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Kids today still like board games, right? I really hope so.
I realize video games, smartphone apps and other electronic gadgets tend to be the go-to thing these days, but surely there is still some appreciation for the classic board or table top game. I'm honestly asking here, because my exposure to today's youth has been pretty limited as of late, with the exception of a few hours at family events and possibly running into some friends out in public.
The Weirton Chamber held its Toys for Tots Business After Hours event Thursday, and attendees were all asked to bring a donation.
I hit one of the local "big box" retail stores and made my way to the toy section, eventually finding an aisle with shelves full of board games. Certainly, they wouldn't be stocked if people aren't still buying them.
There were a few I didn't recognize, but also several well-known, multi-generational selections, including Chutes and Ladders, Candyland and various versions of Monopoly. I also saw Operation, but since I'm convinced playing that and Perfection as a kid played into my eventual anxiety issues, I opted not to expose a new generation to those stress-inducers.
I picked out a few and went on my way, hoping whatever children receive them finds them enjoyable and an opportunity to make some good memories with family and friends.
I suppose that's really the crux of all these ponderings. I look back at my own childhood, back in the days when home video game consoles were limited and there was no such thing as a cell phone, let alone a phone app. I think of nights and weekend afternoons, gathering around a table with family to play various games.
Visiting my maternal grandparents often resulted in at least a couple rounds of Chinese checkers or Kerplunk. Occasionally there was an attempt to teach us Dominoes. They had Monopoly, and I remember my grandpa patiently teaching us the rules (with possibly a few of his own worked in); the joy as we passed "Go" and the agony of landing on Boardwalk when someone else already owned it.
My paternal grandparents had the aforementioned Candyland and Chutes and Ladders.
I couldn't tell you how many copies of Monopoly have gone through the house over the years, but there used to be marathon weekend sessions, with money spread across the kitchen table, picking our favorite game token and strategizing the best way to get the properties we wanted.
Clue also was a favorite, as we tried to solve the big "whodunit" of who killed Mr. Body. That also happens to be one of my favorite movies.
Mousetrap was fun, and I'm glad to see a version of it is still out there. I also remember enjoying Fireball Island, Battleship and Frustration. Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble would make their way into the rotation as we got older.
Sure, there were fights and the occasional accusation of cheating. What sibling doesn't play that card? Overall, though, it was always nice to be able to sit down and just enjoy that time together. It's something many of us don't always have with the hustle and bustle of today's world full of meetings, classes, work schedules, athletic events, concerts, practices, etc.
It may seem a bit "old fashioned" considering the more electronic aspects of today's world, but the idea of a family game night still sounds appealing, even if you can only manage to work it in one day each month.
At the end of it all, that's really what it's all about isn't it? Games bring people together, help to form bonds and create memories.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter @CHowellWDT)