This is a Personal Touch, a chance to check in with ordinary people making an extraordinary difference in the world. I’m Rebecca Cressman, and today we are checking in with Trent Howell. Trent, what a pleasure it is to talk with you!
A: I’m glad I could be here.
Q: All right, tell us your love story with board games. How did it begin?
A: You know, I think there are a lot of people that enjoy playing games as a kid growing up. I think one of my favorite games was called Careers when I was a teenager where you could determine your own winning conditions. I thought that was so cool! It was a unique experience over your basic Monopoly and Sorry. I think that’s when it started way back then and just resurged now that I have my own family.
Q: And as you read the bio on your website, it looks like all of your kids are game enthusiasts and you have some strategists as well. As you were looking for games for your family did you find that you were struggling trying to determine which games were the best? Is that why you began reviewing board games?
A: You know that is a big one, because there are so many games out there. We had our library like typical people: Monopoly, Sorry, a lot that you can buy at the big box stores, but it wasn’t until I stumbled a number of years ago across a website called BoardGameGeek.com, and it just really opened my eyes to the thousands of different types of games that are out there. Then you’re left scrambling thinking, “Which of all these are my kids going to enjoy?” So yes, there are lot a tough choices out there. So being able to review games, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. One of the reasons we did it as a family was because I would come across reviews and they were typically by adults or longtime gamers that people refer to as “geeks,” or whatever.
Q: Individuals who are totally immersed into the world of gaming?
A: Yes! And I thought, “You know there’s not really a mix there.” So when we would play with our kids and they would enjoy games, I thought, “What parents need is to see what kids think of the games. What are their kids going to enjoy?” What really started us on doing our website was after we had filmed our youngest—we were just randomly filming one of the games played and just watching him playing the game and talking about it—I thought, “You know he could do this on video and that would give a lot more exposure for parents to be able to say, ‘Hey, this looks like one that my kids would like too.’”
Q: The website is called, The Board Game Family, and it has the subtitle: Families That Play Together Stay Together. So you mentioned that you encountered an ocean full of games and your job was to navigate through those and look for the best games that children and families could enjoy together. Did you have a certain criteria that you were looking for? Were you looking for those that build more collaboration or competition or were you open-minded when you started the review process?
A: No, you have to be open-minded because with the mix in ages of the kids, they are all going to tend to something differently. One of the things that we really like is there is a trend recently with cooperative games that we have come across in the last few years, and there are more and more of them coming out. They started with games like Pandemic; Shadows over Camelot, a few theme games. One that came out this year, Forbidden Island, is perfect for young and old kids and it gets you working together as a family. You are working as a team to beat the game which I think is fantastic for families. But there is a mix with the different ages of our kids. Some like the two-player head-to-head really battle it out, others just want a fun party game. So there is a wide range to look for even when you are trying to narrow it down.
Q: And your children’s ages, your youngest is how old?
A: The youngest is currently seven and our oldest is fourteen so we have a good range in there.
Q: And so that’s why when we go to your Family Favorite’s link we see a variety of “Word on the Street” and then “Word on the Street Junior,” games that appeal to the different age groups. I’m curious; too, as you recently posted a note or a thought, I guess, as the editor of the Board Game Family, and you mentioned that board games teach life’s important lessons. And I was curious about that because I think kids approach games as just let’s have some fun with the family or let’s just have some entertainment. But you say that there is a lot more to game playing than people may realize?
A: Oh there is. I think one of the first ones that we learned early was when our oldest, I think at the time was just four or five, and we pulled out Sorry because at that time we just had those basic games. And they really had a hard time with that when you knock them back a few spaces to think that Dad or Mom would injure them in a game. It was really tough for them to swallow.
Q: [Laughs] You sent me back home! What kind of a father are you? Sure.
A: Exactly! I thought, “Okay, this is a game we are not going to play again,” but I think it depends on the age. They learn pretty quickly how to treat each other, how to react to diversity, and good sportsmanship even when you are winning. And I think it’s a lot better to do that in a safe environment of playing a game when you’re younger rather than older when you’re a teenager in high school and you get a bad grade or something. How you react to things. And games can teach that at an early age which I think is great.
Q: Yes, I look at that and some of the lessons are good sportsmanship, you brought that up, respecting rules and ethics.
A: Yes.
Q: Analyzing your options, every move has consequences: you can win, you can lose and you can still end the game with dignity whether you win or lose.
A: Yes. I’ve seen articles written a lot of times about these life lessons and this is a good one I refer to. One of the things that I think is important to point out is that we have found out that we do this as a family because the kids really learn that there is somebody out there that cares about them and wants to spend time with them. And although we get wrapped up in our hectic life of work and all the activities the kids do, to be able to set aside some time where you as a family can sit down one-on-one together with the kids and really just dedicate your time to just having fun with them, that is another lesson that they pick up on: There is somebody out there that cares about me and values me. And I think you get that with sitting down together.
Q: Yes. They want that uninterrupted time with their parents and thrive on that. Or whether it’s between siblings as well that they are taking time to spend together. It is a beautiful message that I read on your website as well. So on the site we are going to be seeing game reviews that your children have also participated in analyzing, in addition to you and your wife?
A: Yes, most of it is the kids reviewing games and that is how we set it up. Once in a while there will be a video of myself reviewing. All of the written reviews—I do a summary write up but all of it is the kids. I have my oldest that actually edits all our videos. I will typically film it. The kid who enjoys the game the most is typically who gets filmed and talks about the game and why they like it. They also give a little bit on how you play the game so you can get a framework for it. And our oldest will edit the video and do all of his touches to it. Then we’ll post it online. Then I’ll just post some pictures and do a little summary write up as well to supplement what they said in the video. Then we post it on there and we get a lot of good feedback so we know it is being enjoyed and being helpful for people in choosing a game or just the thought of, “Hey, I can get a lot of different types of games out there. Different types of play experiences other than what I grew up with as a kid.” There is really a plethora of games out there to just open your mind.
Q: And I noticed on the All Game Reviews you have also given us a chance to be able to look at either the cooperative games—and you mentioned that before—that is a new style of game where we are actually playing and we do better when we help each other versus competing against each other right?
A: Yes, it’s a unique one and we’ve really enjoyed that. Some of them even throw a twist in there; there will be a traitor element, there maybe one person that is working against you and you think you are all working together. Our older kids really enjoy that aspect of it to think, “Okay somebody might be—even though we are working together now and we know how to play it, if you throw in a twist and there might be somebody working against you secretly, it kind of adds a twist and they’ve enjoyed those too.
Q: Well you’ve got cooperative games and you review kid games and team games and party games. I’m wondering since it is The Board Game Family do you ever have games that you recommend when there is family discord? [Laughs] Is there a peacemaking game that everyone can sit down and go all right we’ll resolve it right here on the table?
A: We haven’t tried those although what I do enjoy is when we sit down on a Sunday afternoon, the kids will be pulling out games all the time and I have time to sit down once in a while with them and we enjoy that all together. But really every time I come home from work there is another game that has been pulled off the shelf and it’s out. So I know the kids have been pulling it out and playing together. And sometimes you will see when the games are out there the kids will start to argue and or disagree and that’s just a part of how it occurs. So it’s, “Okay, well, let’s choose to pick a different game but we are going to let you practice getting along so let’s try something else.” That has been good for them to build bonds as well.
Q: That’s great. Now I wonder before I let you go, Trent, I’m curious do you ever meet up with adults who say, “I just don’t like games.” And do you find yourself coaching them and consulting with them on what they will gain from that experience with their kids.
A: You know, we do; we find some that say, “You know, that is just not for us; I don’t enjoy that.” And I think one of the things that I usually talk to them about is—they’ll do other activities together as a family or they’ll say, “You know what, my teenager doesn’t care about us, doesn’t want to spend any time with us.” I think in those cases, “Then you need to do something that your kid enjoys.” Whether you enjoy games or not, if it is something that they are going to like, and there is always a theme out there that someone is going to grasp onto—whether they like fantasy, whether they like maybe the more history buff—there is really a game theme for every occasion out there. And I would like to add to our site, which I am planning on doing here as more of a recommendations page, where you answer a few questions and we’ll recommend some games. So you tell us what age are you after, are you looking for a party atmosphere, what length of time, how long do you want the game to last, and we can give some recommendations that I think will be helpful because we have had a lot of requests in that regard.
Q: And, of course, that is the question we bring to the stores, “I need a game that I can play in a half hour that’s not too complex and they always stand and scratch their head, so it sounds like you are going to have the answer for us there on your website as well.
A: And one thing I would like to add is there is a game store in Utah County where we live, I know there are a lot of game stores that I’d recommend getting out to and just seeing a specialty game store really opens your mind, but they actually rent board games. So rather than having to pay the $30.00 on a game that you don’t know if anyone is going to enjoy, you can go in for ten percent of the cost of the game and rent it for ten days and see whether your family enjoys it or not. And then credit that towards your purchase which I think is fantastic!
Q: Wow what a great idea!
A: Yes, that’s the Board Game Revolution in Utah County which is great for that.
Well you are a revolution in yourself with your website, Theboardgamefamily.com.—Trent Howell and his family. In fact, you can see the names of all of his children; you’ve got Caleb, Brett, Jaden and Trevor and of course Mom and Dad, and their family game ratings on the website as well. Congratulations on getting your family playing a game and making it benefit all of us as well. Trent, it’s been a pleasure to talk with you today on A Personal Touch.
Likewise, thank you very much.
And we want to thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of a Personal Touch. Be sure to check your email next week to find out who else like Trent Howell is making a difference in our world with a Personal Touch.
End of interview.
