Games are anything but a waste of time. By playing games, children learn and precise important skills that they will use long after the games have been ______. Young children learn to follow rules and wait their ______. They also practice how to cooperate and ______ winning or losing. Older children develop thinking skills including using a strategy and planning ahead. Psychologist say strategy games encourage the frontal lobes (额叶) of the brain to develop. This part of the brain is ______ for skills which include planning, organizing and decision-making.

Playing board games can improve children’s focus and increase their attention span. But to be successful, games must be played to the end without any ______. Players cannot check their phone s or leave the table for a snack. Playing board games or card games is also a great way to unplug. A variety of studies ______ of the negative effects of too much screen time. Everyone gets ______ in a task with other people — in person — when playing a game.

Playing games is not just for kids, either. It’s ______ for adults as well. They need to make time in their day for enjoyment. This kind of activity can trigger (触发) the ______ of the feel-good chemicals that make people feel happier. The social interaction of playing games with family and friends also helps prevent ______ and depression. Sharing laughter and fun while playing games not only improves relationships and draws people closer but also improves brain ______. When people engage in games like chess or other strategy games, their brains are ______.

Playing games can also stimulate the mind and boost creativity. Taking a break for game — playing can also increase your ______. By the time you finish playing a game, your brain will have relaxed, so it’s ______ when you go back to work.

The playwright George Bernard Shaw famously said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” It follows then, that play keeps you ______. So make some time to play a game today!