Back to basics: board games

When family or friends back home ask us what we want them to send for special occasions, we usually ask for food...or board games. We have a decent stash of games built up, from kid-friendly ones to more challenging grown-up games, and they've been coming in handy in the past few months as a result of our extra indoor time.

Board games sent from loved ones back home have been so helpful recently.

There's a few reasons why I really enjoy board games with my kids, and the main one is that it's something that requires focus and no screen time. I'm not anti-screen time by any means - I can wholeheartedly say that my kids have their rotation of favorite Netflix shows and YouTube channels, and I do too, for that matter! I find that we tend to connect and chat more when we're doing non-screen related activities though, and that's a nice thing.

Another reason I really like board games is that many of them are helpful from a learning perspective. One that I absolutely love (and my kids are now addicted to) is this matching game which some friends back in the States sent over for Christmas last year. I think it's really cool that it's quite a multicultural game - there are faces that represent children from different countries, and I love that inclusiveness. I'm not sure if the US Amazon will send it here directly - I imagine they probably do - but if you have family or friends in the US asking you for something you want in a care package or for a gift, I highly recommend this if you have kids!

This matching game was a gift sent over from friends last year, and it's become such a favorite with my kids in this season of life!

We also have other ones that are throwbacks to when we were kids ourselves, like Guess Who. My five year old is obsessed with it lately, and it's another one which really helps her memory skills develop.

One thing I don't know is whether or not board games are popular in Japan. In Australia and the US, any toy store or even department store usually has a section that has various games, puzzles, and things like that to choose from. I can't say that I've seen that here -- or maybe I just haven't been looking properly. Are there any Japanese board games you know of that you'd recommend to others? I'd especially love to know about any that are good for younger children!