Game Night

We got some great games for Christmas. The favorite is Sequence; States and Capitals, a kids’ take on our own favorite game, Sequence. We spent a hour playing both games with the kids, watching them figure out strategies, working on defense and offensive moves. It hit me at some point that we’re a far cry from Chutes and Ladders and CandyLand. I found myself having fun with the kids. It was more rich for us as a family than Candy Cane Lane.

There are so many times I mourn my babies growing up. Lately they look so big, so grown-up. It can make a mommy a little nostalgic. But nights like these remind me that as they grow, so does our relationship as a family. I loved family game night, munching on tortilla chips, smack-talking and high-fiving our way around the dining room table.

1. Great States Junior. It’s a map of the US with three categories of questions: visual matching of state shapes, pictures of what is produced from the states and counting the number of states that have certain letters in them. The object of the game is to get as many cards as possible, but I like it because it has a CandyLand aspect of everyone winning by completing the trip around the US. Another reason this one’s a hit is because it’s got enough engagement for kids that are learning to read and those who are still iconographic learners. Buy it at Growing Tree Toys

2. Question of the Day. This game lives on our kitchen table. Each day we get to pick one of the 100 questions in 10 categories to ask the family. Questions range from “How do you feel when you go to school?” to “Do you remember your dreams?” Each person can pick from one of 8 icon answers or a blank card to give your own answer (you know the Things always use this one). The game comes with a big cloth board to put answers on, but we use it as dinner table conversation starters. The kids love it and so do we. Buy it at Lakeshore Learning

3. Spanish Bingo. I have to admit, this is not the easiest Bingo game to play, for one, there is no wheel to spin so the old schoolness is lost here, but this game is pretty. The shapes and pictures are beautiful the cards themselves are artistic and unique, making a relatively dumb game (unless it involves winning money), a lot more fun. We have the game in Spanish and there’s a huge bonus here too — they’re learning the words associated with the pictures in their newly adopted language. Buy it at Genius Babies.

Got any great kinder games for us to try out? Would love to hear!