John's Wingspan Group
Where birds, connection and community meet
Those of us at the table have come from different parts of the world, and we bring stories of the birds we've encountered wherever we've lived.
Each Friday morning at Armadale Library, the meeting room is transformed into a bird sanctuary. We open the curtains to let in the vast blue sky, the green tops of the trees, and whatever birds are in flight outside.
Inside the meeting room, the tabletops become havens for birds from around the world. As we carefully lay out the elements of the Wingspan game, created by Elizabeth Hargrave, the table takes on a world of its own. Forests, fields, and wetlands come alive with exquisitely illustrated birds. There’s a bird feeder, soft-coloured eggs, and food such as grains, fruit, worms, fish, and mice. Each player is tasked with nurturing their own bird sanctuary. The play includes a variety of actions: playing a bird into one of your bird habitats, laying eggs in nests, gathering food to feed your birds, and acquiring new birds for your sanctuary.
Getting to know birds from around the world through the intricately crafted images, learning about their habits, what they eat, how many eggs they lay, and where in the world each bird is found, while carefully curating each action with the intention of filling your sanctuary and keeping your birds and their habitats healthy, requires deep, mindful focus.
Before being introduced to Wingspan, the mere thought of playing a board game made me recoil. I’d openly say, “I don’t play board games.” Wingspan has changed that narrative for me. I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m an avid bird lover and amateur bird photographer, or something else. It’s probably a combination.
Playing Wingspan transports you out of your everyday worries, away from screens, social media, and news, and into a fantasy world that is also very much part of real life.
When John came to me with the idea of starting a Wingspan group, he described it as a relaxing game, and it is. I suspect it’s relaxing because it feels like being transported into nature, and spending time in nature has been shown to significantly reduce stress hormones. I suspect it’s also because we’re tapping into our innate human capacity to care for something. During a Wingspan game, players care for and expand their bird sanctuary. They connect with new friends who share a passion, and quite often we pause to be in awe of the incredible birds that exist in all manner of places.
It feels like a unifying game. Those of us at the table have come from different parts of the world, and we bring stories of the birds we’ve encountered wherever we’ve lived. This creates a sense of shared interest and connection, vital for our well-being. Playing Wingspan transports you out of your everyday worries, away from screens, social media, and news, and into a fantasy world that is also very much part of real life.
One of our fellow players today mentioned that since she started playing Wingspan, she has noticed bird behaviour in her neighbourhood that she hadn’t noticed before. She’s become curious about how they forage for food, what they eat, and how they interact with their surroundings.
Throughout the game, everyone is jolly. The positive effects on players’ well-being are palpable. I imagine we are getting good doses of oxytocin, the hormone of connection and care, as we connect not only with each other but also with caring for our birds. When we get curious or excited about a play, we may experience a release of dopamine, the reward chemical. That sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that comes from playing a good game, even if you didn’t win, could raise levels of serotonin. We’re definitely working the grey matter of our brains as we consider each action and realise, week after week, that there is still more to learn, so many possible actions, and so many ways to use them to our advantage.
There is an element of competition to the game. I’m grateful to John for hosting this Wingspan group; I’m in awe of Elizabeth Hargrave for creating a game that emphasises nurturance over conflict; and I’m thankful to the City of Armadale Libraries team for their support in making this group possible. We always have space at the Wingspan table, and you are very welcome to join us.
You can register here:
