Game Time

For a long time we weren't really a game-playing family. Jacob and I would do the occasional puzzle until the choking hazard sized pieces became an issue with the kids when they were babies. This year W has embraced a variety of games which we can all play together and game time has become a fun family ritual, and a great activity to do during the day for us too. Here are a few of our current favorites.

Blokus



This was actually a birthday gift to Jacob from one of his brothers, but we all love this game! W even beat us both for the first time ever earlier this week. His game has definitely been improving. It involves some strategy and a lot of luck. Hint: use all your big pieces first, especially when playing with 3 or 4 people. The one down side is C always wishes he could play, so it has gotten harder to distract him while the big kid and grownups play.









Uno



We have the Thomas & Friends version of Uno, but I think we'll need to get another deck soon since these cards have been played so much this spring & summer that they are looking pretty sad. The Easter Bunny brought these for C, but W quickly figured out that it was a very fun game and not just color-matching cards for his brother. I can't count the number of times we've played this. We even took it with us on vacation so it made some hotel rooms feel more like home. W likes playing best of five rounds with Jacob and/or myself. I must admit, I love playing too!







Sum Swamp



This game is fun for W, and helps with his adding and subtraction. Yes, we are sneaky parents and are secretly working on his math skills while he plays. ;) I heard about this through other home schooling families and am so glad they told me about it. It has four animal game pieces so usually C can be entertained with one and feel like he is playing too. It is not the most exciting game for grownups, but it keeps kids entertained so hey isn't that the point?










Rainbow Timber blocks by Haba



This is like Jenga for little kids. The blocks are so versatile and cute. The boys use these on a daily basis, mostly just for building and pretend play. The blocks can be a bridge, a house, or a garage for their toy cars. This is a great toy for the younger set when they have little friends over to visit, but W still loves them. There are actual rules too if that's how you roll. Haba has a lot of great block building model sets that W may be interested in soon. Santa, do you hear me?