Since the first cave dwellers grabbed a handful of white limestones and another of volcanic, coal-charred stones and kicked off a round of Go, board games have remained a multifaceted part of a balanced life. They bring us joy and relieve our boredom (or boardom 😊), but the benefits do not stop there. Here are a few to consider the next time you’re deciding what to do at your next dinner party…

Intellectual stimulation

Most of Hollywood is on strike, meaning we’re about to see a slew of low-rent reality shows rearing themselves all over our streaming sites. Cue the lemmings who operate our brains taking a collective break. A good board game provides an excuse to exercise the ol’ noggin and push your thinker to the limit. Map out your moves multiple turns in advance, perfect the art of fact-based negotiation and wrap yourself in deep strategy to feel the embrace of intelligence warm our junk TV-addled minds.

Physical stimulation

Who says board games need to be played sitting down? Get yourself an aerial view of the board, and a proper hamstring workout, by squatting on a chair and hovering over the action. Lunge across the table to snag the dice, and before tossing them, get in a few bicep curls (new meaning to the term, “weighted dice”). Board games mean nothing if you heart isn’t in them, so might as well get a bit of a cardiovascular workout while you’re at it.

Hand-eye coordination

Here’s where board games truly shine. The ability to fan a handful of cards while counting some in-game currency and flexing a handful of dice is not one that many people have. This level of dexterity is sure to help with all sorts of daily activities and might be setting you up to become the next great tennis star or LARPing professional. Bonus: The skillset effortlessly translates to video gaming, as well. Blasphemous, yes.

A robust vocabulary

Whatever the board game setting, there’s sure to be a slew of references from which you can pull knowledge. For example, now we all know what a meeple is, or what “candy” entails and what fully constitutes a “clue.” The list goes on and includes a number of salty words your friends throw around when you decimate them at every turn. Yes, those words are all about you.

Memories to last a lifetime

They say friends are only as good as the board games you play with them (well, we say that), and it has never been more true than during these fraught times. Sometimes, it feels like there is a divide between so many of us that nothing can bridge, yet all we have to do is pull up a chair, unfold a board and get to gaming, and suddenly we are all one species spinning on a rock ball in the infinite nothingness—great time to cheat 😉.

The best way to experience all of these board game benefits? Check out our board game subscription service, UnboxBoardom!