Another reason to play board games

When my son gets bored he has a list of items he generated to look at that will hopefully inspire him to find an activity. I recently figured out that I needed a similar list for when I have that random free hour on a weekend, and am not quite sure what to do with myself.

Both my son and I have "ask someone to play a board game" as an item on our lists.

We love games in our family and have a closet full of them. My husband and I like to play after dinner sometimes while my son is doing his "clean routine." And I love that time with my husband - when it is just the two of us in a semi-competitive spirit working through the strategy of a game after a long day at work.

It doesn't surprise me that playing games with my husband releases happy chemicals and makes us feel closer as a couple. It did surprise me that taking a painting class releases even more. A small study found that men who painted with their other half, released more oxytocin then during other activities.

So...I am not really a painter. If my husband would like to take a painting class with me, I hope he doesn't mind if mine looks like an abstract.

Or maybe he won't be interested in taking a class at all. Maybe we should just make sure that we are still spending time together trying to win at Rummikub.

Do you like to play board games with your spouse? Tell me in the comments.