Can parent play games with kids on Shabbos?

eyima ↓

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:13 pm

I know that the halacha is that kids under bar/bas mitzvah can play board games etc. on shabbos assuming the game itself is allowed. Adults (and kids over that age) should spend the day involved in more ruchnius things and should not play games.
That being said, my question is: according to halacha, can I play games with my younger children to keep them entertained and to spend quality time with them? what about my husband?
Thanks!

Peersupport

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:15 pm

Playing games is allowed for all ages.

What is your source against that?

mommy#1

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:16 pm

I’m pretty yeshivish and I play games almost every Shabbos with my kids. Firstly I never heard not to, (I’d play with just adults too, obviously a game that’s not muktza) and secondly are we asking that kids should hate Shabbos?

notshanarishona

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:16 pm

There is no Halacha against playing games, at most it’s a minhag

bookstore15 ↓

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:19 pm

Answer- yes, according to halacha you may. My grandfather is a posek and he used to play games with us on Shabbos.

naturalcurls

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:19 pm

Everyone is allowed to play games by us. Shabbat is also to connect with your children and if it’s through games then play games

↑ eyima ↓

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:19 pm

if you look in r' simcha bunim cohen and R' bodner they are very clear (I think) in their intros to muktza regarding games and toys that shabbos is not a time for sduts and kids above 12/13 to play games and should pursue more ruchniyusdik activities. For those tht do play, is this a psak from your rav? I guess I always assumed that what I learned was correct....is there more than one opinion on this? Would love to see sources to the contrary!!!

missknowitall ↓

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:21 pm

Games in general are fine. There are specific issues like playing with fake money- monopoly, or building with Lego, puzzles and using sand timers etc..

Last edited by missknowitall on Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:25 pm; edited 1 time in total

ittsamother

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:21 pm

I've never heard in my life that adults should not spend shabbos in any certain way. As long as the activities are not muktzah, and respect the sanctity of Shabbos, I've only ever heard that Shabbos is a day to enjoy, spend time bonding with your family, connect with Hashem... I've never heard it has to be spent in specific ruchniyus ways!!

↑ eyima ↓

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:21 pm

bookstore15 wrote:

Answer- yes, according to halacha you may. My grandfather is a posek and he used to play games with us on Shabbos.

Thank you!
Would he play games with older kids and adults like others are saying here, or only smaller kids?

↑ missknowitall

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:22 pm

eyima wrote:

That is about your own pleasure, not about parenting and helping your kids. But even so that’s a chumrah.

climbing613

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:25 pm

Did you ask your posek for your family’s psak? You should generally ask about this type of thing rather than read and use.
We’re yeshivish and all ages play games and encourage Shabbos to be a positive experience. Older ages end up gravitating to learning or more ruchniyus and of course, father learns with the kids etc. we don’t play official sports outside or do puzzles or lego inside, or monopoly etc based on the halachos and minhagim associated with those.

Last edited by climbing613 on Sun, Jan 05 2025, 2:14 am; edited 1 time in total

#BestBubby

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:41 pm

Maybe men and bucherim should be learning.

But if a father plays to bond with his children, then it's for chinuch.

mommy3b2c ↓

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 6:46 pm

I never fail to be amazed by the ridiculous things I read on imamother . No I never got a psak to play games on Shabbos. But I also never got a psak to wear purple socks , or take a walk in the park , or breathe …

nightingale1

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 7:06 pm

I’ve heard of this OP and always took it to mean assuming you are on that level and actually will do ruchniyus things the whole day. As a mother, playing with them is a ruchniyus thing.

Also, if you’re going to sleep, nothing wrong with playing game. If your kids are going to fight or drive you crazy, it’s obviously better to play with them.

dena613

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 7:12 pm

I play games with my kids on shabbos. Not games involving money, not building or puzzles that would pose halachic issues.

if you read magazines or other forms of fiction, or shmooze with friends on shabbos then you can certainly play with your kids.
If you only read seforim and say tehillim, I STILL would tell you to play with your kids! its important to bond with them and bring them oneg. But I'm not a posek. Ask your LOR for proper hashkafa.

↑ Hamayvin Yavin

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 7:12 pm

I never learned such a thing in school. I never asked for an psak because these things seem pretty obvious.
All I learned were the regular issues of Lego’s, fake money etc. also learned you can’t play scrabble once you’ve played it during the week with writing. Then the game becomes muktzah.

I’m just curious what you mean by only ruchniyos activities. For men, that’s easier to understand but do your girls over bad mitzvah say tehillim the whole day? Do you nap? To what extent do the parameters go?

mathbrain

Sat, Jan 04 2025, 7:29 pm

Never learned that we can’t play games on Shabbos.
We played games at our high school Shabbaton! Obviously, there were lots of speeches at the shabbaton, but at Friday night oneg, and after the day meal, there was always a game.

We play games Friday night after the meal in the winter. Husband and teenage sons included. After a certain point though, DH goes to learn his daf and oldest son learns a bit. Shabbos afternoon, my oldest son learns. Rest of the kids play either at home or with friends.