20 Oct
2026
In a lot of homes, the best family memories do not come from big events. They come from a table, a deck of cards or a box of dominoes, and a group of people who are laughing, teasing and paying attention to each other. A regular game night is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to bring a family closer.
In Jamaica and across the Caribbean, dominoes are a well-known part of gatherings. At parties, on verandas and in yards, you will often find a table of players slamming tiles down with a loud crack, keeping score, calling out each other's moves and talking the whole time. The game is about strategy, but it is also about company. People of different ages sit together, stories get told, and newcomers learn by watching.
Card games play a similar role in many families everywhere. Grandparents teach grandchildren, cousins form friendly rivalries, and certain games become part of a family's identity.
Jonathan Anthony Burkett grew up in Westmoreland, Jamaica, with his grandparents. At his sixth birthday party there, his grandfather, his uncles and their friends played dominoes in a corner while the celebration went on around them. He liked cards and dominoes himself.
Games give people a reason to sit together without the pressure of a serious conversation. Hands are busy, eyes are on the table, and talk comes naturally. Shy kids open up. Teenagers who might not want a heart-to-heart will still trash-talk over a hand of cards.
Games also teach things that are hard to teach directly: taking turns, counting, planning ahead, winning without bragging and losing without sulking. A child who learns to shake hands after a loss at the kitchen table is practicing a skill they will use for life.
"In life nowadays, it matters to most of us what we do and how much we have in our lives. However, it should be who we have beside us through our lives that really matters."
— Jonathan Anthony Burkett, Neglected But Undefeated
You do not need a closet full of board games. A deck of cards and a set of dominoes can carry you for years.
The trick with a mixed group is to choose games that are easy to learn but still fun for adults.
For young children, simple matching games work well. Dominoes are great for this: little ones can match the dots while older players focus on strategy. Card games like Go Fish, Crazy Eights and War need almost no explanation and move fast.
For older kids and adults, team games keep everyone involved. Partner dominoes, where two teams of two play against each other, is a favorite at many Caribbean gatherings because it rewards both skill and teamwork. Rummy, spades and other trick-taking games give teenagers something to master and a reason to keep coming back.
When ages are very different, pair an older player with a younger one. The child learns faster, the adult stays engaged, and the teams stay fairly balanced.
Friendly teasing is part of the culture of dominoes and cards, but watch the line. If someone leaves the table upset every week, the teasing has gone too far. Set a family rule: we laugh with each other, not at each other.
Celebrate effort as much as winning. Praise a smart move, even if it did not pay off. Let the youngest player deal or keep score so they feel important. And if a game is causing more arguments than laughter, put it away and try something else.
Most of all, show up yourself. When parents and grandparents sit down and play, kids learn that this time together is worth protecting.
A game night does not have to be fancy to become a tradition. One table, one deck, one box of dominoes and a few people willing to put their phones down is enough. Years from now, your children may remember the sound of tiles hitting the table more than any gift you bought.
If you want to read how Jonathan's early years in Jamaica shaped him, his memoir is on the Books page. Pick a night this week, set the table and deal the first hand.
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