As wives and mothers, don’t we all want thriving communication with our family? Aren’t we always trying to find ways to draw our kids closer together?
Of course! There is nothing sweeter then fun family memories!
Today I was wanting to share one of my favorite ways to spend a family evening. Although I LOVE movie nights (as I talked about in my Family Movie Night post), there is an added communication benefit to turning off the TV and sitting around the dining room table playing a game!
Good for any age
Just like with family movie selections, game choices will change as children grow older. Through my childhood we went from playing Candyland and Pass the Pigs to Risk and Clue. But the great thing is that all members of the family can be involved!
Josh and I enjoy playing a good card- or board-game on a Saturday afternoon when Heidi is napping. But it is equally fun to have her sitting in her chair on the table, interacting with us as we play.
I am looking forward to having many more children, and us all gathering around the table and finding ways to all connect! We could choose a younger game that will include the little ones. Or we could play an older game and ask the younger ones to be our “teammates” and “assist” us so that everyone is still involved.
The best games
Growing up, my family always had a shelf FULL of games and although there are many games out there that I’ve never played, I want to mention a few of my favorites for family time.
- Younger games
Candyland – Might tend to be more of a girl’s game but it was definitely a favorite of mine when I was younger. And w
Pass the Pigs – This game is determined completely by chance so it is the perfect game for little ones, but also can be exciting for the older kids if they wanted to join in.
Trouble – This is a classic game that always got me excited when I was younger because you had to pop a button in the middle of the board in order to roll the dice! haha
- Older games
Clue – Another classic game that takes quite a bit of strategy to win. But still can be a fun game to the little ones to “help” with as weapons/game pieces need to be moved around the board.
Risk – This one tends more towards the boys arena but, again, can be fun for the entire family to get involved with.
Monopoly – Although a bit complicated for a younger crowd, there are still helpful jobs that they would enjoy participating in such as the banker and the keeper of the properties.
Canasta/Hands-and-Feet – A favorite of both of Josh’s and my families. Card games that can be played either with individuals or teams.
- ANYBODY
Scattergories – All you have to do is think up a bunch of words that start with the same letter. Both young and old can do that!
Apples to Apples – A game that will bring out the silliness in the entire family!
Spoons – As long as you keep an eye on the spoons you have a chance to win!
Mille Bornes – A fun, competitive game that is based on race cars!
Also make sure to check out Split Second, Chronology, Bananagrams, Skip-Bo, Catchphrase and Jenga!
Conclusion
The bottom line is that no matter what games your family falls in love with, family games night are an inexpensive, fun way to grow together and make amazing memories! I think I’ll plan one for this weekend! How about you?