How board games help cognitive health
Nov. 12, 2024From Settlers of Catan to Codenames
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What’s really the appeal of thebest board games? Fun? Frivolity? Distraction? That ‘new cardboard’ smell when you open a board game for the first time? Or is there something deeper going on?
Decades after theSatanic Paniclooked to stifle interest in the positive effects of role-playing games and other forms of collaborative play, academics are now turning to board games as a rich site of cognitive development. One recent study acrossvarious universities in Spainconcluded that “playing modern board games in the classroom could be better for learning and cognitive development than direct-instruction methodologies,” while another atPontificia Universidad Católica de Chilesaw a clear boost in children’s numerical skills.
What we’ve seen is that learning the rules of a board game, and deploying them – essentially, learning throughdoingrather than simplylistening– can be a highly effective way to flex your cognitive muscles, growing your ability to think in different ways. And games often have an element of repetitive practice built in, which allows players to deploy their knowledge until it becomes second-nature.
But while board games can be good for the brain, they offer much more than a way to build up specific, isolated skills. They can also be transformative for our social and mental wellbeing – as shown by the rise of board game cafes and therapeutic game practitioners over recent years.
Gaming your brain (and your heart)
Adam Davis is the founder and executive director ofGame to Grow, a nonprofit based in Seattle that’s “dedicated to the use of games for therapeutic, educational, and community growth.” He’s worked for over a decade as a ‘therapeutic game master,’ using the “life-enriching capacity of games” to help people gain social confidence and sustain their mental health.
“Loneliness and isolation are at epidemic levels,” Davis says, “and when it is easier than ever to be alone, games provide us an inherently motivating medium for community and connection.”
Game to Grow’s professional-led gaming sessions allow people to practise various cognitive skills, such as “frustration tolerance, working and sharing with others, logical sequencing, cognitive flexibility, imaginative thinking, and appreciating the unexpected.”
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Anthony Bean, CEO ofGeek Therapeutics– which weaves popular entertainment and ‘geek’ culture into therapeutic practices – stresses that board games can offer various cognitive benefits. (I should note that I’ve contributed to two essay anthologies published by Geek Therapeutics,The Psychology of Elden RingandThe Psychology of The Last of Us.)
Legendary game designer Richard Garfield (whose credits include King of Tokyo and Magic: The Gathering)told usthat he thinks board gaming is important because it “allows you to connect with anyone in a relatively safe way. Whether you feel comfortable with socializing with other people or not, a game provides a way to engage. If you know the rules you don’t even necessarily need to speak the same language! This ability to broadly connect people is powerful, and more important than ever.”
Board games “stimulate brain functions such as memory, problem-solving, and strategic thinking [and] may reduce the risk of cognitive decline,” says Bean. That’s alongside other benefits around “socialisation, fostering connections and improving communication skills, which are vital for mental well-being,” and the simple act of relaxation to “alleviate stress and anxiety” (you don’t say!). Bean also notes how “participating in games that involve competition and cooperation can help individuals develop patience, resilience, and adaptability.”
Contrary to the stereotype of an immature player flipping over a Monopoly board when they’re losing, board games can gradually increase someone’s tolerance for loss, change, and disagreement – whether in a board game setting or otherwise.
There’s also a big overlap between board game communities and neurodiverse individuals. One study by theUniversity of Plymouth’s School of Psychologyfound that board games “built community, independence, and skills” among autistic adolescents and adults. And for anyone who struggles with the unsaid, neurotypical expectations of day-to-day life, a board game can offer something of a reprieve, providing clear-cut rules of engagement between its players.
Of course, therapy or cognitive growth isn’t quite as simple as opening up Settlers ofCatanand leaving people to it. Both Davis and Bean stress the importance of a good facilitator to ensure these benefits unfold intentionally.
Anyone familiar with Dungeons & Dragons, or thebest tabletop RPGs, will know that a good ‘Dungeon Master’ (essentially, a facilitator and mediator between the game and the players) is the difference between a fun, collaborative adventure and a long, dice-infused argument between players with opposing ideas of the game in their heads.
The specific game you’re playing drastically changes the type of benefits on offer, too. Game to Grow built its own board game called Critical Core to closely match the organisation’s teachings and methodologies – while also using the likes of Codenames, Snake Oil, Sentinels of the Multiverse, Fluxx, Once Upon a Time, and We Didn’t Playtest This At All.
How far back does tabletop gaming go? We exploredthe history and cultural significance of board gamesto find out.
For Bean, chess or Catan are best for “critical thinking and planning skills,” whereasPandemicand Forbidden Island will test player’s “social interaction and collective problem-solving.” He also adds that “Tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons encourage creativity, empathy, and collaborative storytelling, which can be therapeutic.”
Something may look like a diversion, or just two people passing the time, while in reality being much more than that. For anyone who’s found solace, meaning, or community through board games – as I have – it’s nice to know people are finally taking notice.
Want something new to play? Check out thebest 2-player board games, thebest cooperative board games, and must-haveboard games for adults.
Henry St Leger is a freelance technology and entertainment reporter with bylines for The Times, GamesRadar, IGN, Edge, and Nintendo Life. He’s a former staffer at our sister site TechRadar, where he worked as the News & Features Editor, and he writes regularly about streaming, games, D&D, and a host of home technologies including smart speakers and TVs. He lives in London with his Nintendo Switch (OLED) and spouse (not OLED).
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