How to Model Device-Free Family Evenings | Jaques of London

It is half past six. The dishes are stacked, the day has emptied everyone out, and the easiest thing in the world is to hand over a tablet and reach for your own phone. Most evenings go exactly this way, and no one plans it.

A child watches what you do far more closely than what you ask of them. If the goal is fewer screens, the change tends to begin at the parent's end of the sofa, not the child's.

The games we make are built to last that kind of nightly use. Our wooden pieces are cut from FSC-certified timber and tested to UKCA and CE safety standards, so a board can sit on the kitchen table for years and still be handed to a two-year-old. You can see the range across our board games and our traditional games.

Why Screen Time Modelling Starts With What Parents Do, Not What They Say

Children read behaviour before they read instructions. A parent who asks for a device-free hour while scrolling through email sends two messages at once, and the child usually follows the one they can see.

This matters because the habit forms early. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2019 found that higher screen time at age one was associated with developmental delays in communication and problem-solving skills at ages two and four. The years when modelling counts most are the years before a child can argue back.

The scale of the pull is real too. A 2019 report by Ofcom found that children aged 5 to 15 in the UK spent an average of three hours and 14 minutes online each day. No lecture competes with a number like that; only a different, visible routine does.

So screen time modelling is less about rules and more about what you reach for first. If you sit down at the table and open a board rather than an app, the child has something concrete to copy.

It helps to name it plainly to yourself. You are not banning anything. You are showing what an evening looks like when the screen is not the centre of it, and then repeating that often enough for it to feel ordinary.

Our long view on this is set out in 230 years of screen-free play, which traces how the same simple objects have held children's attention across generations. The point is not nostalgia. It is that a well-made game still works, without a charger, when you model using it.

How to Set Up a Device-Free Evening Without a Battle

A device-free evening rarely fails because the idea is wrong. It fails because it starts as a confiscation. Take a screen away with nothing in its place and you have created a vacuum that everyone resents.

Set the table first. Have the board out and the pieces ready before you announce anything. A game already laid out is an invitation; a game still in the cupboard is a chore you are asking someone else to want.

Pick a fixed slot rather than a floating promise. The half hour after dinner works for most families because bodies are fed and the day's demands have thinned. Predictability does the heavy lifting, so the same time each night removes the nightly negotiation.

Keep the first sessions short. Fifteen minutes of a game everyone finishes beats an hour of something abandoned in the middle. You are building appetite, not endurance.

For younger children, the transition is smoother when the object is appealing to handle. Pieces from our wooden toys carry a weight and texture that a screen cannot offer, and small hands settle to them quickly.

If the evenings have drifted badly, a short structured plan gives you a foothold. Our two-week family reset before school lays out a paced approach so the change does not depend on willpower alone.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one hour of screen time per day for children aged 2 to 5, and that under-18-months avoid screens entirely other than video chatting. A fixed evening game slot is one practical way to make that guidance liveable rather than aspirational.

Which Traditional Games Work Best for Mixed Ages on a School Night

The difficulty on a school night is the age gap. A six-year-old and a ten-year-old want different things, and a game that suits one bores the other. The trick is choosing games where luck and skill sit close together, so a younger player can win.

Snakes and Ladders is the reliable starting point. It began in ancient India as 'Moksha Patam', a game used to teach moral lessons, and reached Britain in the 19th century. It needs no reading and no strategy, which means the youngest at the table competes on equal terms with the oldest.

Draughts raises the ceiling slightly. The rules take a minute to learn, but the play rewards a little thought, so an older child stays engaged while a younger one still follows every move.

Chess suits the nights when there is more time and an older child ready for it. Believed to have originated in India around the 6th century AD as 'chaturanga', it remains one of the most widely played games in the world. A younger sibling can watch a game or set up the pieces, which is its own kind of learning.

Our Folding Chess Board folds flat to store the pieces inside, so it comes out and goes away without fuss on a busy evening.

Rotate between two or three of these rather than insisting on one. The variety keeps mixed ages interested across a week, and you will find the whole family gravitates to favourites. More options sit within our traditional games.

How to Keep the Rules Simple So Everyone Actually Wants to Play Again

Rules kill more family games than boredom does. The moment a session stalls while someone reads a paragraph aloud, the mood breaks and the younger players wander off. Simplicity is what brings everyone back tomorrow.

Start each new game with the shortest possible version. Teach the core action, play one round, and add refinements only once the basics are comfortable. A child who wins a simple game will happily learn a harder one; a child who loses a confusing one will not.

Agree house rules and write nothing down beyond a scrap of paper on the fridge. Families that play often develop their own small variations, and those shared shortcuts are part of what makes the habit stick. The game becomes yours rather than the manual's.

Let children own a job. One deals, one keeps score, one resets the board. Responsibility keeps a wandering attention anchored, and it spreads the ownership so the evening is not something imposed from above.

Resist the urge to correct every move. On a school night the aim is a finished game and a good feeling, not a masterclass. Skill grows on its own with repetition, and repetition only happens when the sessions stay light.

For children who struggle to settle, this simplicity matters more still. Our piece on ADHD, screen time and wooden toys looks at why short, clear, tactile play holds attention where longer or more complex activities do not. The same principle helps any tired child at the end of a long day.

What to Do When Interest Drops Off and How to Build a Lasting Family Game Habit

Interest will drop. It always does, usually around week three, when novelty fades and the evenings feel like a routine rather than a treat. This is not failure. It is the normal shape of any new habit, and it is the point at which most families quietly give up.

Change one variable rather than the whole plan. Swap the game, move the slot by half an hour, or let a child choose what you play. A small change refreshes the ritual without asking everyone to start again from nothing.

