Since becoming a board game base school, Yuguang Elementary has not only explored ways to integrate board games into its curriculum but also aimed to take board game classes beyond the campus and into the community, hoping to promote life education. Recently, its first “Holiday Board Game Parent-Child Camp” was a huge success, with kids having a great time and parents instantly becoming the cool kids, filling the scene with warm, joyful family moments.
Yuguang Elementary principal Liao Shuzhen pointed out that board game education has become increasingly popular in recent years, and learning through play is now a key educational goal. However, she found that board games not only enhance students’ communication skills and teach them how to handle failure, but also help strengthen parent-child bonds through interaction—especially since many parents, due to busy work schedules and other factors, rarely spend time with their kids, and even when they do, everyone is glued to their phones.
Liao said that after discussing with board game instructor Fang Yu?, they decided to launch the “Holiday Board Game Parent-Child Camp,” which is open not only to students and parents from the school but also to children from local kindergartens and their families. Initially, they worried about low participation, but the response exceeded expectations, with nearly 100 people attending the event planned for 60.
“The parents were so excited about board games!” she said. Almost every parent had more fun than the kids, and some even took on the role of the cool kid leading the games. Laughter filled the entire campus. Afterwards, they even asked where to buy the games and frequently expressed interest in buying some to play with their kids at home. The level of engagement and interaction was both amusing and touching.
She emphasized that her goal was to help parents connect with their kids on a more equal, childlike level. One parent, who initially didn’t know their child very well, ended up bonding with them through the games. That parent’s simple “thank you” made the experience truly meaningful for her.
(China Times)