Game Nights for the Win!

{This is an updated version of an earlier post.}

Movies. Books. Snow cream. And board games. These are fixtures of a snow day. I really should say snow days. Plural. Because we've had several the past few weeks. With nearly a foot of snow on the ground right now, I anticipate we'll break out some games later today. Probably after the kids go sledding.

Games go through phases around here, especially as the kids grow into games they can play. {Unless, of course, you're talking about Settlers of Catan, which has remained a fixture among our best adult friends since February 2007 when our obsession began.}

Here are some of the games my second-grade girl loves ::

• Bananagrams :: Cate is still learning about the speed element of this game, but she likes finding words to use. Right now we play this together. It's a boys versus girls thing around here. Of course, that means Greg is just making sure Ben doesn't swipe any of his letter tiles in the quick pace of making words in crossword fashion.
• Skip-Bo :: We love card games! This one is about numerically ordering cards while trying to get rid of all your own stockpile. 
• Catan Junior :: I already told you about the adult addiction to this game. Good thing there is a kid version too. Like the original, it's about expansion and strategy. 
• Phase 10 :: Hooray for another card game in our rotation!
• Apples to Apples :: There are kid versions of this game, but sometimes Cate will join in this regular edition. She doesn't get all the noun cards matched with adjectives, but she gets the concept and enjoys it anyway. Plus the explaining makes for some good history and life lessons!
• Game of Things :: This is on my favorite party games. People make up answers to prompts and before long everyone is laughing. It's fun now that Cate and her friends are old enough to play too. They're actually pretty good at it!

And these are ones my preschool boy can play :: 

• Uno :: Ben likes this one, when he's willing to sit still long enough. It's good for numbers, colors and matching. Thanks to Diego and Dora, they both have long had the "Uno!" part down. 
• Blokus :: The board reminds me of Tetris, but here your own pieces can only touch corners. Plus there is a competitive element of blocking your opponents. Sometimes when the kids are sleeping Greg and I like to break out this one. Shhh. 
• Sequence for Kids :: This is my favorite preschool game. It's easy enough they get it, but it also involves some strategy. {No offense Candy Land and Chutes & Ladders!} The goal is to get four of your own markers in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row as your draw cards that match animals pictures on the board.
• The Best of Charades for Kids :: I'm not a fan of charades generally, but I like that my preschooler who doesn't know how to read can still act out words based on the pictures on the cards. Each card has one picture and two words that can each be performed. Ben is especially good at animals and sports. 
• Hedbanz :: Once I can get beyond the intentional misspelling, this is a good game. It's like 20 Questions for trying to guess what picture is on your head. 
• Sorry! :: This one always produces the insincere "SORRY!" but it's a good lesson for kids to learn to be good sports when games don't go their way.

Does your family play games? What are your favorites?
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