Remember This? Building Lasting Memories Through Play in the New Year
Written by: Liza Gresko, Mom and PR Specialist at Moss Tucker Group
Close your eyes for a moment and think back to your childhood.
Do you remember sitting on the floor with a board game box spread open, pieces scattered everywhere, instructions half-read and half-made-up? Maybe it was a game night that stretched past bedtime, a sleepover filled with laughter, or a family tradition that showed up year after year around the holidays.
Chances are, you don’t remember the game, but you do remember the feeling you felt.
That’s the magic of play. Long after the game is packed away, the memories of how you felt linger.
As we step into a new year, we are hit with feelings of reflection and the inevitable new year’s resolutions that like to dominate every news segment and social media page. Through this clutter, it’s worth asking: what memories do we want to create next?
At SimplyFun, we believe some of the most powerful memories are built through play, especially when play is shared, intentional and unplugged.
This year, what if one of your resolutions wasn’t about the pressure of doing more, but instead was about playing more? Like when we were kids.
Nostalgia has a funny way of sneaking up on us. We are often triggered by something tiny like a smell or a familiar sound. Suddenly we’re enveloped in a bittersweet memory from our childhood, reminiscing about a time that’s long gone and often forgotten. Childhood memories are powerful not only because they represent a care-free time but because play was likely at the heart of them. Through that play, connections were made, memories were imprinted and a feeling of joy eclipsed everything else.
If you think about it, many of our earliest memories of learning, bonding, and feeling truly present likely happened during play. Board games weren’t just something we did to check off our task list, they were an activity that inspired shared connection. Game play taught us really valuable lessons like how to take turns, solve problems, manage big emotions, learn patience, and laugh.
If you think back on the games you played as a kid, you’re likely not just remember the actual activity but you’re remembering who you were with.
That’s why play has such staying power across generations. Even as the world changes, the need for connection remains the same.
Why Play Matters Now More Than Ever
If you’re an avid reader of our blog, you’ll know we regularly mention how families are busier and more digitally connected than ever before. Screens are literally everywhere, from our desks to our pockets to the dinner table. Technology undoubtedly has its place and is very important for our daily lives and futures, but it can also overshadow the moments that truly matter.
Play offers something different.
- It invites us to slow down
- It brings us face-to-face
- It encourages conversation, laughter, and collaboration
- It helps children and adults alike stay mentally engaged and emotionally connected
When we play together, we’re not multitasking. We’re not distracted by other things and notifications. We tend to be more in the moment.
That feeling of being present is what helps create memories and inspire a sense of calm and control in our daily hectic lives.
Learning That Feels Like Fun
When we are thinking of play, we know it isn’t just about entertaining children and families. It’s about meaningful experiences as you learn to connect and grow.
Educational board games are unique in that they help create an environment where skills are developed without pressure. Children don’t feel like they’re being tested or taught. They feel like they’re just playing and having fun, and that’s when learning tends to stick.
Through play, children can strengthen:
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Communication and social skills
- Emotional regulation and resilience
- Math, language, and logic abilities
- Creativity and strategic thinking
And perhaps most importantly, they learn how to learn and process things, by trying, failing, adapting, and trying again.
When families play together, adults model curiosity, patience, and good sportsmanship. These shared experiences reinforce the idea that learning doesn’t stop when school ends. People learn new things and skills the rest of their lives.
Making Memories
Ask an adult about their favorite childhood board game memory, and they’ll often smile before they answer.
They might talk about:
- Playing the same game over and over with siblings
- A funny time during a sleepover or party with their friends
- A grandparent who always “let them win”
- Family game nights that became a weekly ritual
- Laughter that erupted over silly mistakes
- Friendly competition that turned into lifelong traditions
These are the moments that shape how we remember our childhoods and how we define family connection.
What’s powerful is that these memories don’t require elaborate plans or expensive trips. They’re built from simple, repeated moments of togetherness and from quality experiences inspired by connection.
This is why so many of SimplyFun’s games become more than just learning tools or activities to pass the time. We hope to inspire opportunities for families and friends to connect, learn and grow.
A New Year’s Resolution Worth Keeping: Play Together
Right now, many of us are setting resolutions focused on productivity, health, or self-improvement. We might vow to work out more, or budget better. Goals like these are valuable in their own right, but they can also feel overwhelming and usually are abandoned within the first few weeks of a new year. In fact, according to a recent article in Forbes, “the intent to keep one’s New Year resolution only lasts two to four months before goal-setters give up or forget about it. Just under one in 10 (8%) say their resolutions have lasted a month, 21.9% report two months, 22.2% report three months and 13.1% say their resolutions have lasted four months in the past.”
What if this year, your resolution wasn’t an actual resolution, but more of an opportunity to review what worked well the previous year, what didn’t, and what should be an overall priority in your life moving forward?
Play together more often.
Making play a priority doesn’t mean adding another obligation to your schedule. It means protecting time for what truly matters. It means putting the phone away for a few minutes, taking a moment to breathe and connect with the people around you.
Here are a few ways families can make play a meaningful New Year’s outlook:
1. Schedule It
Just like any important activity, play benefits from intention. Choose one evening a week or a specific time on weekends and make it “game time.” Treat it like any other planned activity and you’ll be more likely to stick to it. Use our free Play Tracker to keep you on track!
2. Unplug to Reconnect
Create a tech-free zone during play. Put phones away, turn off the TV, and let the focus be on each other. It might feel strange at first, but after the first few tries, you’ll be amazed at how easy and free it feels to disconnect from your devices for awhile.
3. Let Everyone Have a Voice
Rotate who chooses the game. This builds excitement, ownership, and inclusivity for all ages.
4. Focus on Experience, Not Winning
Some of the best memories come from laughter, teamwork, and unexpected moments, not from keeping score. Keep things positive and collaborative, and remember to shake hands or high-five at the end of the game no matter who wins. It’s about connection and respect for one another.
5. Keep It Flexible
Not every game night has to be perfect. Short games count. Half-finished games count. The goal is connection, not perfection.
Play as a Gift to Your Future Self
One of the beautiful things about play is that its impact often isn’t immediate, it’s lasting overtime.
The time you spend playing today becomes the memories your family will carry into the future. Years from now, your children may not remember every detail of their childhoods, but they’ll remember how it felt to gather around the table and laugh together.
They’ll remember feeling supported, challenged, and included.
And someday, they may recreate those moments with families of their own.
Make More Time for Play with a Play Promise!
- Play Tracker: For every day you play this month, color in one of our SimplyFun Buddies!
- Free Activities: Need a few fun activities to play? Download our free mazes, word searches, coloring pages, or learn the concept of coding with our Team Digger Custom Adventure Cards!
- Play Promise Certificate: Did your family make time for play every day? Download our Play Promise Certificate—you’ve officially been certified a pro at play!
Looking Ahead: A Year Full of Play
As the new year begins, take a moment to reflect on these questions:
- What do you want your family to remember about this year?
- What moments do you want to slow down and savor?
- How can play help bring those moments to life?
Choosing play as a priority is a powerful act. It says that connection matters. That learning can be joyful. That memories are worth making. Your children feel seen and supported. They will immediately recognize that you’re taking a break from your busy daily life to remove all other distractions and choose to spend your time just on them.
So this year, when life feels busy and schedules feel full, come back to the table. Roll the dice. Draw a card. Laugh a little louder than you mean to.
Because one day, you’ll look back and say “Remember this game?” and you’ll be so glad you made time to play.
