LET THE GAMES BEGIN
We’d run out of fingers long before we’d counted all the benefits of board games. From children’s cognitive development (logic, memory, observation…) and motor skills (sorting, assembling, picking things up) to imagination and managing emotions, play really does have it all.
Learning to wait your turn, follow a rule, negotiate, be patient… These little lessons come in handy well beyond the game board (or play mat:). And when we play as a team, we also learn to work together, listen to other people’s ideas and find solutions together.
As our children grow, we tend to choose games that help them develop the skills expected at their age — but that’s not the only reason to play! We can also (and the whole Meza’Team highly recommends it) play just for fun, to share a moment and simply be together.
That’s what we had in mind for our brand-new games cover, and after three years of brainstorming, we’re delighted to finally share it with you! Of course, you can get yourself in a twist (of laughter) playing the balancing game, focus on moving the knight, neigh every time you roll a six in Ludo, or become your child’s favourite target — but nothing is set in stone!
The rules are yours to make: if everyone has to do a forward roll before throwing the dice, or have a tickle fight when someone gets four counters in a row, anything goes!
Of course, where there’s a game, there’s a winner… and someone who didn’t win.
At Mezamé, we’ve asked ourselves: do children need to learn to lose? Yes, but they also need to learn to win. There’s no harm in giving them a little helping hand, teaming up and, of course, winning gracefully. We don’t want our children to think they’re the best at everything, but we do want to encourage their progress and effort: they need to know they’re capable of winning a game. We also celebrate the time spent together, the fun we share, rather than the result. And if there’s an argument? Good news: disagreements can be healthy. Learning to handle little squabbles as children helps us deal with conflict without violence as adults.
Playing together is also a chance to discover a different side of your child : a quiet child might turn out to be a clever strategist, while a daydreamer could become a formidable opponent. Play gives them room to experiment, take the initiative, dare to speak up… and sometimes surprise us.
Now it’s your turn to play! With this new cover, why not make playtime a family ritual? Slip it onto the mat in no time using the four fold-over corners, and games can become part of a weekday evening or a Sunday afternoon. You get to make up your own rules (of the game ;) !
