Regina families enjoy board games and bonding at Government House Family Day event
It's been a day full of board games, bonding and history at Government House in Regina.
The museum is hosting a Family Day board game event, with Boards 'n Beans Cafe supplying the games and know-how.
"Board games are a very good way to put the electronics aside, sit down and just bond as a family," said Stephanie Smith, an owner at Boards n' Beans Cafe.
The games range from Victorian-era to present day games, giving participants a unique opportunity to experience games from a time gone by.
Smith and her family, including her two kids, partook in some of the games.
"They give you a challenge that you have to come up with strategies in certain games, especially the ones where you work together," she said.
"It's dependant on the game of course, but I think it teaches a lot of values and a lot of things that you're going to use in life," she said.
1st Family Day board game event at Government House
Monday's event is the first of its kind at the museum, according to Monique Goffinet Miller, manager of Government House.
She said it's a chance for families to have fun with each other while learning.
"Board games take us away from the screens," she said.
"Not that screens are a bad thing because they also educate us... but this one event we wanted to take Family Day back to traditions of yesteryear."
She said board games can be used to teach people, especially kids, about history.
For example, she said, Monopoly was used to help allied POWs break out of prison camps during World War II, while Snakes and Ladders was used to teach people moral lessons like the dangers of greed.
"Children would be shown through board games very important life lessons, and as well it was a time for their families to sit together around a table and just forget all of the other things in their lives," she said.
The event is part of a larger effort to connect with the public, according to Miller.
"Our vision and our mission is to share history in an engaging way."
