Unplug the television and put down the cell phones. Instead play Interactive games with your children and grandchildren. Turn back the clock to a time when families gathered around a table to play board games. Teens were not texting friends or youngsters watching television. Transform March’s cold days into the warmth of Game Days by engaging in lively conversation and friendly games. Game Day will become that special time when you and your children focus on each other while playing fun games. As you play, you will learn from each other. An additional benefit to playing games is that they stimulate the brain and teach new skills. This interchange with your children creates a time to practice listening skills and exchange ideas between generations.
Game Day can be established as a weekly or monthly scheduled day when you give undivided attention to your children in a fun day filled with old and new games. It also can be saved for those days when children are home, such as school holidays and winter school closures.
Board Games
Search your closets for board games you once played. Bring out your old boards or purchase a new version of old favorites.
Chess and Checkers are timeless favorites. These games offer an opportunity to teach rules and strategy. These games are between two people and can become a favorite way to spend time when you are together with one child. Once the games are mastered, children will have learned skills that last a lifetime. Your children may be interested in joining a Chess Team located at their school of community center.
“Chinese Checkers,” “Yahtzee” and “Clue” are board games that can be played with a group of children. These games can be completed in a single sitting. When the game is over, reset for the next round. These are fun when there are several children of different ages spending time together with you.
“Monopoly” is a favorite classic game that can be played with one or several people. It is also possible to leave the board set up and have a continuous game over several hours or days. If school is cancelled or a child is home sick, a “Monopoly” game can be set up for several days of competition. Available for purchase is the original monopoly board game, monopoly for kids, monopoly for families and monopoly highlighting places in specific cities.
“Scrabble” is another classic board game. “Scrabble” can be played at different ability levels. “Scrabble” is a fun way to assist with spelling and increase your child’s vocabulary. You might even permit the use of the dictionary to look up spelling of possible words. By creating sibling teams, there can be cooperation rather than competition.
Card Games
Decks of cards will furnish multiple games. You can play old standbys like “Old Maid,” “Crazy Eights” and “Go Fish.” Card games come packaged for youth with several games. It is also possible to play these games with your regular deck of cards. Another favorite card game is “Solitary,” which can be played individually or in competition with each other.
Older children may enjoy learning “Bridge.” By teaching beginner “Bridge,” you may create a lifetime partner for future “Bridge” games. This is a sophisticated card game that one never outgrows and continues throughout one’s life.
Create Games using Family Facts
Using family information in a game is a creative way to share family history.
“Twenty Questions”: Use facts about a family member while children guess the relative by asking “Twenty Questions.”
“True or False”: “True or False” statements about the family is a fun way to share information about your family’s history. For example, name countries where great grandparents lived or experiences over the generations.
Puzzles
Solve puzzles while sitting together with your children. Children will take pride in providing answers as you work together to complete the puzzle.
Word Puzzles are printed for all age groups. Purchase or check out from library a book of puzzles targeting the ages of your children. In addition to adults, there are puzzles aimed at elementary, junior and senior high-school youth. These are both crossword puzzles and word search puzzles.
Jigsaw puzzles are great way to entertain groups of children of multiple ages. Bring with you a jigsaw puzzle. Locate a jigsaw puzzle with a picture you enjoy. Puzzles often picture natural scenes, famous paintings, animals and flowers. By planning ahead, you may be able to have a puzzle made from a family photograph. By leaving the puzzle on a table for multiple days, the family can continue to add pieces until it is completed.
Make Up Story
Start a story and pass along the continuation to the next person.
You and a single child or a group of children can create a story. Each person makes up a portion of the story and stops at a place for the next person to continue making up their portion. The story continues as long as you want to play this game.
Let’s Get Moving
After sitting and concentrating on board and word games, “Charades” will be a welcome activity. During the day, you will want to move around. “Charades” provides an opportunity for everyone to move around inside the house. There are “Charades” games for kids, families and adults. Select the one that best fits your group of children.
Today, classic games from our past are available in multiple versions. You can select games that target children, families and adults. However, bringing out of your closet an old game from your childhood adds a personal touch to game day. It acts as a happy reminder of your childhood and connects your children and grandchildren with a family experience. Make Game Day a time to be remembered throughout the lives of your children. March is the perfect time to initiate Game Day.
Joan welcomes your comments and ideas.
