reviews. Alfie Dix, 17, writes reviews of a board game that he plays with family and friends. 

Here’s a small selection of other videos and articles to give you some great ideas about board games to play while you are in isolation due to the coronavirus and a taste of what is available on the blog:

And if you only have an old copy of Guess Who in the house, check out this video on How to make Guess Who more fun for adults, then order some of the games below!

 

Dark Imp Games

Dark Imp games have been designed especially for families of children aged 8 and up. Stock up now and enjoy them while schools are closed. 
FREE DELIVERY while schools are closed.

Mastering the Metagame

Playing the game on the table is only part of the overall experience. Even before the box is open, the Metagame has begun. The metagame is the drama unfolding between the players.

Have you ever won a board game but taken so little pleasure in it that you felt like you had lost? Have you ever followed someone else’s lead in a team game, against your better judgement, and been thrilled with their downfall? Have you ever been so pleased by winning a battle that it made no difference that you lost the war? That’s the Metagame.

The thing is… the Metagame can play havoc with harmony at the game table. So here are some resources to help you to master the Metagame.