Bring the games outdoors when the weather allows. A change of setting revives attention, and something from our outdoor games can carry the same device-free evening into the garden on lighter nights.

Mark small milestones. A running tally of games played across a term gives children a reason to return, and it turns the habit into something the family builds together rather than a rule they endure.

Expect the habit to breathe. Some weeks it fills every evening; some weeks it happens twice. A lasting family game routine is not a perfect record but a default you keep returning to, which is exactly what modelling looks like over years rather than days.

When you want a longer seasonal structure, our screen-free summer family plan extends the idea across a holiday, and our guide to age-appropriate screen time and UK guidance sets the whole effort in context. Between them, and a shelf of good games, the evening tends to look after itself.

Frequently Asked Questions About Screen Time Modelling

How do you get kids to put down screens without an argument

Give a clear five-minute warning before screen time ends, then follow through calmly and consistently. Having an appealing activity ready to move straight into — a board game, a puzzle, or a craft — makes the transition far easier than simply switching screens off. Ofcom's 2019 report found UK children aged 5–15 averaged over three hours online daily, so building predictable device-free routines helps children know what to expect. Frame game time as something the whole family chooses together, rather than a punishment for too much screen use.

What are the rules of draughts for beginners

Draughts is played on a standard 8×8 board by two players, each starting with 12 pieces placed on the dark squares of the three rows nearest to them. Players take turns moving one piece diagonally forward. You capture an opponent's piece by jumping over it into an empty square beyond; multiple captures in one turn are allowed and compulsory if available. When a piece reaches the far end of the board it becomes a 'king', able to move diagonally backwards as well as forwards. The player who captures all the opponent's pieces, or blocks them from moving, wins.

How do you play dominoes with young children

Start with the double-six set (28 tiles). Shuffle tiles face-down and let each player draw five or six tiles; leave the rest as a 'boneyard'. The player holding the highest double places it face-up to start. Players then take turns matching a tile end-to-end where the numbers touch. If a player cannot go, they draw from the boneyard until they can. The first player to place all their tiles wins. For young children, use fewer tiles, play with hands visible, or simply match tiles without keeping score — the focus is pattern recognition and taking turns.

How many players do you need for a family board game

Most family board games are designed for two to six players, so a game night works equally well with just two people or a larger group. Many classics — chess, draughts, and dominoes — are two-player games, while games such as Ludo and Snakes and Ladders accommodate up to four or six. If your group is larger, some games allow teams, which can also help mix ages and abilities. The best approach is to check the box before buying and choose a game that comfortably fits your household size without leaving anyone waiting too long between turns.

How do you win at snakes and ladders

Snakes and Ladders is entirely a game of chance — there is no strategy that influences the outcome. Players roll a die and move their counter the corresponding number of squares; landing on a ladder base sends you up the board, while landing on a snake's head sends you down. The first player to reach the final square wins. The game originated in ancient India as 'Moksha Patam', designed to teach moral lessons through the symbolism of virtue (ladders) and vice (snakes). The honest answer is simply to enjoy the suspense, since no skill or decision-making affects who wins.

What games can a 5 year old and a 10 year old play together

Games that rely on luck rather than accumulated knowledge level the playing field between different ages. Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, and Uno work well because neither age has a significant advantage. Dominoes is an excellent choice — matching numbers is accessible to young children, while older ones can introduce basic counting strategy. Simple card games such as Snap or Go Fish also bridge the gap comfortably. If the older child enjoys a gentle mentoring role, cooperative games where players work together rather than against each other prevent younger siblings from feeling defeated and keep everyone engaged.

How long should a family game night last on a school night

On a school night, aim for 30 to 45 minutes of play — enough for one or two rounds of a shorter game without pushing bedtime. Choosing games with a defined end point rather than open-ended play helps keep things contained. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children aged 2 to 5 have no more than one hour of screen time daily, and replacing even part of evening screen time with board games supports that balance. Ending on a positive note, while everyone is still enjoying themselves, makes children more likely to look forward to the next session.

What do you need to play skittles at home

Traditional skittles requires nine pins arranged in a diamond formation and a ball to bowl at them. For home play, a wooden pin-and-ball set is the ideal choice, available in garden or tabletop versions depending on the space you have. Outdoors, you need a flat surface — a lawn or patio works well. Indoors, a hallway or cleared living room floor is sufficient for tabletop sets. Mark a throwing line with tape to keep distances fair across ages. No scoring equipment is needed beyond pen and paper, and basic rules involve knocking down as many pins as possible per turn.

How do you make board games fun for teenagers

Teenagers respond well to genuine challenge and agency. Let them choose the game rather than having one imposed on them, and include games with real strategic depth — chess, for instance, is believed to have originated in 6th-century India and has sustained competitive interest for centuries. Avoid talking down to teenagers or helping them unsolicited; being treated as a capable opponent is motivating. Games with social elements, quick rounds, or a degree of unpredictability tend to hold attention better than slow, heavily rule-bound options. Keeping the atmosphere relaxed and competitive in equal measure usually works better than framing it as wholesome family time.

How do you start a family game night habit that actually sticks

Pick one fixed evening each week, keep it short initially — 30 to 45 minutes — and let each family member take turns choosing the game. Consistency matters more than occasion; a regular Tuesday slot is more sustainable than a grand monthly event. Keep games accessible rather than stored away, so the barrier to starting is low. Research supports reducing screen time: a 2019 JAMA Pediatrics study found higher screen time at age one was linked to developmental delays in communication and problem-solving at later ages. Framing game night as the household default for evenings, rather than a special treat, helps it become routine.