Think of board games and what springs to mind is hunting for lost dice under the sofa, arguing about whose turn it is next, and wails from children when someone else wins Anna Melville-James.

These may not seem like prime quality time experiences, but stop before you put that box back in the cupboard. Board games are good for families - and that's official. Who says so? None other than Jonathan Ross.

Ross credits them with saving his marriage and reuniting him with his family. Legions of silent games-players would nod knowingly.

Ah, you say, if only the wrinkles of family life could be ironed out by a quick game of Cluedo. But is it mum in the kitchen with the kettle or son in the bedroom with the computer who is the real culprit? Once, families gathered to talk, play games or even - stop me if I'm dreaming - the odd sing-a-long around the piano. Unfortunately, today's individualised lifestyles mean that though family members may all be in the same house, bonding moments are few and far between. The message is "take a chance", because time spent huddling around a board with your nearest and dearest is time well spent.

The Rev Richard Thomas, director of communications for the Diocese of Oxford, thinks Generation X has overlooked some valuable principles of board games.

He says: "It's healthy to play games. You can't underestimate the value of simply relating to someone else within the rules of whatever game you're playing.

"In this day and age families tend not to talk to each other so much. It's easy to plonk yourself down in front of the television, or for everyone to be out doing things, and you can end up with a fragmented family. By its definition, a board game means everyone has to be there at the same time." Horrors! The enforced family get-together makes even the bravest soul quiver. Not so, says Mr Thomas. Board games are positive outlets for family dynamics.

"A board game can be a safe environment for family members to challenge each other - a tool they can use to engage, dissipate or sublimate arguments, conflicts or disappointments."

So, if your loved ones bankrupt or checkmate you, simply take it as harmless retaliation for the time you forgot to do the washing up.

Yet, according to Mr Thomas, alongside all this healthy problem-solving lie even greater benefits for parents and children.

"Children can learn values through games," he adds. "For example, it is better to win by playing by the rules rather than cheating. Games can also be a huge confidence booster for children. It's not often a child gets to win against an adult." In return, parents have the rewarding experience of seeing their child grow in intellect, skills and confidence. Scrabble enthusiast Steve Perry, of Elm Road, Faringdon, has enjoyed watching his son Andrew, now 18, grow as a player.

Steve says: "Andrew has been playing Scrabble since he was eight after I introduced him to the game. I took him to clubs and played a bit and eventually got hooked myself."

Steve and Andrew have played against each other ever since, racking up an average of four to five games a week. Practice has paid off and Andrew is now one of the top ten players in the country.

Steve jokes: "When Andrew was younger I could beat him, but those days are long gone."

However, some things have remained, such the benefits of time investment and a more involved relationship with his children. "I spend a lot of time playing Scrabble with Andrew and taking him to tournaments. That has made me conscious of spending an equal amount of time with his brother Jonathan."

So, with so much going for the humble board game, why is the average playing quota of Joe Public only six or seven games a year? And why is it only during Christmas that most families rediscover the joy of group games?

Jon Church is product designer for toy manufacturer Cheatwell Games, based in Brill, near Thame. He blames the speed of modern life, and says: "It takes time to play a game and many people feel they don't have enough of it."

He is enthusiastic to make us break out the boards more often, both for improved family relations and for the simple, basic fun of it. He adds: "Board games are all about the fun of competition, social entertainment and spontaneous interaction. Generally, when you're playing you laugh a lot, and it's a different kind of laughing. You laugh with each other, not at something you've seen. If people don't play games they won't realise what they're missing."

And his advice for budding board-gamers trapped in manic, modern life? "Don't make excuses. Turn the TV off and find out how much fun you can have with them. Remember - a board game can be for life, not just for Christmas."

Story date: Saturday 12 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.